The Chair, Councillor Darren Dodd, welcomed forum members and 7 members of the public.

Mark Camborne read a statement regarding Neighbourhood Working Statement:

A report proposing a new approach for Neighbourhood Working was recommended by Cabinet in January, and will now be voted on by all Councillors in the coming weeks.

The new Neighbourhood Working Approach will create four Neighbourhood teams in Wirral and devolve decision making and budgets directly to local communities.

It aims to tackle issues at source and target resources based on the needs of individual areas. Budgets and decision making would be devolved to local areas, to be designated according to need.

Multi-agency teams, made up of public services including the local authority, police, and health, would be based in communities.

The move will result in the abolition of the existing 11 Area Forums.

Instead, local committees, chaired by Councillors and working with residents, would have a key role in drawing down and allocating resources, based on a Neighbourhood plan which would have strong input from local people.

The benefits of joining up services and sharing knowledge are already well documented, reducing costs, promoting good practice, and enabling early intervention to reduce the demands on public services. Not only can they result in better, more effective services, but they are the way forward in terms of working more closely and effectively with Members, partners, and local people.

Wirrals budget deficit is well documented, and initial reports that this new way of working can not only reduce costs, but also result in better outcomes for local people, can only be welcomed.

Wirral still has a way to go in finalising plans for Neighbourhood Teams, but it is proposed that a Neighbourhood Team will be established in each of Wirrals’ four Parliamentary constituency areas, with staff and services being located within them.

Each team will be report to its own Public Service Board, which includes public services such as the Council, Police, Health and Education. This team will co-ordinate the delivery of a Neighbourhood Plan.

The Neighborhood Plans will be produced by each area’s Constituency Committee, to be chaired by a Councillor and including councillors, community representatives, voluntary and community sector representatives, and - by invitation - the local MP. This plan will outline each area’s needs and priorities.

An over-arching Wirral Together Public Service Board willl have overall responsibility for the successful implementation of the scheme and for the Neighbourhood Plans.

Should the proposal be agreed, teams will begin working in communities from May 1.

Neighbourhood Funding - Michelle Gray, Advised the forum that £30,000 had been released to each of the 11 Neighbourhood Forums for them to allocate accordingly the Liscard & Seacombe Panel met on Tuesday 11^th December 2012 and agreed to fund a number of applications. Difficult decisions had to be made and with only having £30,000 to allocate this Neighbourhood Forum was heavily over subscribed receiving over 40 applications. Panel wanted to support those local groups that operated within the Liscard and Seacombe wards and for all residents to benefit especially young people and older people and those who are vulnerable to benefit from these successful bids.

• Please note those organisations that were successful have been listed and the end of these minutes

Police Commissioner - Jane Kennedy explained she has been newly elected to replace the Police Authority.  She went on to explain how she receives a budget from the Government to commission then pass onto the Police.  Jane Kennedy has requested an increase in Council Tax of 2% which will introduce a revenue of nearly £900,000.  She went onto explain how she will manage the commissioning of voluntary organisations who help reduce crime.  She will consult on police and crime action plan and set priorities for policing which Merseyside Police Forces will adopt (questionnaires where available at the meeting)

Public member – the Chief Constable of Merseyside met people from Wirral and he said his priorities were the neighbourhoods and residents.

Jane Kennedy – I meet with Chief Constable every 2 weeks and he has made it very clear his dedication to neighbourhood policing

Cllr Adrian Jones –First of all congratulations.  I was a member of the Police Authority for 5 years and an analysis was made that the 17 Councillors who were members worked 179 hours per week – How are you coping? How would you do what 17 Councillors done?

Jane Kennedy – I have to make the best of a situation and I have a good team of staff and between us we are doing all the statutory duties we are required to do.  I am certainly working 6 days a week and many evenings. 

Cllr Bernie Mooney – first of all thank you for choosing our area forum.  I sense a change in the community.  When I started we had severe problems but these have been contained thanks to Justin.  However, because of the change of benefits I am sensing a change and a shift in localism and peoples values.  I am worried about the way people are feeling.

Jane Kennedy – there is clearly a cause of anxiety but I would say it is too early to say.  I feel we are still in the early days of cuts and more people are looking for work so there will be more anxiety in society.  I hope it proves not to be the case. 

Inspector Justin Diggins – with regards to the social housing element in terms of crime we have seen a slight increase in shoplifting where people who have lost their job and need to feed the family. 

Cllr Jeanette Williamson – Congratulations.  One of the issues you have prioritised is domestic violence.  I think this is becoming a defining issue and this is also a big priority for me and I am glad you are prioritising this.

Father Leon Ostaszewski – I was chairman of Churches together for 6 years and we are having a meeting with the Chief Executive and we were wondering if you be able to attend anything like that?

Jane Kennedy – yes of course. 

With regards to domestic violence it is a big issue for example, peoples drinking habits have changed since the smoking ban in pubs so people are buying drink from shops and taking it home.  Therefore, Police are seeing more domestic violence cases and less drunk and disorderly.  What I want to do is make sure we get the best service we can. 

Cllr John Salter – Merseyside Police decided 3 years ago to combine all Police Stations and move to Birkenhead North.  I was wondering if you could be our advocate and this started?

Jane Kennedy – I have to yet to look at details.  When the Police Authority was in place there was a strong view to get this started. 

Cllr Darren Dodd – how can people contact you?

Actions:

• Advise Father Leon Ostaszewski to contact the office directly to extend an invitation to the Commissioner? He can do this via email info@merseysidepcc.info or he can phone in 0151 236 4748.

• Cllr John Salter asked about developments re the Wirral Area Command Centre, the Commissioner said she would look into this.

Contact for the Commission: