The Constituency Manager introduced a report that provided an update on the Constituency Committee’s committed spend for 2014/15 and outlined proposals for the remainder of the budget.

Appendix 1 to the report summarised the committed and uncommitted spend for Wallasey Constituency Committee for 2014/15. It was reported that the Committee had £46,306.73 currently uncommitted for this financial year. This included £5,950 set aside for the Problem Solving Fund which should remain.

It was reported that Partners engaged through Wallasey Public Service Board had been consulted on projects that based on their professional knowledge and experience would assist Wallasey Constituency Committee in tackling its priorities and areas of focus.  Research had also been conducted relating to improving community cohesion and raising the aspirations of young people (two of the Committee’s areas of focus) by a university student undertaking work experience with the Constituency team over the summer period, which had been factored into the development of a number of these proposals. The proposals are summarised for the Committee and further information set out for each in Appendix 2 of the report.

The Committee gave consideration to each of the proposals outlined in Appendix 2 of the report to determine those it wished to fund from the Committee’s Constituency Options Fund (£30,000). The Constituency Manager set out the priorities for these initiatives from those set by the Committee.

The Committee also gave consideration for a deferred bid for Your Wirral funding Wallasey Constituency Working Group (1/10/14 - minute 20 refers) that had been deferred for further information.

Bid number YW2 by Striding Out CIC for a Digital & IT Skills for Employability project (£2,485) had been deferred for decision for further information; namely whether there was a gap in provision that this project would fill. The Council’s Lifelong Learning Team had recently commissioned Striding Out CIC to deliver a project to 160 learners from Vale House Community Centre.  The Team was satisfied that this would provide adequate coverage from this geographical location.  The Committee was requested to make a decision as to whether this project submitted to Your Wirral was funded.

The Committee also gave consideration to allocating funding from the Committee’s Constituency Options Fund (£30,000) and/or Love Wirral fund (£10,000) for the erection of Christmas lighting displays and associated festive events. The Constituency Manager reported that Officers had conducted site visits with elected members to ascertain minimum requirements for each ward in preparation for this Christmas in order to obtain estimated costs for the Committee to consider further.  This work was ongoing and the amount requested was presented as Appendix 3 to the report.

The Report gave details of the centres – Liscard, New Brighton, Seacombe, Wallasey, Moreton West & Saughall Massie and Leasowe & Moreton East –the funding required and its purpose. A member suggested that the centres be considered en bloc as it would not be fair for communities to be set against each other for this funding. Councillor Chris Blakely endorsed this view and commented that secure storage was vital and the cost of this needed to be taken into account for each area. Councillor Bernie Mooney said that in the Liscard area the lights were 3 years old and may need replacing when they were switched. A member of the public suggested that the money be put into FoodBanks instead of being spent on Christmas Lights. Members accepted that this was a worthy suggestion however there was specific funding supporting this and the benefits of funding the Christmas Lights, although a small amount, uplifted the areas, was moral boosting and was good for trade. The general view was that this was a starting point for communities that would hopefully inspire them to ‘grow’ the displays.

Resolved - That:-

1.  further information be sought as to the bid for Your Wirral funding by Striding Out CIC and they be asked to attend the next Constituency Committee to respond to any questions about their application.

2.  the following initiatives outlined in Appendix 2 of the report be funded from the Committee’s Constituency Options Fund as follows and the maximum bid amount for the Little Sparks Fund be set at £500:-

3.  the proposal “Illegal and Illicit Tobacco Campaign”, with a cost of £5,540, be refused on the grounds of duplication.

4.  the requests for Christmas Lights outlined in Appendix 3 of the report be funded from the Committee’s Constituency Options Fund/Love Wirral Fund and a maximum of £20,000 in total is set aside to allow for any contingencies.

5.  the remaining budget be added to the £5,950 set aside for the Committee’s Problem Solving Fund.

6.  learning from the various small grants programmes be used to revise the criteria and terms and conditions for future programmes operated by Wallasey Constituency Committee.