Council is requested to consider the recommendation from the Policy and Resources Committee meeting on 27 June 2022.

The minute extract, report and updated appendices are attached, and the original appendices can be viewed here.

The second item requiring approval was in relation to an update to the Wirral Plan 2021-26 to allow the Plan to be res-set as a four-year plan for the full term of the new administration following the Whole Council Elections in May 2023. Following feedback and officer clarification at the Policy and Resources Committee on 27 June 2022, the Wirral Plan had been further amended.

Councillor Paul Stuart moved and Councillor Yvonne Nolan seconded the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee of 27 June 2022 with regard to the Wirral Plan Update.

Councillor Tom Anderson moved an amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Andrew Gardner, as follows:

Deletion of paragraph (1)

Delete ‘and their approval be recommended for approval by Council in July’ in paragraph (2)

Deletion of paragraph (3)

Add new paragraph (2) –

(2) Council resolves that ‘Active Travel’, as a cross-cutting policy, now be solely reserved to Policy and Resources Committee.

Following a debate, the amendment was put and lost (22:35) (1 abstention).

A further debate took place in relation to the original motion. The motion was put and agreed (34:22) (1 abstention). It was therefore –

Resolved (34:22) (1 abstention) – That

(1)  the progress made against the Wirral Plan deliverables as set out in Appendix 2 be noted and request that all future progress of deliverables be presented using the framework in the amended delivery plan agreed at Council (Min. 25, Council, 6th September 2021). This framework is informed by the agreement between the chairs of Economy, Regeneration and Development (now Economy, Regeneration and Housing) Committee and Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee (Min. 27, P&R, 30th June 2021).

(2)  the refreshed Wirral Plan 2022/23 priorities as set out in Appendix 3 be approved.

(3)  officers be requested to work with the Council’s political leadership and committee chairs during 2022/23 to develop a new four year plan for adoption following the elections in May 2023.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services introduced the report of the Chief Executive which provided an update on the Wirral Plan 2021-26 which was approved by Council on 6 September 2021. The Plan was adopted part way through the year reflecting the Council’s re-set from the emergency management arrangements in response to the pandemic back to resumption of normal business delivery during 2021/22.

The report provided a high-level summary of delivery progress made for the months since the plan was approved and also provided a refresh of the proposed plan priorities for 2022/23. It was reported that the Wirral Plan was a key document of the Council’s policy framework, setting out the vision and priorities for Wirral as a place. The Plan had been aligned with the Council’s Improvement Plan which sets out the vision and priorities for organisational change and improvement that would ensure the Council was in the best shape to lead Wirral partners in achieving the Wirral Plan vision.

The Committee discussed the different elements of the Wirral Plan Update in detail, including the ongoing monitoring of performance of the Plan and the broader incorporation of the wider environmental goals into the Plan.

Following various comments to the Director of Neighbourhood Services on the Plan, it was moved by Councillor Liz Grey, seconded by Councillor Tony Jones, that the Policy and Resources Committee –

(1)  Note the progress made against the Wirral Plan deliverables as set out in Appendix 2 and request that all future progress of deliverables be presented using the framework in the amended delivery plan agreed at Council (Min. 25, Council, 6^th September 2021). This framework is informed by the agreement between the chairs of Economy, Regeneration and Development (now Economy, Regeneration and Housing) Committee and Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee (Min. 27, P&R, 30^th June 2021).

(2)  Endorse the refreshed Wirral Plan 2022/23 priorities, as set out in Appendix 3, and recommend their approval by Council in July.

(3)  Request that officers work with the Council’s political leadership and committee chairs during 2022/23 to develop a new four year plan for adoption following the elections in May 2023.

A discussion ensued on the timeliness of the development of a new four-year plan in advance of the whole Council elections in May 2023.

Further clarity was sought on Minute 25 of Council on 6 September 2021 at which point the Head of Legal Services read out the resolution.

The motion was then put and agreed (9:6). It was therefore –

Resolved – That

(1)  the progress made against the Wirral Plan deliverables as set out in Appendix 2 be noted and request that all future progress of deliverables be presented using the framework in the amended delivery plan agreed at Council (Min. 25, Council, 6^th September 2021). This framework is informed by the agreement between the chairs of Economy, Regeneration and Development (now Economy, Regeneration and Housing) Committee and Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee (Min. 27, P&R, 30  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21