A report by the Constituency Manager set out progress in respect of the resolved priorities for the Committee during 2014/15 and beyond.

The Committee noted that Members had attended a priority setting session in order to identify possible themes for the Committee’s consideration.  The following three main themes were proposed and agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 25 June 2014 (Minute No. 4 refers.):

·  Improved Open Spaces; to increase the number of green flag parks in Wirral South year on year.

·  Gaps in Youth Provision; to work with the internal and external partners to indentify and rectify any existing gaps in provision of youth services in Wirral South.

·  Tackle Social Isolation; Identify the various groups affected by social isolation in Wirral South, establish the evident gaps in provision throughout the Constituency and aim to either support existing providers or commission a new piece of work.

The Committee had also resolved that each of the priorities above should be allocated £15k each, thus leaving £5k of core budget to support various engagement initiatives.

The Constituency Manager detailed current initiatives, progress made and proposals for the Committee’s consideration in respect of each of the three identified priority areas.

Since that meeting the Committee, noted in particular, that the Constituency Manager had met with representatives from the Wirral South Park’s Team, including the Senior Manager - Parks and Countryside Services to highlight the most suitable location on which to focus the Committee’s efforts throughout 2014/15.  Based upon this discussion and a subsequent site visit it was decided that Mayer Park was the most suitable location because of a number of factors, not least the existence of an enthusiastic and active “Friends Of” group plus the overall infrastructure being in acceptable condition. Since then a Parks Priority Task and Finish Group of elected Members has been set up and met on 6 August 2014.  The notes of its meeting were appended to the Constituency Manager’s report as Appendix 1.  It had made the following proposals for the Committee’s consideration:

·  Installation of new bins.

·  Arboreal work (removal of old tree stumps which require specialist equipment).

·  Installation of a small fence to make a “kick around” area safer as it currently opened onto a main road.

A Member queried how a small fence would prevent children running out onto the road or balls going over it.  The Constituency Manager reported that advice had been sought from a Green Flag Award judge who was of the view that chestnut fencing would work to begin with by emphasising the barrier to the Park.

The Member told the Committee that it was responsible for children’s safety and that a risk assessment needed to be carried out.  He considered that Green Flag Awards were more about how things looked rather than safety aspects.

Another Member felt that the fence would act as a deterrent and that it needed to be erected where the allotments used to be.  It was an improvement on what was there now but she was unsure how safe it was going to be.

A Member reported that Bebington Members were awaiting quotations for road works to be carried out.  These quotations were not being submitted very quickly so this may mean that the work may not be able to be completed within the agreed timescale.  The Constituency Manager agreed that he would chase up these quotations so that the work was not delayed.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the spend associated with the following improvements to Mayer Park be agreed:

·  Installation of new bins

·  Installation of a small fence to make a "kick around" area safer as it currently opens on to a main road

(2)  the Park Related Priority for Wirral South be amended to encapsulate the wishes of the Task and Finish Group regarding increased access for those with a disability. The updated Priority should read:

“Improved Open Spaces; to increase the number of green flag parks in Wirral South year on year and ensure accessibility is improved in each chosen location.”

(3)  the Constituency Manager be requested to continue to work with Colleagues in the Parks and Countryside Service and members of the ‘Parks Priority Task and Finish Group’ to produce a shortlist of locations for consideration in 2015/16;

(4)  the Committee grants delegated powers to the existing and representative ‘Parks Priority Task and Finish Group’ to ensure budgetary spend can be agreed and improvements can be made as expediently as possible, thus maximising the potential for applying for the Green Flag Award within 2014/15;

(5)  the Constituency Manager be requested to work with Youth Support to compile a list of further initiatives in relation to the remaining youth budget for 2014/15; (This list be presented to Committee in January.)

(6)  the progress made in relation to initiating a “Dementia Friendly Community Pilot” in the Heswall area be noted and an initial allocation of up to £1000 between now and January 2015 be approved to allow the project to proceed in a timely manner; and

(7)  the progress made in relation to the identification of ways in which the Wirral South Constituency Committee can support carers within the five wards be noted and a proposal be presented at the next meeting of the Committee.