To deal with questions from councillors and from members of the public, in accordance with Standing Order 11.

(a)  Mr Norman Haslehurst, 3 Hillam Road, Wallasey, (on behalf of the Friends of Leasowe Recreation Centre) having given the appropriate notice in accordance with Standing Order 11, submitted the following question:

What rationale was arrived at to specifically select Leasowe Recreation Centre to be taken out of Council control and passed over to Arena/Leasowe Housing?

Councillor Bob Moon responded as follows:

Arena Housing [the Group that owns Leasowe Community Homes – the major social landlord for Leasowe Estate] has engaged specialist consultants to determine the viability of taking over and running, on existing terms and access conditions, Leasowe Recreation Centre.

It is proposed that the recreation centre would be integrated into a retirement village to be created on the surrounding green space.  Residents and their families would be able to use the Sports Centre as part of this new facility which would also meet an identified need for a range of sheltered and supported housing; freeing up family sized accommodation elsewhere.

Public school and club use would continue as now, maintaining links with local communities and ensuring a source of income for the centre.

Mr Hazlehurst asked a supplementary question to which Councillor Bob Moon responded accordingly.

(b) Mrs Mary Bryning, 39 Birch Road, Prenton having given the appropriate notice in accordance with Standing Order 11, submitted the following question:

We know from previous meetings that the SAR looked at the condition and efficiency of the buildings the Council owns. This is obviously important, but, since the Council exists to provide services for the people of Wirral, was any kind of review done of the services provided from these buildings and of the impact of the withdrawal of these services on the public: on literacy levels, on youth engagement in community activities, on the health and well-being of the elderly and vulnerable? If not, why not?  In particular, since last year was the National Year of Reading, is it not perverse and dangerous of this Council to propose closing 11 libraries, which deliver most of that initiative’s projects – Bookstart, Book Ahead, Booktime, Boys into Books, thus instantly reducing access for thousands of children?

Councillor Bob Moon responded as follows:

The Strategic Asset Review was focused on reducing the number of buildings that the authority maintains and on directing budgets towards the service rather than building maintenance. There will be further discussions with the Children and Young People's Department as to how the existing initiatives can be maintained.

Mrs Bryning asked a supplementary question to which Councillor Bob Moon responded accordingly.

(c) David Hall, 86 Kings Drive, Irby having given the appropriate notice in accordance with Standing Order 11, submitted the following question:

During this public consultation [on the Strategic Asset Review] we have heard several senior Council officers and councillors use the phrase 'Community Asset Transfer' to promote more public involvement.  Does it mean that it is the wish of those officers to allow, indeed encourage, unpaid, unskilled, untrained, inexperienced volunteers to take on the roles of librarians and responsibilities such as the upkeep of the buildings including:

ongoing repairs;

the payment of all utility bills etc., and most importantly

the security of the buildings and the expensive equipment that is contained in those many libraries and other facilities that are set to close?

If so, does that mean that those same officers are also willing to sacrifice their own salaries, or indeed pay for the luxury of being in their workplaces, especially when considering that the people of Wirral regard each and every Librarian who is facing the 'sack' as far more important, and held in much higher regard, than any of the aforementioned Council Officers?

Councillor Steve Foulkes responded as follows:

Community asset transfer has been endorsed through the Strategic Asset Review as an important element in the Council’s asset management strategy.

It is not a new idea, and councils across the country have been transferring the ownership and management of buildings to community groups for years.

Some asset transfer has already taken place on Wirral.

Such transfers do mean that community organisations – often run by volunteers – take on responsibility for the upkeep of buildings and the payment of costs.

Asset transfer is seen by the government as having a key role in the future management of public assets, and it has provided support to take the process forward.

Where asset transfers are the best way forward for Wirral, we want them to be successful. We have secured a place on a government sponsored pilot programme which provides both the Council and community organisations with free external expertise. This will help us – working with local groups – to develop our asset transfer policy and understand how we can provide the best support, training and advice to community organisations that want to take over assets.

On a point of clarity, the Strategic Asset Review does not propose the transfer of operational libraries to community asset management.

Mr Hall asked a supplementary question to which Councillor Steve Foulkes responded accordingly.