The Committee considered the report by the Head of Neighbourhoods and Engagement that updated the Committee on progress in relation to the agreed schemes of work from the budget devolved to the Constituency Committee to date. A finance summary sheet for the Committee’s budget and expenditure was attached as appendix 1 to the report.

Attached to the report were appendices which the Constituency Manager presented to the Committee in relation to the Constituency Committee’s Financial Summary; Improving the Environment Project update; Anti-Social Behaviour Briefing Paper; St Paul’s Community Hub Action Plan; Birkenhead Your Wirral Project Summary; List of dropped kerbs funded through Integrated Transport Board funds; Wirral Wide Your Wirral Summary of Projects; 7 Beats Update, Birkenhead Police Project and Community Engagement Activity.

The Constituency Manager updated the Committee on the following:

Town Talk Community Newspaper

The Constituency Manager indicated that she had met with Ward Members and others to discuss the future of the Town Talk Community Newspaper and reported that the publication now incorporated the comments from Members. A Member indicated that had attended the meeting commented that he felt the meeting was positive and suggested that publication includes the opportunity to applaud those young people who do good things for the community.

Improving the Environment

The Constituency Manager updated the Committee on the three month contract report from Lairdside Communities Together which identified sites for proposed action and the progress made to date.

The Constituency Manager referred to the pictures of completed works which had previously circulated to Members indicating that the pictures were not the ones of completed works therefore these would be re-circulated.

The Chair reminded Members to report all grot-spots on behalf of their constituents and contact the Constituency Manager if issues raised were not addressed.

In response to Members comments regarding the CRM system, the Constituency Manager indicated that she would look into resolving the issues raised by Members. 

Public Health Outcome Fund 2013/14

The Constituency Manager indicated that the action plan and progress made by St Paul’s Community Hub were detailed within her report for Members to note.

Integrated Transport Block Capital Programme 2014/15

The Constituency Manager updated the Committee on the road safety project which was going well. A list of the proposed dropped kerbs was attached as an appendix to the report.

Birkenhead Project

The Chair invited Mr Andy Brannan, from the Neighbourhoods and Engagement Team to update the Committee on the Birkenhead Project.

Mr Brannan indicated that each of the four Constituency Committees had been allocated ‘Your Wirral’ funding. Birkenhead focused its funding on lunch/breakfast clubs for children in Birkenhead. This was currently being undertaken by Manor kitchen.

The Chair suggested that these kinds of activities be publicised to enable the community to be informed and able to utilise the activities.

Mr Brannan indicated that the next round of ‘Your Wirral’ funding would be made available shortly to enable organisations to apply to do something during the next school holidays.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the updates contained within the Constituency Manager’s report be noted and progress be approved;

(2)  the following Task and Finish Groups be set up and responsibility for allocating the 2015/16 ASB and Environmental Funds be delegated to them; with each of the Task and Finish Groups being requested to report back to the Committee with an update on spend, activity and progress in September 2015.

Each ward be allocated £1K skip fund and the remainder be allocated to LCT to continue the ‘grotspot’ project

ASB – Councillors Doughty, Meaden, Brighouse, G Davies and Cleary

Environmental – Councillors McLaughlin, Crabtree and Doughty

(3)  Your Wirral progress be noted and the priorities of child poverty and feeding Birkenhead’s children to continue in 2015/16 be approved;and

(4)  the 2015/16 £50,000 Constituency Committee funding to be allocated later on in the year to Constituency Committee projects in line with priorities of ASB, Child Poverty and Environmental issues after a review of effective projects has taken place.