The report to be considered by the Cabinet on 8 November 2012 is attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive which was to be presented to Cabinet on 8 November with the results of the first stage of the consultation process. The consultation results contained within the report were intended to provide a good understanding of residents’, partners’ and employees’ views on the Council’s future priorities and appropriate methods in which savings should be delivered. All of the comments provided through the consultation had been analysed and summarised within the report, and all comments would be published on the Council website during November 2012.

Subject to Cabinet approval, the report would be followed by a second stage of consultation which would begin in November 2012. This second stage would involve consultation with residents, employees and other stakeholders to gather views on a range of detailed options for achieving the necessary budget savings for 2013/14.

The Committee received a presentation from Lucy Barrow, Senior Policy Manager, in the Chief Executive’s Department, on the process and findings of the consultation. Over the period of six weeks the team had spoken to just over 13,000 residents. There had been 6,921 responses to the questionnaire, of which 1,133 were staff responses. Responses were broadly geographically and demographically representative.

There was broad approval for each of the four main themes:

Increasing income

Alternative delivery

Shaping Community Services

Stopping or reducing

Charges for some services should be raised but not to disadvantage people and being careful not to create a domino effect of an overall loss of income. People were very strongly in favour of shared services, although with any service which was outsourced there was a need to retain control. The results also showed that the Council should look at consolidating services into a smaller number of buildings but without leaving any community isolated. Officer options for savings would be published at the end of week to be followed by a further period of consultation through to January and Overview and Scrutiny Committees would be meeting again in December to consider these options.

The three top priorities were ranked in order as:

Protecting our vulnerable adults and children

Creating jobs and attracting investment

Tackling poverty and inequalities in health

Ms Barrow circulated consultation results broken down on a ward by ward basis.

A Member commented that the response rate for the whole of the Borough was less than 3% and with 15% of the respondees being employees, the response from the public was 2.4%. Ms Barrow indicated that initial research had shown that the response rate was higher than any other comparable exercise in the UK; the team had also engaged with thousands more people to raise awareness of the consultation. It was acknowledged that work would continue to encourage as many people as possible to take part I the next stage of the consultation. The Council now had a 7000 distribution base which could be built upon to continue to the next stage.

In response to Members, Ms Barrow indicated that stage two of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34

The report of the Chief Executive to be considered by the Cabinet on 8 November 2012 is attached

The report of the Chief Executive on the stage one “What Really Matters” consultation findings, to be considered by the Cabinet on 8 November 2012 was presented to the Committee for its consideration. The report indicated that, at its meeting held on 10 July 2012, the Cabinet (minute 45 refers) had instructed officers to implement a comprehensive programme of consultation and engagement in order to inform the development of the Council’s Corporate and Financial Plan for 2013-2016 and further to guide the development of significant budget savings.

The Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning reported upon the results of the first stage of the consultation process, which ran from 10 September to 19 October 2012 and Members received a presentation, which provided a summary and analysis of the findings of the views expressed by residents, staff and other stakeholders. An extensive communications and engagement plan was implemented to ensure the consultation reached the widest possible audience. It involved a programme of over 150 events including scrutiny workshops, and speaking to over 13,000 residents. Over 37,500 paper questionnaires had been distributed, and 6921 responses received represented a return rate of around 18% – a higher response to any previous Wirral Council consultation and, according to published data, higher than any comparable exercise anywhere in the UK.

The Director commented that the second stage of the consultation would focus upon the specific options for savings to be published by officers on 9 November 2012 and it was hoped that levels of engagement would be increased. Further meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committees would take place in early December and the findings of the stage two consultation would be presented to a special meeting of the Cabinet on 20 December 2012. Further scrutiny committees would then be held prior to the Budget Cabinet in February 2013.

Members noted that the results of the questionnaire agreed with the proposed top three priorities for the Council of, protecting vulnerable adults and children, tackling poverty and inequalities in health, and creating jobs and attracting investment. However, Members noted also that the results suggested that having access to a range of affordable housing should be a low priority. The Director accepted that the consultation was statistically valid, whilst also noting that responses tended to be from a personal point of view. Ultimately, budget decisions would be taken by Members who would have regard to the consultation outcome and draw from it what they considered to be most relevant.

At 6.50pm, the Committee stood adjourned for 10 minutes.

It was moved by Councillor Jean Stapleton and seconded by Councillor Stuart Whittingham –

“That the Economy and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee thanks everyone who contributed to the “What Really Matters” consultation and notes the priorities identified”.

The Motion was put and carried (7:0)

It was further moved by Councillor Mark Johnston and seconded by Councillor Andrew Hodson –

“That the Cabinet be asked to refer to paragraph 7.1 of the report of the Chief Executive, to note  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29

The report to be considered by the Cabinet on 8 November 2012 is attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive which was to be presented to Cabinet on 8 November with the results of the first stage of the consultation process. The consultation results contained within the report were intended to provide a good understanding of residents’, partners’ and employees’ views on the Council’s future priorities and appropriate methods in which savings should be delivered. All of the comments provided through the consultation had been analysed and summarised within the report, and all comments would be published on the Council website during November 2012.

Subject to Cabinet approval, the report would be followed by a second stage of consultation which would begin in November 2012. This second stage would involve consultation with residents, employees and other stakeholders to gather views on a range of detailed options for achieving the necessary budget savings for 2013/14.

The Committee received a presentation from Kevin MacCallum, Corporate Marketing Officer, in the Chief Executive’s Department, on the process and findings of the consultation. Over the period of six weeks the team of 10 people had spoken to just over 13,000 residents. There had been 6,921 responses to the questionnaire, of which 1,133 were staff responses. Responses were geographically and demographically representative.

There was broad approval for each of the four main themes:

• Increasing income
• Alternative delivery
• Shaping Community Services
• Stopping or reducing

Charges for some services should be raised but not to disadvantage people and being careful not to create a domino effect of an overall loss of income. People were very strongly in favour of shared services, although with any service which was outsourced there was a need to retain control. The results also showed that the Council should look at consolidating services into a smaller number of buildings but without leaving any community isolated. Officer options for savings would be published at the end of week to be followed by a further period of consultation through to January and Overview and Scrutiny Committees would be meeting again in December to consider these options.

The three top priorities were ranked in order as:

• Protecting our vulnerable adults and children
• Creating jobs and attracting investment
• Tackling poverty and inequalities in health

Members thanked all the officers involved in the consultation process for all their work in what at times could be a difficult and challenging task.

Resolved – That the presentation and report be noted.