On behalf of Councillor Andrew Hodson, Councillor Les Rowlands accepted the Chair and welcomed Forum members and thirty-one members of the public to the meeting of the Neighbourhood Forum in the United Reform Church in Heswall. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Andrew Hodson, Councillor Peter Johnson and Councillor Don McCubbin and Inspector Mick Blease 

CouncillorRowlands was saddened to announce that Councillor Peter Johnson is in Arrowe Park Hospital where his condition is very serious.

Peter has been a hard-working councillor in Heswall for many, many years.  He was Mayor of the Borough and has a long track record of service to people in this area. 

CouncillorRowlands invited the area forum to join him in sending every good wish to Peter and kindest thoughts to Mary and their family at this very difficult time.  

MINUTES AND ACTIONS ARISING FROM JUNE 2012 FORUM

The minutes of the Area Forum meeting on 13 June had been distributed electronically in advance.  Paper copies were available at the meeting.

The area co-ordinator had responded by email to the query raised about the barrier around the footpath at Pensall and Fairview.

No matters arising were raised. 

RESOLVED:  To accept the minutes of the meeting of the Area Forum on 13 June 2012.

NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUMS - FUNDING

The Lead Officer, David Armstrong, read out a statement issued by Wirral’s Chief Executive which, in summary stated that in September 2012, the Council had received a report on the revenue budget based on spend over the previous three months and highlighted the fact that if action was not taken, an overspend in the region of £17 million would arise by the end of the current financial year.

Clearly, immediate action had to be taken to reduce the predicted overspend.  A decision was made to freeze all non-essential spending across all Council departments, including neighbourhood forum funding.

A further report will be submitted to the Council in two months’ time when the situation will be reappraised.  Neighbourhood forums should know the status of their funding by the end of the calendar year. 

• Question and Answer Session

In her presentation, the Area Co-ordinator explained that over the next three years about a third of the Council’s funding from Government [equating to around £100 million] will be removed.  On 10 September, the Council launched a consultation exercise , ‘What Really Matters’, asking members of the public what they think the Council’s priorities should be and to express their views on the decisions needed to transform and improve the Wirral’s services to its residents.

People’s views are vital and will make a difference and it is important therefore that as many people as possible participate in the consultation.  Paper copies of the questionnaire are available at Council One Stop Shops, Libraries, and other public buildings, or the questionnaire can be completed on line on the Council’s website. 

The questionnaire comprises nine questions.  The first question focuses on the Council’s three main priorities to protect vulnerable adults and children, tackle poverty and inequalities in health, and create jobs and attract investment.  Members of the public are being asked to state their top three highest and three lowest priorities. 

The second part is about services and whether charges for services should be increased or charges should be made for services which are currently free, or whether the private or community sectors and the voluntary organisations could provide a more efficient service for some Council functions.

Members of the public are being asked to suggest services which they believe the Council should stop or reduce to make the savings needed.  No decisions have been taken yet; it is a genuine consultation.

Community engagement officers have visited supermarkets, cinemas, a number of community groups and over a 100 events in the last five weeks, and 11,000 questionnaires have been issued.  So far, 6,000 responses have been received – 227 from residents in this area forum.  Some innovative ideas have been put forward for improving Council services and for saving money.  

The area co-ordinator strongly urged those who had not done so, to fill in a questionnaire and to encourage friends and family to do so.  The consultation ends on Friday, 19 October, the results will be analysed and the ideas on how to make savings will be fed back to the relevant departments.  A further consultation on the options will take place with residents.

• Question and Answer Session

Neil Powell, Department of Finance, gave a presentation on changes to the Council Tax system.

The Government has announced that from April 2013, Council Tax Benefits will no longer exist in their current form and all councils will need to devise their own Council Tax Support scheme. 

In addition, Wirral Council will have to work within a budget that has been reduced by at least 10%, which for 2013/14 equates to an initial budget reduction in the region of £3.2 million.  As a result the Council has to make decisions about who should get financial support and how much support they should be given.

The Council Tax Benefit, which is the means tested benefit that helps people on a low income to pay their Council Tax, will be abolished and replaced with a new local scheme, known as Local Council Tax Support Scheme.

The Government has decided that pensioners and vulnerable people must be protected and that vulnerable people should be defined locally.

Wirral Council is consulting on the definition of vulnerable people, [eg those of working age who have a disability, have a disabled child, have a war disabled pension or a war widow/widower pension] and is consulting on a proposal to base the local scheme for 2013/14 on the principles of the existing Council Tax Benefit scheme, and on possible options for achieving the £3.2 million savings needed from the scheme.

Members of the public are urged to complete the questionnaire by the return date of 31 October 2012.  Questionnaires can be completed on line on the website in libraries [apart from Rock Ferry Library].  Paper versions can be obtained from and returned to any Council One Stop Shop, Library, Leisure Centre and Children’s Centre.  Completed questionnaires can be returned by post.

Once the consultation finishes, a report will be presented to Elected Members who will make the final decisions on Wirral Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme. 

Neil Powell responded to questions -

WEDNESDAY, 6 MARCH 2012. 

Venue to be confirmed.

In closing the meeting at 8.30pm, the Chair thanked everyone for their interest and attendance, and input into a lively and very productive meeting.