Members of the Cabinet are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary and/or any other relevant interest, in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

No declarations of interest were received.

The minutes of the last meeting have been printed and published.  Any matters called in will be reported at the meeting.

RECOMMENDATION:  That the minutes be approved and adopted.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meetings of the cabinet held on 26 February 2018 and 28 February 2018 (Special Meeting), be confirmed as a correct record.

The Chair proposed and it was agreed that the meeting’s order of business be varied and that Agenda Item 8 ‘Fee Setting for 2018/19’ be considered before Agenda Item 3 ‘Executive Key Decisions Taken under Delegated Powers’ to enable Councillor Chris Jones to speak on the item prior to her leaving the meeting to attend a pre-arranged commitment.

“I am proud that after extensive consultation with care providers across the borough, we are proposing an investment of almost £3 million this year. This money will be used to support care providers, further improve the quality of services residents can receive and support our most vulnerable people.”

Councillor Chris Jones introduced a report by the Assistant Director for Integrated Commissioning and Principal Accountant that informed on the outcome of consultation with care providers with regard to the proposed 2018-19 fee rates for services provided for Adults and Older People in Wirral. The report also set out the requirement to deliver a good quality responsive and sustainable care market that reflected resident’s expectations. The report further informed that proposals had been made in the context of continuing significant financial pressures in relation to care costs for both providers and for the Council, whilst having due regard to local market pressures and the actual cost of care.

The Cabinet noted that the consultation covered services provided on behalf of Wirral Adult Social Care and Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group as part of its joint commissioning arrangements for Wirral-wide service provision. The report covered all sectors and provided a comparison of the proposed fee rates for Wirral benchmarked against other North West Councils. These included: Residential and nursing (including Transfer to Assess and specialist services), domiciliary care (including extra care housing support), supported living, shared lives, reablement and mobile night services.

The following pledges were linked to (and supported by) the recommended increases:

·  Older People Live Well

·  People with disabilities live independently

·  Young People are ready for work and adulthood

·  Wirral is a place where employers want to invest and businesses thrive

·  Greater job opportunities in Wirral council

·  Thriving small businesses

·  Workforce skills meet business needs

RESOLVED:  That

(1)  the proposed rates and fees recommended by officers within the report be approved;

(2)  it be RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL that the increased cost of £2.9m be met by the Social Care Precept element of Council tax;

(3)  the uplift fees to providers from 1 April 2018 be approved;

(4)  the intention to work in collaboration with the Liverpool City Region (LCR) and the supported living sector to pilot test and phase in a sustainable new model of care be noted; and

(5)  the intention to work with partner organisations and the independent sector to develop a new model of domiciliary care provision be noted.

Key Decisions – taken under delegated powers. Period 16 February, 2018 (date of publication of last Cabinet agenda) to date.

·  Cabinet Member – Environment

Climate Change Annual Report and Action Plan 2017

(Executive Member Decision Form attached).

Effective from 20 March, 2018

Councillor Phillip Brightmore expressed his thanks to staff, the Wirral Climate Change Group and other local groups in respect of the work undertaken to help protect the environment and the development of a climate strategy. He informed the Cabinet of the Council’s Strategic Action Plan and progress that had been made over the past year to help provide resilience for the Borough’s parks into the future, awareness campaigns, and how the environment remained a priority for the Council. Councillor Brightmore extended an invitation to other local authorities to follow Wirral’s lead.

Councillor Bernie Mooney also expressed thanks on behalf of the Cabinet to Mr Brian Lipscombe, Sustainability (CRed) Liaison Officer for all his work in support of the Council’s commitment to the environment and the climate strategy action plan.

RESOLVED: 

That the following Key Decisions taken under delegated powers from the period 16 February 2018 to date be noted:

·  Cabinet Member – Environment

·  Climate Change Annual Report and Action Plan 2017

The Cabinet is requested to make nominations for the positions of Civic Mayor and Deputy Civic Mayor for the municipal year 2018/2019, which will be submitted to the Annual Meeting of the Council.

The Cabinet was requested to make nominations for the positions of Civic Mayor and Deputy Civic Mayor for the Municipal Year 2018/2019, which would be considered at the Annual Meeting of the Council.

RESOLVED:

That the following nominations be made for the Municipal Year 2018/2019 at the Annual Meeting of the Council scheduled to be held on 14 May 2018.

·  Councillor Geoffrey Watt for the role of Civic Mayor.

·  Councillor Tony Smith for the role of Deputy Civic Mayor.

Councillor George Davies introduced a report by the Principal Forward Planning Officer that informed that in January 2017 Wirral Council had asked its retained consultants – Lichfields (assisted by Lambert Smith Hampton) to prepare a Borough-wide Wirral Employment Land and Premises Study [Wirral ELPS]. The Wirral ELPS updated the evidence base, replacing the existing Wirral Employment Land and Premises Study prepared by BE Group in 2012.

The report further informed that on 27 February 2017 (Minute 96 refers), when considering the results of further consultation on the Borough’s housing needs and land supply, the Cabinet had resolved that the future designation of existing employment land be not determined until the Employment Land and Premises Study Update had been completed and approved.

The report summarised that the Wirral ELPS drew on an assessment of local market conditions, engagement with local stakeholders and businesses, viability assessments of a range of typical industrial and office uses and a review of the current employment land portfolio to arrive at a recommended employment land supply for the Borough to inform the emerging Core Strategy Local Plan. Emphasis was placed on the suitability, deliverability and viability of sites and land for future employment use.

In addition, the report recommended employment land supply be included in the Local Plan comprise of 41 sites totalling 59.5 hectares net. A further 13 sites had also been identified at Wirral Waters as of strategic importance to the wider Liverpool City Region; 12 sites for mixed uses, where the final potential for future B Class employment uses was currently unknown; and 17 sites to be safeguarded for longer term employment uses.

The report supported the following pledges in the Wirral Plan 2020:

·  Pledge Eight: Greater job opportunities in Wirral

·  Pledge Ten: Increase inward investment

·  Pledge Eleven: Thriving small businesses

The report was a key decision as the findings could affect a large number of residents and businesses in a large number of Wards in the Borough.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the findings of the Wirral Employment Land and Premises Study 2017 be used to inform the content of the Council’s emerging Core Strategy Local Plan.

(2)  It be RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL that the Wirral Employment Land and Premises Study 2017 be approved as a material consideration for use by the Planning Committee in the determination of planning applications.

Further to the decision of the Cabinet, Councillor George Davies read a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

This investment will help bring about further growth in our economy and ensure road users across Wirral continue to experience efficient and safer journeys on our networks”.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham reported that on 2February 2018, the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Combined Authority had agreed to award £2,625,000 of Highways Maintenance Funding to Wirral Council to support investment in its highways assets. The report sought the Cabinet’s approval to accept the £2,625,000 and allocate it between the Bridges and Roads/Footway elements of the network. The report also requested approval of the detailed Highway Structural Maintenance Programme for 2018/19.

The report informed that the funding would support the delivery of the Connecting Wirral Transport Strategy and the Wirral Plan pledge to provide transport and technology infrastructure fit for the future, and would ensure that Wirral had safe, affordable, well maintained and efficient transport networks for residents to access community services, enjoy leisure facilities and commute to work.

The maintenance of highways was a statutory duty for the Council under the Highways Act 1980 (as amended).

This was a key decision and all wards were affected.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the acceptance of £2,625,000 of Highway Maintenance Funding for 2018/19, awarded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority at its meeting of 2 February 2018 be agreed;

(2)  the proposed allocation of the Highway Maintenance Funding 2018/19 between Bridges and Roads/Footways be agreed;

(3)  the detailed Highway Structural Maintenance Programme for 2018/19 outlined in Appendix 1 to the report be approved; and

(4)  the Strategic Commissioner for Environment, in conjunction with the Member for Highways and Transport, be authorised to make necessary adjustments to the Highways Structural Maintenance Programme should the need arise due to financial, asset condition or other factors.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham informed that on 2 February 2018 the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority had awarded £1,150,000 of Integrated Transport Block funding to Wirral Council, to support the delivery of the Liverpool City Region Transport Plan for Growth during 2018/19. The report sought the Cabinet’s approval to accept the £1,150,000 and allocate it to priorities and projects as outlined in the report.

Wirral’s Transport Plan for Growth supported the Wirral Plan 2020 pledge to provide Transport and Technology Infrastructure fit for the future by ensuring that Wirral had safe, affordable, well maintained and efficient transport networks for residents to access community services, leisure facilities and commute to work.

This was a Key Decision and affected all Wards within the Borough.

RESOLVED: That

(1)   the acceptance of £1,150,000 of Integrated Transport Block funding allocated to Wirral Council by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to support the delivery of the Transport Plan for Growth Programme be agreed;

(2)   the proposed programme for this funding as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be agreed; and

(3)   authority be delegated to the Strategic Commissioner for Environment, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, to make necessary adjustments to the priorities within the Wirral Transport Plan for Growth Programme should the need arise due to financial or other factors.

The following items contain exempt information.

RECOMMENDATION:  That, under section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act. The Public Interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

RESOLVED:  That, under section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 3* of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act. The Public Interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

* Paragraph 3 - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). 

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations as detailed within the exempt report be agreed.