The Committee considered the report of the Head of Neighbourhoods and Engagement setting out the priorities and processes relating to the spend for Wirral South Constituency Committee for 2013/14.

The report indicated that the Committee at its first meeting agreed to set up the ‘Priority Setting’ Task & Finish Group to set priorities for the remainder of the 2013-14 financial year. (Minute 4 refers). The Group considered priorities for 2013/14 from the information available and processes for spend against those priorities. 

A range of information was taken into account by the ‘Priority Setting’ Task & Finish Group to determine proposed priorities for the Committee to concentrate on this financial year (2013/14).  This included a ‘Constituency Profile’ document (produced by analysts in Public Health and a specific document reviewing the current situation in relation to fuel poverty in Wirral South (produced by Wirral’s Acting Housing Strategy Manager).

Those in attendance at the ‘Priority Setting’ Task & Finish Group also expressed a desire to allocate £10K per Ward to allow for various improvements work to be carried out. This desire had since been echoed by a number of elected members both verbally and via e-mail.

The Task & Finish Group suggested the following approach:

·  £10K per ward for improvement work (e.g. highways/grounds maintenance improvements yet to be defined with  associated costs)

·  A project utilising a suite of methods is developed to reduce levels of childhood obesity in Wirral South

·  Further research to be carried out to assess the reliability of the fuel poverty statistics for the constituency prior to any decision regarding further spend

·  Promoting the collective energy provider switch to ensure all are receiving maximised value for money

The report outlined in broad terms the proposed priorities but did not give specifics of projects and allocated spend. It was suggested that the ‘Priority Setting’ Task & Finish Group met once again in the New Year to agree allocation per project following further evidence gathering. A further report would be brought to the next Wirral South Constituency Committee on 26 February 2014 detailing exact allocation of budget to each individual priority.

In response to Members, Mr Adams indicated that he had met with Public Health and submitted a list of proposals for a 20K programme where impacts could be seen. 

In relation to the proposals coming forward from Public Health, A Member raised concern that they felt that the funding was being spent on issues that had no real relevance or no importance to the members of the public in the area and suggested that smaller projects that would be of a benefit to the community be undertaken that would be less time consuming and evidenced a real impact to the community.

Members commented that in relation to the child obesity priority, it was unclear as to why this had been selected, given that there was no clear evidence to support this and it had not been brought to the attention of the Members of the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee as a major issue for Wirral South. In response, Mr Adams indicated that the priority was chosen by the members of the Task and Finish Group who had considered evidential information.

In relation to fuel poverty, a Member asked if the 25k funding allocation from Health could be used towards this priority; as it was felt that fuel poverty did not constitute one of the high level outcomes set out by Health. It was further suggested that the priority should be addressed during the winter months and that a small project for example; a leaflet drop could be undertaken which would cost a limited amount of funding.

Members indicated that in relation to the budget allocation, they felt that as each Ward had its own issues and priorities, funding should be equally split between each of the wards. Mr F. Adams, Constituency Manager expressed his view that the £50K should be spent on practical improvement work. Some Councillors expressed a wish to allocate to various community groups but Mr Adams felt this was unwise without a robust and open to all grants process attached. 

RESOLVED (12:1) - Councillor Niblock voted against: That

(1)  the allocation of £10K to each of the five wards be approved; and

(2)  the previously appointed Priority Task and Finish Group be requested to reconvene in January 2014 to further assess the priorities chosen, the individual project costs and agree further action