A report by the Constituency Manager (Wirral South) is attached.

A report by the Constituency Manager provided the Committee with an update on the current allocation of all budgets devolved to the Committee. This included:

·  £50,000 Wirral South Health & Wellbeing Fund

·  £38,720.50 core budget rolled over from 2013/14 (allocated £10,000 per ward)

·  £50,000 Core budget allocated to three main priorities

·  £77,750 Road Safety Money

·  £35,000 “Your Wirral” funding

·  £10,000 “Love Wirral” funding

Members were reminded that 18 projects had been funded from the Wirral South Health and Wellbeing Fund during 2014/15. This had cost £48,118.97 and had left £1,881.03. Many of these projects were at varying stages of completion and updates would be reported at the next meeting of the Committee on 16 April, 2015.

The report also informed that over £38,000 of the Committee’s 2013/14 devolved core budget had remained and had been carried over into 2014/15.  Each ward had been allocated £10,000 each and spend continued. Further works had been programmed since the last meeting of the Committee held on 16 October 2014.  Consequently the remaining amount had reduced. Although there were a number of projects in development Members were reminded to ensure this allocation was used expediently.  Appendix 1 to the report showed the current rate of spend per ward.

The Committee was reminded that currently, its priorities were as follows:

·  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.

·  Gaps in Youth Provision; to work with the internal and external partners to identify 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 was also reminded that it had received £77,750 to address Road Safety issues within the constituency area.  Consequently, it was reported that the “Local Transport Capital Funding/Integrated Transport Block (ITB) programme budget Task and Finish Group” for Wirral South had met for the first time on 13 August 2014 and the notes of the meeting were attached to the report as Appendix 2 for Members’ information.  The Group had discussed possible options for distributing the relevant budget and had come to the following conclusion to utilise some of the £77,750 (£10,000 had been proposed) to carry out a constituency wide project to future proof a number of Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS). The remaining amount of funding would be split evenly between each ward.

Based upon this proposal Members had then been requested to submit a concise ‘wish list’ of schemes they would like to fund from their ward based budget (approximately £13,500) in order of preference. It was noted that these schemes could be programmed in for completion throughout the remainder of 2014/15.

The Constituency Manager reported that following receipt of ward based requests from Members he had been in consultation with the Road Safety and Traffic Sections and appropriate public notices had been released in respect of relevant proposed schemes. The Committee noted that the current projected spend against the overall budget of £77,750 was £76,100.

The Constituency Manager reported progress in respect of the Your Wirral funding that had been devolved to the Constituency Committees during 2014/15.  This was a small grants programme that had been in operation since 2007.  To be eligible for funding, applications had to fit within one or more of the following seven themes which had been agreed by the Joint Working Group in line with the charitable objectives of the Community Fund Deed:

·   

·  Creating an attractive and safe environment.

·  Contributing to community economic regeneration.

·  Preventing crime or reducing the fear of crime.

·  Providing employment and training for local people.

·  Benefiting local people who face discrimination.

·  Improving community facilities.

·  Engaging communities to improve quality of life.

The Constituency Manager also reported that the first tranche of the “Your Wirral Fund” for Wirral South had closed and it was reported that on 1 October 2014 a representative Task and Finish Group had met to assess the application received against an agreed criteria.

Following allocation based upon the recommendations of the task and finish group there was £11,886.28 left. The fund had reopened until 28 November 2014. The Task and Finish Group had met again on 7 January 2015 to assess one application which had been received. The Group had consisted of:

  Councillor Phil Gilchrist (Chair)

  Councillor Jerry Williams (Vice Chair)

  Councillor Christina Muspratt (Bebington)

  Councillor Irene Williams (Bromborough)

  Councillor Tracey Pilgrim (Clatterbridge)

Councillor Les Rowlands (Heswall)

  Ms Paula McGlynn (Magenta Living Rep)

Although a number of clarification questions had been requested of the applicant, the Task and Finish Group had agreed that the project should be funded on receipt of acceptable responses to the questions asked.

The Task and Finish Group had also proposed that the Wirral South “Your Wirral” fund be reopened on 23 January 2015 and closed at noon on 6 March 2015.

The Constituency Manager also reported that £10,000 had been devolved to the Committee in the form of “Love Wirral” funding.  He informed that he was currently seeking clarification on whether this funding could be carried forward into 2015/16. Unlike previous “Love Wirral” allocations the Committee had complete control over how this funding was allocated, provided its use was linked to environmental quality.  It was recommended that a “Love Wirral” Task and Finish Group be established to discuss the project and report back to the next meeting on 16 April 2015.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  Members be requested to work closely with the Constituency Manager and other officers to ensure   the remaining under spend from 2013/14 is allocated by the end of 2014/15;

(2)  the Committee notes the progress in relation to spend of the “Local Transport Capital Funding/Integrated Transport Block (ITB) programme funding for 2014/15.

(3)  the Committee notes the progress made in relation to further allocation of “Your Wirral” funding;

(4)  the “Your Wirral” fund for Wirral South be reopened on 23 January 2015 for a six week period and close at noon on 6 March 2015; and

(5)  a “Love Wirral” task and finish group be set up of the following Members:

  Councillors P Gilchrist, C Muspratt, S Niblock, T Pilgrim and L Rowlands

to develop proposals in respect of the devolved £10,000 “Love Wirral” funding and report them to the Committee at its meeting on 16 April 2015.