To appoint:

(i)  the Leader of the Council (Chair of Policy & Resources Committee);

(ii)  the Deputy Leader of the Council (Vice-Chair of Policy & Resources Committee); and

(iii)  the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of all other Council committees, at B. above, other than those which the Council has decided should be appointed by the committee itself.

The third matter requiring approval was in relation to the appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Committees.

On a motion by Councillor Anita Leech, seconded by Councillor Tom Usher, it was -

A.  Resolved (unanimously) –

(1)  That Councillor Janette Williamson be appointed Leader of the Council (Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee).

The Civic Mayor then invited Councillor Janette Williamson to make her acceptance speech. In doing so she offered her sincere condolences to the families of Councillor Geoffrey Watt and former Councillor David Elderton.

Councillor Janette Williamson also referred to the recent deaths of two highly valued members of staff, Bernie Miller, who had served the Council in keeping the Town Hall clean and safe over 39 years and Mark Redman, recently promoted to Design and Commission Manager in Highways Services, who had served the Council for 34 years and passed on her condolences to their respective families. She also offered condolences to all the families in Wirral who had lost loved ones to Covid. She spoke of the huge impact which the current pandemic was having on residents and businesses across Wirral and that the Council would do everything it could to help and support the vulnerable, businesses and communities and of the need to address health inequalities within the borough.

On a motion by Councillor Janette Williamson, seconded by Councillor Tom Usher, it was –

B.  Resolved (unanimously) -

(2)  That Councillor Anita Leech be appointed Deputy Leader of the Council (Vice-Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee).

On a motion by Councillor Janette Williamson, seconded by Councillor Anita Leech, it was –

C.  Resolved (unanimously) -

(3)  That Chairs and Vice-Chairs be appointed to Committees and Sub-Committees as referred to in the list circulated in the supplementary agenda, subject to the replacement of Councillor Jeff Green as Chair of Audit and Risk Management Committee with Councillor Kathy Hodson, and that the appointments be as set out below.