The Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Services reported upon the development, with The Mersey Partnership (TMP) and the other Merseyside boroughs, of a joint three-year ‘Partners for Tourism Growth’ bid for European Funding, which had now been secured from the Northwest Development Agency’s (NWDA) operational programme.

The Wirral element of the project was £600,000, of which £300,000 was a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant, matched against £300,000 from the Council’s existing budget and it would directly help local tourism businesses market their products and services more efficiently and effectively. He provided details of the three strategic components of the three-year project and he commented that the Mersey Partnership, which had co-ordinated the bid would act as the accountable body and be responsible for any claw back as a result of under performance on any of the projected outcomes on the part of any of the partners.

Resolved – That the underwriting of £300,000 of Regional Development Funding from the Council’s matched funding budget and reserve, be approved.