The Principal Housing and Investment Officer presented the report on behalf of the Director of Regeneration and Place. The report was in response to a motion agreed at Council on 20^th March 2023 entitled “Greater Insulation Programme Needed for Wirral’s Housing” and also provided an update on a separated motion agreed by Council on 10^th October 2022 entitled “Energy Efficiency / Residential”.

Members discussed the responses to the Council Motions and stated that they were happy to see progress on the area but that quicker progress was needed. They noted that heating technology had moved on quickly in the past 4 years. Members queried the lines of communication between officers in Housing and Planning, particularly in relation to the planning requirements for cladding. Officers assured Members that communication was strong between the two departments.

Members queried who sat on the Residential Retro Fitting Task and Finish Group and were informed that there were members from Magenta Living housing association, Port Sunlight Village Trust, the Chair of the Wirral Private Landlords Forum, the Chief Executive of Projects Plus, the Retrofit Manager from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Principal Housing and Investment Officer from Wirral Council.

Members stated that they had reports from tenants of old, cold and mouldy properties and residents and landlords were struggling to access funding for improvements. Officers noted that funding was provided by national programmes but that Wirral officers were encouraging residents and landlords to take up any funding that’s on offer.

Resolved – That

1.  The asks of the Council Motions be noted; and

2.  The responses to the Motions as outlined in Section 3 of the report be approved.