Tracey Smith gave an update and feedback on the Neighbourhood Plans.

The areas in the consultation process included:

Your Economy

Your Health

Your Family

YourNeighbourhood

Tracey’s update focused on ‘Your Family’ and ‘Your Economy’.  An information handout was available for people to read.

Some of the points raised were:

Services for Children and Young People

• More activities for teenagers especially in the evening, at weekends and during the summer holidays.
• More Youth Clubs, and free activities and taster sessions for young children, or a subsidised scheme for those unable to pay for activities.
• A skate park in Greenbank Road and more play equipment in local parks.
• More should be done to clean up beaches and parks of litter and dog fouling.

What is the Council doing to help?

• Wirral Council manages Youth Hubs and Clubs throughout the borough, as well as supporting privately owned youth clubs and activities.  The Council will make sure these activities and centres are promoted much more widely and effectively.  This is to ensure that young people in the area are aware of what is available in the area.
• Extra funding will be put in this year for the Sure Start Centres.  The Council has a target to make sure at least 80% of children aged 5 and under are registered with their local centre.
• There is extra funding to continue the work of our anti-social behaviour team.  Targets have also been set to make sure many of the children and young people take part in organised positive activities outside of school. 
• There is also extra money in the budget for the maintenance and clean up of play areas throughout the borough.
• The dog fouling enforcement team has also been doubled this year.

Services for Older People

• More social activities for people over 50, which could be held in the local community centres.
• More support for vulnerable people in the community and help for older people to stay in their own homes.
• An improvement on the work of Adult Social Services so that it is co-ordinated effectively, this will make things simpler when people need to contact them.
• Better communication and flow of information on where services are available, and where to go for information, clearer and simpler advice on support for older people.
• Help for carers and encourage mentors or volunteers for older people who need them.

What is the Council doing to help?

• There are hundreds of excellent services around the Borough for residents, particularly those who are more vulnerable, but more advertising of these services is required.
• The Council is working with colleagues in the public sector and have launched a new website www.wirralwell.org . This gives information on the many services available within Wirral and outside Wirral.
• The Council is also redeveloping all of the promotional information on social care services provided.  This will be launched in July of this year.
• The assistive technology service provides fantastic support to people who stay independent of their own homes.
• The Council is also working closely with our Carers Development Group, looking for ways to provide more help to carers, both financially and socially.
• The Older People’s Parliament is working together with the council to promote activities.

Housing

• More affordable housing as there is a lack of adequate housing within this area.

What is the Council doing to help?

• The Council are working hard to improve the housing offer within Wirral, particularly first time buyers and young people.  During this financial year the council will bring back into use 250 homes as well as giving quality accreditations to a further 200 rented properties.
• The launch of the new regional letting scheme during 2012.
• The Council will concentrate on providing new and affordable homes throughout Wirral.

Health Care

• Easier Access to appointments for people who work full time.
• The Concourse Health Centre is overcrowded, outdated and is difficult to the old and infirm

What is the Council doing to help?

• The NHS is going through some changes in the way it is run. 
• The Council will make sure that they work with the GP practices in West Wirral and ensure all views are taken into account when planning for the next year.

Finding Employment

• There is a need for better access to jobs, more promotion and advertising of jobs locally.
• To help residents fill in applications, provide training and support for young people and people who have recently come out of work.
• To help people to recognise what they are good at and so they can reach their potential.
• Encourage businesses to set up in the area and encourage the use of empty shops.

What is the Council doing to help?

• The Economic Development Team at the Council is constantly looking at new ways of helping local businesses to create jobs.
• The Council has invested in the Connexions service this year, meaning young people can visit a range of One Stop Shops and community centres to get free, impartial advice on training, education and employment.
• There is funding for traders groups to make improvements to their shopping areas.
• The council also provides help with childcare, our Family Information Service (www.wirral.gov.uk/fis or 0800 085 8743) can help parents find affordable, local childcare and can provide advice on getting financial assistance.

Training and Skills

• There should be more education available to everyone, encourage schools, colleges and places that provide adult education to foster basic literacy and numeracy as a key to gaining further qualifications.
• Identify current opportunities and slant training and education in those areas.  Eg: Constructions and industries
• Encourage work experience and volunteering by asking local companies and businesses to take on apprentices and ask for volunteers.
• The Council should promote apprenticeships and provide realistic schemes which have a prospect of secure employment

What is the Council doing to help?

• The Council has funded over 200 apprentice places in the private sector and a further 100+ places within the public sector over the past 2 years.
• The Council invests in improving people’s skills all the time, including the Wirral Apprentice programme, which so far has supported well in excess of 300 local people. 
• The Life Long Learning service offers a variety of free courses.  There are specific courses on CV writing and interview skills.  These courses are open to all Wirral residents.  For more information visit website www.wirral.gov.uk/lifelonglearning or call 0151 630 3486.

The next stage is to draw up an Action Plan with the top priorities and tackle each issue.  Tracey Smith will report and feedback at each Forum.

This Area Forum has funding of £78,321 and £23,496 is allocated to road safety. Funding can be applied for from 2^nd July – 17^th August 2012.  Application forms are available from this meeting or contact Tracey Smith.

The criteria for the funding are:

• Improve Community Safety
• Improve Community Life
• Improving Skills
• Regeneration

All applications for funding will be considered.

Q.  Do the Area Forums endorse each application?

A.  The applications are received and each Forum will vote for the appropriate project for funding.

Q.  Is there a booklet with all the findings from the Neighbourhood Plan?

A.  There isn’t a booklet, but Tracey will send out the details to you.

Q.  You state that the Council will be working together with Connexions, but the West Kirby branch has closed down.  Learn Direct which was in the library at West Kirby has also closed. How will this work?

A.  There is money in the budget to help with funding.  Connexions have offices around Wirral.

Q.  There are plenty of jobs within the Maritime Sector.  If a company wants to put in for a bid, does it have to be to each Forum?

A.  Yes, all applications are treated the same and have to be submitted to each Forum.  Speak to Tracey Smith and Kevin Adderley at the end of the meeting for some more information.

Q.  A member of the public's son has had a poor experience at the local job centre.  The staff had poor communication skills and did not relate well to young people.

A.  Kevin Adderley expressed his apologies for this experience and he will take this information back to the staff. He explained how appalling it is to hear this.

The Chair, Councillor Jeff Green reiterated that if anyone has any good ideas, then they should apply for the funding.  Also, if there are any Community Events taking place, then pass the information on and we will find a way to promote these events.