The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting as well as those watching the webcast.

There were no apologies for absence.

Members are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary interests 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.

Members were asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests and any other relevant interests and to state the nature of the interests.

The following interests were declared:

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2023.

Councillor Helen Cameron outlined that her comment regarding benchmarking the Council’s risk appetite was not specific to Treasury Management and made under item 9 ‘2023/24 Budget and Budget Monitoring Processes’ instead of item 10 ‘Treasury Management Annual Report 2022-23’.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2023 be approved as a correct record, subject to the comment made regarding benchmarking the Council’s risk appetite being included under minute item 10.

Notice of question to be given in writing or by email by 12 noon, Friday, 9 July 2023 to the Council’s Monitoring Officer (via the online form here: Public Question Form) and to be dealt with in accordance with Standing Order 10.

Please telephone the Committee Services Officer if you have not received an acknowledgement of your question by the deadline for submission.

For more information on how your personal information will be used, please see this link: Document Data Protection Protocol

The Chair reported that two public questions had been submitted.

The first question was from Philip Barton to the Chair which set out the desire for Tranmere Tunnels to become a tourist attraction as part of Phase 2 of the Birkenhead Dock Branch initiative, of which Holborn Square was a key site for. The questioner sought the deferment of the disposal of Holborn Square until options for disposal by Community Asset Transfer or purchase following a community share issue had been fully explored.

In response, Councillor Paul Stuart outlined that Holborn Square would be offered as an investment opportunity and sold subject to any leases existing at the time of disposal, therefore there was still an opportunity for Tranmere Tunnels Volunteer Ltd and the Birkenhead & Tranmere Community Benefit Society Ltd to set out their proposal.

A supplementary question was asked on whether there was support to continue working with the two companies to deliver Tranmere Tunnels as a community led project. Councillor Stuart responded the project would be considered as part of the asset disposal process.

The second question was read out on behalf of Sarah Hewitson which sought the payment of the Real Living Wage for staff employed by Edsential as a company partly owned by Wirral Council.

In response Councillor Paul Stuart advised that the Council encourages Edsential to pay the Real Living Wage as a shareholder, but that it does not procure services directly from the company and the schools that commission services have the ability to influence their providers in this respect. He further outlined that the shareholders had provided significant financial support to the company in the form of loans but could not subsidise the company on a day-to-day basis due to subsidy control regulations.

Notice of representations to be given in writing or by email by 12 noon, Friday, 9 July 2023 to the Council’s Monitoring Officer (committeeservices@wirral.gov.uk) and to be dealt with in accordance with Standing Order 11.1.

Petitions may be presented to the Committee if provided to Democratic and Member Services no later than 10 working days before the meeting, at the discretion of the Chair. The person presenting the petition will be allowed to address the meeting briefly (not exceeding three minute) to outline the aims of the petition. The Chair will refer the matter to another appropriate body of the Council within whose terms of reference it falls without discussion, unless a relevant item appears elsewhere on the Agenda. If a petition contains more than 5,000 signatures, it will be debated at a subsequent meeting of Council for up to 15 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor.

Please telephone the Committee Services Officer if you have not received an acknowledgement of your statement/petition by the deadline for submission.

The Chair reported three members of the public had registered to make statements.

Percy Hogg spoke in relation to Item 6 ‘Strategic Asset Disposals’ encouraging the Committee to ensure that the Community Asset Transfer for Bromborough Civic Centre and Library could continue to completion. 

Phil Simpson spoke in relation to Item 6 ‘Strategic Asset Disposals’ and outlined concerns regarding some of the site for disposal due to the open space implications but urged the Committee to support the disposal of most assets to protect the Local Plan process.

Jim Cadwallader spoke in relation to Item 6 ‘Strategic Asset Disposals’ and outlined the importance of Holborn Square to the Tranmere Tunnels community project and sought support from the Committee to explore a Community Asset Transfer of the site to Tranmere Tunnels Volunteers Ltd.

The Chair reported that there were no petitions submitted.

Questions by Members to dealt with in accordance with Standing Orders 12.3 to 12.8.

The Chair reported that no questions by members had been submitted.

The Director of Finance introduced the report which provided an update on the progress of the Capital Programme 2023/24 at the end of June 2023. It recommended that the Committee agree the revised 2023/24 Capital Programme of £87 million which took account of re-profiling, virements, additional funding requirements and grant variations identified since the Capital Programme was formally agreed on 27th February 2023 and revised via the Capital Outturn 2022-23 report.

Members discussed the additional capital resources for the litter bin programme and sought further information on the overall cost required to fund the whole programme. An update was sought on the delivery of the Regeneration programme, where it was confirmed that a report was due to be considered by the Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee in September.

Resolved – That

(1)  Council be recommended to approve the revised Capital Programme of £87 million for 2023/24, including the virements of budget referred to in Appendix C of this report.

(2)  Council be recommended to approve the additional funding for the schemes referred to in section 3.7, with proposed extra funding from a variety of sources, new borrowing required from the Council, revenue contributions and the repurposing of previously agreed Council borrowing.

The Director of Finance introduced the report which set out the financial monitoring information for the Council as at Quarter 1 (30 June) of 2023/24 and sought approval of an increase to the revenue budget by £2.000m due to increased Council funding and the allocation to the budget areas detailed in the report. It was reported that there was increased funding of £2m due to Business Rates Section 31 grant and that this funding had been proposed to be allocated to budgets where the budget pressure was permanently recurring and would therefore prevent the requirement for future mitigations.

Following concerns raised regarding the estimation of receipt of government grant funding, the Director of Finance advised members that the forecasting was being reviewed to assist in achieving a more accurate income prediction. It was agreed that a meeting of the Finance Sub-Committee would be arranged for September 2023 to consider the budget position in further detail.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Directorate forecast adverse position of £3.618m presented at Quarter 1 be noted alongside the proposed mitigation to reduce the shortfall.

(2)  Council be recommended to approve that the Revenue budget be increased by £2.000m due to increased Council funding, detailed in paragraph 3.25 and allocate to the budget areas detailed in Table 2.

(3)  the progress on delivery of the 2023/24 savings programme at Quarter 1 be noted.

(4)  the forecast level of reserves and balances at Quarter 1 be noted.

Councillors Jean Robinson and Jeff Green left the room and took no part in the debate due to a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the item.

The Director of Finance introduced the report which sought the approval of the 2021 (retrospectively) and the 2022 accounts for Wirral Growth Company Limited Liability Partnership (WGC) following the approval of the accounts by the WGC LLP board.

The Committee discussed the role of Policy & Resources Committee in approving the accounts and the use of the profit from the company. Concerns were raised regarding the oversight of the governance of the company, where officers advised that the Internal Audit team were reviewing the governance of Council-owned-companies. This would be reported to the Audit and Risk Management Committee, but members were advised that Policy and Resources Committee could be provided with further information to consider the role of the company and that this would be added to the work programme.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Wirral Growth Company LLP accounts for year ending 31st December 2022 be approved.

(2)  the Wirral Growth Company LLP accounts for year ending 31st December 2021 be approved retrospectively.

The Chair introduced the report which provided the Committee with an opportunity to plan and review its work across the municipal year. The Chair brought members’ attention to items for future consideration and matters outside of the Committee where it was noted that a number of the requests for information had been circulated.

Following a discussion on the contents of the work programme, it was proposed that a workshop be held to consider the Council’s risk appetite alongside oversight of the risk register. It was further proposed that the Committee review the response from Link following Council’s resolution to write to the organisation to progress the development of Banking Hubs.

The Committee discussed the request for an extraordinary meeting of Policy & Resources to consider the Community Asset Transfer of Brackenwood Golf Club sooner than September. It was moved by Councillor Helen Cameron, seconded by Councillor Paul Stuart that an extraordinary meeting of Policy & Resources be arranged to consider the Community Asset Transfer of Brackenwood Golf Club. The motion was voted upon and agreed by assent. It was therefore –

Resolved – That

(1)  the work programme be noted, subject to the inclusion of the additional items discussed under this and previous items.

(2)  an additional meeting of Policy and Resources Committee be arranged to consider an item on the Community Asset Transfer of Brackenwood Golf Club.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Senior Officer and Appointments Staffing Sub-Committee held on 15 March 2023 be noted.

The Director of Regeneration and Place introduced the report which provided a list of property assets which formed a programme of proposed disposals over the coming years. The report followed the approval of the Asset Strategy by the Committee on 9 November 2022 and the directive of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to meet the capitalisation directive.

The Committee discussed the report and concerns were raised regarding the process and the role of Policy and Services Committees in declaring assets surplus to requirements. The Committee was reminded of the urgency in raising capital receipts to pay off the capitalisation directive to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities within the recommended timeframe, as well as the requirement to dispose of land to support the delivery of the Local Plan and the need to satisfy the Independent Panel of the Council’s intent to make timely and strategic decisions.

Following a debate, the Committee agreed to consider the long list of assets and dispose of those where there was unanimity. After considering each asset, it was –

Resolved – That

(1) the following assets be declared surplus to requirements and the Director of Regeneration and Place, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance, be authorised to consider and determine any responses or objections to the sale of any of these assets which is considered to be open space as defined by Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972; and  progress and conclude sales of the assets on the best terms reasonably possible:

Oaklands Outdoor Centre, Llanwryst

29 Seaview Road, Liscard

129 – 131 Laird Street, Birkenhead

Land at Pearson Road, Tranmere

Seacombe Library, Liscard Road, Seacombe

Units 10/12/14 Kelvinside, Seacombe

Arrowe Hill Facilities Management Store, Woodchurch

Eastham Youth & Community Centre

Coronation Gardens (Café), West Kirby

Albion Street Lifeguard Station, New Brighton

Hamilton Building, Birkenhead

Dee Lane Kiosk, West Kirby

Marine Technology Park, Tranmere

Manor Road 6, Wallasey

Former Liscard Municipal Offices and adjacent Car Park

Fender Way Former Scout Hut, Beechwood

Price Street Car Park, Birkenhead

The Committee then considered each asset where members had requested for information or discussion prior to a decision, beginning with those where the discussion could take place within the public session.

The Committee considered the disposal of Holborn Square given the representations made by Tranmere Tunnels Volunteers Ltd (TTVL) and the Birkenhead & Tranmere Community Benefit Society Ltd (BATCBS) and were of the view that the groups should be given time to make a bid for Community Asset Transfer. It was raised that a timeframe should be put on the process to ensure the delivery of the Community Asset Transfer process or otherwise in a timely manner.

On a motion by the Chair, seconded by Councillor Pat Cleary, it was –

Resolved – That

(2) Holborn Square be referred to the relevant Policy and Services Committee to consider the potential for a Community Asset Transfer.

The Committee then considered Bebington Town Hall, Annexe and car park (site of the former)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

Having arrived at three and a half hours since the commencement of the meeting, on a motion by the Chair, seconded by Councillor Jeff Green, it was –  

Resolved (9:6) – That the meeting continues beyond 3.5 hours in duration.

The Director of Finance introduced the report which invited the Committee to consider and review the Draft Annual Business Plan submitted by Edsential CIC setting out the current position of the company, its view of the immediate future and steps that it proposes to take to continue trading successfully and compliantly. The report sought approval for the Director of Finance to negotiate any detailed changes to the draft Annual Business Plan and present an agreed version for approval by Policy and Resources Committee.

Following a discussion, it was moved by Councillor Jo Bird, seconded by Councillor Pat Cleary, that the officer recommendations in the report be agreed, with the inclusion of an addition resolution ‘that the Council, in consultation with the other shareholder, request Edsential to prioritise the payment of the Real Living Wage within the overall benefits package for employees, and to present options to the shareholders to this effect in the future.’

The Chair sought the input of the Director of Finance on the implications of the motion, where he advised if both shareholders insisted that the Real Living Wage was paid, Edsential would likely have to change their pricing structure accordingly. To ensure the business remained in a solvent position, the costs would need to be passed onto schools who could potentially look elsewhere for those services, potentially leading to the decline of the business.

The motion was then put to the vote and fell (4:11).

On a motion moved by Councillor Jeff Green, seconded by the Chair, it was –

Resolved (11:4) – That

(1)  option 5 as detailed within the report be endorsed to allow Edsential CIC to continue to trade in the manner proposed in the Draft Annual Business Plan.

(2)  the Director of Finance be authorised in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance and, so far as is practicable, with appropriate representatives of Cheshire West and Chester Council to agree and approve the content of the Annual Business Plan.

Resolved – That the matter be deferred to a meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee to be arranged as soon as possible after the meeting.

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 item of business on the grounds it involves 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.

The Director of Regeneration and Place introduced the report.

Resolved – That the recommendations as detailed in the report be approved.

Resolved – That the exempt appendices be noted.