To receive the written reports of the Leader and Cabinet Members, and to receive questions and answers on any of those reports in accordance with Standing Orders 10(2)(a) and 11.

Also attached is the Strategic Director Transformation and Resources’, Scrutiny Annual Report 15/16.

The Mayor introduced the summary reports from the Leader, Cabinet Members and Policy and Performance Committee Chairs and asked for questions on any of the reports.

Councillor Green asked a question of the Leader of the Council

Councillor Phil Davies stated in response:

·  He would avoid commenting on national political issues as he was focussed on delivering the Wirral Plan’s 20 Pledges for the people of Wirral

Councillor Blakeley asked questions of the Cabinet Members for Housing and Community Safety, for Environment, for Transport & Infrastructure, for Community Engagement and Communications and for Adult Social Care.

In response comments included:

Councillor George Davies

·  There would be 300 bed spaces with 6 or 7 Extra Care Homes.

Councillor Bernie Mooney

·  There would be two separate teams dealing with dog fouling enforcement.

·  Currently 25 fixed penalty notices had been issued in respect of dog fouling, whereas only 9 had been issued in the whole of last year

·  It was commented that Wirral was now one the cleanest Boroughs in relation to litter and dog fouling.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham

·  Merseytravel were currently undertaking a review of all proposed stations, of which Town Meadow Lane was one, and he would provide an update as more details emerged on its outcome.

Councillor Matthew Patrick

·  Details were available within his published Cabinet Report regarding the proposals for a Wirral Council publication.

Councillor Chris Jones

·  Gave her apologies to the carers involved with Girtrell Court if they thought that she had misinterpreted how they felt.

Councillor Adam Sykes, asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Community Engagement and Communications

Councillor Matthew Patrick commented in response:

·  Each of the Constituency Committees would be given £50,000 budgets.

Councillor Lesley Rennie, asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure

Councillor Stuart Whittingham commented in response:

·  The Highway Survey results were above the national average for satisfaction and he was pleased with the outcome of the survey. Work would continue over the next five years to increase the levels of satisfaction

Councillor Geoffrey Watt, asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Environment

Councillor Bernie Mooney commented in response:

·  The Weed Spraying Plan had been made available on the Council’s Website for Members to view and  those issues Members felt were not being dealt with should be raised with their relevant Constituency Manager.

Councillor Ian Lewis, asked questions of the Cabinet Members for Transport and Infrastructure and for Adult Social Care.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham commented in response:

·  As there was no mention of street lighting within his report he would provide a response in writing.

Councillor Chris Jones commented in response:

·  Charlotte House was commissioned by the Health service and not the Council.

·  It was hoped that staff from Girtrell Court would move on to the new facility in Tollemache Road, but at this stage it was not known how many might choose to take early voluntary retirement or if there would be any, redundancies  but she would provide the information in writing

Councillor Tracy Pilgrim, asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Community Engagement and Communications

Councillor Matthew Patrick commented in response:

·  Information was sought from the Constituency Manager for Wirral South.

Councillor Phil Gilchrist, asked a question of the Leader of the Council

Councillor Phil Davies commented in response:

·  The funding for the Combined Authority running costs would not come from the 6 constituent Authorities. It would come from the £900m received from Government alongside sharing current resources that Merseytravel and the Local Enterprise Partnership have. Wirral would not contribute a penny to the funding of the new posts on the Combined Authority.

Councillor Stuart Kelly asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham commented in response:

·  He would look into the issues raised and respond in writing if Councillor Kelly could share the specific details with him.

Councillor Alan Brighouse asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services.

Councillor Tony Smith commented in response:

·  Wirral had succeeded in the area of attainment of children receiving Free School Meals and the present Chief Inspector of Schools indicated that whether it was a Local Authority School or an Academy, Authorities would have overall responsibility for this area.

Councillor Bruce Berry asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care

Councillor Chris Jones commented in response:

·  The decision to close Girtrell Court was taken on 22 June 2016 and on the 23 June 2016 by the Strategic Leadership Team.

Councillor Wendy Clements asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services.

Councillor Tony Smith commented in response:

·  Ofsted were currently with Children’s Services and the visit seemed to be going well, previous inspections had seen Local Authorities receiving ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ with Wirral receiving an ‘Outstanding’ judgement, however this year in light of the Baby P case and others, the standard expected by Ofsted had been raised. Judgement findings would be known in approximately 8 weeks’ time. 92 per cent of Wirral’s secondary schools were either ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ as were 74 per cent of primary schools.

Councillor Steve Williams asked a question of the Cabinet Member for Public Health

Councillor Janette Williamson commented in response:

·  That she would welcome the Council becoming a Champion for Motor Neurone Disease and would be working with the relevant Cabinet Members to propose a Motion to that effect at a future Council meeting.

Resolved – That

(1)  each of the Cabinet Portfolio Holders’ Summary reports including the Wirral Plan 2020: Progress Report; and

(2)  the Annual Scrutiny report be noted.