Councillor Tom Usher introduced a report by the Assistant Director: Early Help and Prevention which provided an overview of the Cradle to Career programme which was a collaboration between the Council, the education charities Right to Succeed and SHINE, the Steve Morgan Foundation, North Birkenhead Development Trust and the community of North Birkenhead to develop a place-based approach that would reduce the inequality gap for children and young people by transforming how public services, education providers and residents worked together for collective impact. The report outlined what the programme would deliver and the role of the Council’s Children’s Services and partners.

Councillor Usher informed that it was a pleasure to present this report to the last Cabinet meeting.  He had held his portfolio since May 2019 and during this time some great progress had been made in respect of the quality of children’s social services.  He appreciated the support and dedication of Cabinet Members, the Director of Child, Family and Education and his Team who had all shown an extraordinary dedication to improving the lives of children and families in the borough.  It had been a pleasure for him to work with the Team.

Councillor Usher reported that this project supported the Wirral Plan 2020-25 objectives:

-  Working for a prosperous, inclusive economy where local people can get good jobs and achieve their aspirations.

-  Working for safe and pleasant communities where Wirral residents feel safe, and where they want to live and raise their families.

-  Working for happy, active, and healthy lives where people are supported, protected, and inspired to live independently; and

-  Working for brighter futures for Wirral’s children, young people, and families by breaking the cycle of poor outcomes and raising the aspirations of every child in the borough.

This matter affected the Bidston St. James Ward and was not a key decision.

Councillor Usher made the point that this project was not short term, it was mid to long term and it was something the Council could fully support when local government was funded.  Unfortunately, the Council was under serious financial pressures which had not been helped by the Coronavirus Pandemic.  Councillor Usher was disappointed that the Government had praised the Council for its good work and for providing resources for this project, working in a way that really took seriously the  poverty and deprivation that occurred in some of its local communities but it had also decided not to cover all of the expenditure the Council had incurred whist assisting the Government with its response to the Pandemic

The Cabinet was informed that two other options had been considered.  The first option had been to not to engage as an active partner of the Cradle to Career Programme but to continue to deliver services to residents in North Birkenhead in the same way as had been done over previous years. This would risk the investment from sponsors being withdrawn and the opportunity for place-based change being lost. The second option had been to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112