The Chair welcomed attendees and viewers to the meeting and reminded everyone that the meeting was webcast and retained on the Council’s website.

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 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.

Councillor Tom Laing declared an interest in item 8 due to his connection to the Co-operative.

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2023.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2023 be approved and adopted as a correct record.

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

Notice of question to be given in writing or by email by 12 noon, Monday 27 November 2023 to the Council’s Monitoring Officer via this link: Public Question Form and to be dealt with in accordance with Standing Order 10.

For more information on how your personal information will be used, please see this link: Document Data Protection Protocol for Public Speakers at Committees | Wirral Council

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

Cathy Roberts asked a question regarding if the Council would work with New Brighton Coastal Community Team (NBCCT) on a policy for leisure events in New Brighton.

The Chair responded by thanking the NBCCT for its feedback in relation to evaluation of events. The Chair explained further that the Council did not have the resources to routinely evaluate events delivered by other organisations, unless the Council had been directly commissioned for the event. However, the Council did have a clear and well-established process for considering the impact of planned events through its multi-agency Event Safety Advisory Group. Officers would welcome any evidence indicating any associated loss of income to resulting from the events mentioned in the question from NBCCT so that this evidence can be considered by the Event Safety Advisory Group. Any policies must be borough wide in their approach. At the current time, the Council does not have the capacity or resources to undertake this piece of work and the Committee is satisfied that the process for assessing planned events through the Event Safety Advisory Group provides a robust mechanism for ensuring that any impact on localities is understood and mitigation put in place where necessary. The Committee asks the NBCCT to note that there are a number of strands of work with which the group has been proactively engaged to secure positive outcomes for New Brighton from a visitor perspective. This activity will be fully evaluated in due course to understand the impact on visitor numbers.

Cathy Roberts asked a supplementary question. The Coastal Community Team was set up through government initiative to develop strategy in partnership with the Council to promote New Brighton. No members of the Council are part of the team.

The Chair responded that a more detail response would be given in writing but advised that the Ward Councillor would assist the group with their involvement in the Liverpool City Region.

Notice of representations to be given in writing or by email by 12 noon, Monday 27 November 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. The person presenting the petition will be allowed to address the meeting briefly (not exceeding one 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. Please give notice of petitions to committeeservices@wirral.gov.uk in advance of the meeting.

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

The Coroner presented his report. The Coroner was an independent judicial office holder, appointed by the local authority. They investigated deaths reported to them if it appeared that: the death was violent or unnatural; the

cause of death was unknown; or the person died in prison, police custody or another type of state detention. The report was the full annual report of the Liverpool and Wirral Coroner Area for the period of 2022.

Members noted that preventative work was needed in order to advise the community of the importance of seatbelts, and that the issue could be brought to the committees responsible for transport and environment if necessary. Members noted the workload of the coroner and the waiting times for inquests and commended the work that had been done as a national example.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Assistant Chief Executive introduced the report to Members. The report had been produced in accordance with the agreed work programme, following a request from the Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee for a six-month update of spend and activity on the Community, Voluntary and Faith (CVF) Sector and 3rd Sector commissioning.

Following a member query about the process of Community Asset Transfer (CAT), it was explained to members that CAT is a long process with a dedicated officer for transfers who has access to legal support to assure the correct rights are in place. Members were informed that a report on CATs would be included on the Work Programme of the Committee.

Members also enquired if more could be done in regards to communication and grouping of charity organisations. Officers confirmed this would be beneficial to both the Council and the groups and would assure all groups are receiving the same communication from the Council.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Senior Finance Business Partner introduced the report to Members. The report set out the financial monitoring information for the Council as at Quarter 2 (30

September) of 2023/24. The report provided Members with an overview of budget performance, including progress on the delivery of the 2023/24 saving programme and a

summary of reserves and balances, to enable the Committee to take ownership of the budgets and provided robust challenge and scrutiny to Officers on the performance of those budgets.

At the end of Quarter 2, there was a forecast adverse position of £3.196m on Committee spend which could be largely offset by utilising the corporate contingency budget and expected savings from reduced energy costs. This position was based on activity to date, projected trends in income and expenditure and changes to Council funding.

Following a Member  query, Members were informed that the budget to replace vandalised property sits with maintenance, and depending on the asset that had been vandalised would sit with the relevant place committee.

Resolved – That the Committee noted,

1. the Directorate forecasted an adverse position of £3.196m presented at Quarter 2.
2. the progress on delivery of the 2023/24 savings programme at Quarter 2.
3. the forecasted level of reserves and balances at Quarter 2.

the forecasted capital position presented at Quarter 2.

The Lead Consultant Lawyer presented the report of the Director of Law and Governance Committee, in co-operation with the other Policy and Service Committees, is responsible for proposing and delivering an annual committee work programme. This work programme should align with the corporate priorities of the Council, in particular the delivery of the key decisions which are within the remit of the Committee.

Members brought to the attention of officers a number of topics to be added to the work programme;

• A workshop on Community Asset Transfers.
• A workshop on retail crime.

Resolved – that, subject to the addition of the items noted at the meeting, the work programme be noted.