Proposed by Councillor Harry Smith

Seconded by Councillor Ron Abbey

(1)  This Council condemns the coalition government’s decision to cut Wirral’s Local Transport Plan transport capital programme by £2.3 million.

(2)  This cut  has hit a number of key areas which contribute to residents’ health and quality of life, i.e. highway maintenance, reducing congestion, road safety, the promotion of walking and cycling, breaking down the barriers to people using public transport and schemes to improve access to jobs, healthcare, education and job opportunities.

(3)  Council asks the government to re-consider these damaging cuts and to restore these budgets.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2)

Proposed by Councillor Lesley Rennie

Seconded by Councillor Adam Sykes

Delete all and insert:

(1)  Council notes that this year’s Local Transport Plan has seen a reduction in funding.

(2)  Council notes that the borough wide consultation exercise, ‘Wirral’s Future - be part of it’ undertaken by the previous Administration clearly shows that the residents of Wirral value road safety and highway maintenance as a priority.

(3)  Council is therefore pleased to note that the previous Conservative-led Administration listened to local people and made available the sum of £1.6million as a significant investment to maintain and improve Wirral’s roads through a programme of highway maintenance and road safety improvements.

(4)  Council calls upon the present Council Leader to reflect similar commitment when formulating a budget for the coming year.

(5)  Council also notes that the Coalition Government made available to Wirral a sum of £625,931 to repair pot holes caused by severe weather conditions over the winter period.

(6)  Council requests the Director of Technical services continues to work in collaboration with Partner Agencies to deliver a full Road Safety Programme.  Further ways of working together with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service to deliver Road Safety Educational Training be explored, as Council acknowledges their vast experience in delivering excellent training to young people in successful schemes such as ‘Drive to Arrive’.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2)

Proposed by Councillor Tom Harney

Seconded by Councillor Stuart Kelly

Paragraph (1) – delete all and replace with:

(1) Council notes the international economic circumstances are likely to lead to a reduction in available capital finance for the Local Transport Plan.

Paragraph (2) – delete: “This cut has hit a number of key areas which” and insert:

 “Council affirms that the Capital Transport Programme should be prioritised to…” continue rest of paragraph as before.

Paragraph (3) – delete all and replace with:

(3) Council affirms its commitment, in line with the principles outlined in paragraph (2), to the introduction of 20mph zones in residential areas and outside schools and calls upon the Cabinet to stop stalling and get on with the work for which money has already been made available.

Having applied the guillotine in accordance with Standing Order 7(8) the Council did not debate this matter.

The movers of both amendments agreed that both amendments could be combined as one joint amendment.

The combined amendment was put and carried (35:29) (One abstention).

The substantive motion was put and carried (35:29) (One abstention).

Resolved (35:29) (One abstention) –

(1)  Council notes the international economic circumstances are likely to lead to a reduction in available capital finance for the Local Transport Plan.

(2)  Council notes that the borough wide consultation exercise, ‘Wirral’s Future - be part of it’ undertaken by the previous Administration clearly shows that the residents of Wirral value road safety and highway maintenance as a priority. Council affirms that the Capital Transport Programme should be prioritised to contribute to residents’ health and quality of life, i.e. highway maintenance, reducing congestion, road safety, the promotion of walking and cycling, breaking down the barriers to people using public transport and schemes to improve access to jobs, healthcare, education and job opportunities.

(3)  Council is therefore pleased to note that the previous Conservative-led Administration listened to local people and made available the sum of £1.6million as a significant investment to maintain and improve Wirral’s roads through a programme of highway maintenance and road safety improvements.

(4)  Council affirms its commitment, in line with the principles outlined in paragraph (2), to the introduction of 20mph zones in residential areas and outside schools and calls upon the Cabinet to stop stalling and get on with the work for which money has already been made available.

(5)  Council calls upon the present Council Leader to reflect similar commitment when formulating a budget for the coming year.

(6)  Council also notes that the Coalition Government made available to Wirral a sum of £625,931 to repair pot holes caused by severe weather conditions over the winter period.

(7)  Council requests the Director of Technical Services continues to work in collaboration with Partner Agencies to deliver a full Road Safety Programme.  Further ways of working together with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service to deliver Road Safety Educational Training be explored, as Council acknowledges their vast experience in delivering excellent training to young people in successful schemes such as ‘Drive to Arrive’.