Members are asked to consider whether they have personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state what they are.

Members are reminded that they should also declare, pursuant to paragraph 18 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, whether they are subject to a party whip in connection with any item(s) to be considered and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of the whipping arrangement.

Members were asked to consider whether they had personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state what they were.

Members were reminded that they should also declare, pursuant to paragraph 18 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, whether they were subject to a party whip in connection with any item(s) to be considered and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of the whipping arrangement.

Councillors George, Gilchrist, Hale and Wilkins declared their personal interest in agenda item 2 (Transforming Wirral – Strategic Asset Review), insofar as they were members of various management committees that could be affected by the outcome of the Strategic Asset Review.

A.  Extract of Cabinet Minute 264 (27 November 2008)

B.  Report of the Chief Executive to Cabinet 27 November 2008

§  Transforming Wirral: Delivering The Strategic Asset Review

§  Appendix

C.  Information requested by the Chair in relation to savings on closure/transfer of assets

D.  Information requested by the Chair in relation to consolidated schedules in respect of Library and Sport Centre closures

1.  Library Savings

2.  Sports Centre Savings

E.  List of the seven administrative assets identified by the Review Group that will be programmed for closure and disposal in 2009/2010

§  Bridge Court

§  4 Cavendish Road

§  5/7 St Andrews Road

§  Moreton Municipal Building

§  Oakenholt

§  The Old Courthouse

§  19 Heath Road

F.  Information requested by the Chair in relation to the basis of the £45m calculation of the no change option will be reported verbally by the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management

G.  Information requested by the Chair from the Director of Finance in relation to relevant sections of the Budget Book 2008/2009

H.  The following reports requested by the Chair contain information in relation to the backlog of major property repairs of £10m –

1.  Report of the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Services to Cabinet 16 August 2007

§  Planned Maintenance 2007/2008

2.  Report of the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Services to Cabinet 13 March 2008 [Exempt]

§  Property Performance Management

§  Appendix 1 – Administrative Buildings

§  Appendix 2 – Other Buildings – Running Costs

§  Appendix 3 – Maintenance Backlog

§  Appendix 4 – Disabled Access

§  Appendix 5 – Delivery of Capital Projects

At the request of the Chair, the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management presented the Cabinet report of the Chief Executive on the Strategic Asset Review (SAR) (Cabinet minute 264 (27 November 2008) refers), which had been referred to this Committee for scrutiny. The report set out a vision for transforming Wirral’s use of assets in order to improve service delivery; provide better value for money; and support the regeneration of the Borough, particularly its most deprived parts. It recommended investing £20m, over four years, to develop a strategic network of 12 state-of-the-art multi-purpose complexes, which would be a mix of brand new buildings and enhancements to existing facilities. To achieve the level of service improvement, whilst simultaneously controlling overall buildings related costs, required a strategic review of all the Council’s properties and a reduction in the total number of publicly funded premises. The vision for the future contained within the report was of much improved facilities, but not as many Council maintained buildings.

Information was presented to the Committee in relation to net savings to be made on closure/transfer of assets, which amounted to approximately £3.7m per annum. A more detailed analysis was also presented in relation to potential savings through the closure of libraries and sports centres.

The Director set out the seven administrative assets identified by the Review Group that were programmed for closure and disposal in 2009/2010 and he provided a breakdown of the calculation of £45m cost of the ‘no change’ option, which had not been recommended. In response to comments from members, he indicated that the net savings of £3.7m per annum had not been a target, but had been identified as a result of the Strategic Consolidation option recommended by the Review Group, subject to closure or transfer by 31 March 2009. He commented also that without the SAR, the Audit Commission Use of Resources assessment would likely drop from 2 to a 1 of 4 rating, which would have a further detrimental knock-on effect. He accepted that the preferred option was a subjective judgement, but commented that if the no change option had been preferred, compensatory savings would have to be identified elsewhere, in order for the Council to set a balanced budget.

The Chair had also requested the presentation of reports that had been considered by the Cabinet on 16 August 2007 and 13 March 2008, which contained information in relation to the backlog of major property repairs of £10m. On the advice of the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management, the Committee agreed that the exempt report of the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Services (Property Performance Management) should be considered in open Committee, and copies were made available to members of the public who were in attendance.

The Director of Regeneration provided information in relation to comparisons that had been made with other local authorities with regard to the provision of libraries and sports centres. However, the demography of Wirral and the availability of public transportation had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.