Report of the Constituency Manager – Fergus Adams (attached).

The Constituency Manager introduced his progress report to update Members on resolved priorities and allocated budget for Wirral South Constituency Committee in 2015/16 and beyond.

The Committee were informed that, in respect of the Open Spaces initiative and since the last Constituency Committee, Dawstone Park had been awarded its green flag. Members of the Committee, alongside respective friends groups were praised for their efforts. Members were advised that the two locations of focus for the WSCC for 2016/17 and 2017/18 are Torr Park Eastham and New Ferry Park.

The Committee noted the successful provider for the Wirral South One to One Counselling Service had now been in place since May 2016 and that ‘Response’ are currently delivering the following sessions:

·  Eastham Youth Hub: Friday 6pm-9pm

·  Heswall Community Library & One Stop Shop: Thursday 2pm – 5pm

·  Bebington Youth Club: Thursday 6pm – 9pm

Members further noted that the new service is fully subscribed and has a small waiting list in Eastham. The Constituency Manager informed the Committee that prior to this WSCC specific service young people would have been placed on a much longer Wirral wide waiting list and it would have been necessary for them to travel to Birkenhead for appointments. The table below demonstrated to Members, the number of young people who had engaged with the service up until the writing of the report.

It was then reported that the National Citizenship Service (NCS) is a programme aimed at 15 to 17 year olds enabling them to embark on exhilarating challenges and build skills for work and life. Members heard how

engagement in the NCS requires a sign-up fee of £20 - £50 ( depending on the applicant’s financial circumstances). The Committee were informed that the Wirral South budget for gaps in youth provision has a £3,097 projected underspend for 2016/17 and a proposal was set out to utilise the underspend to offer a bursary to young people from deprived areas in Wirral South which would cover:

·  Initial sign up fee

·  An agreed list of essential kit for residential elements

·  Access to public transport for a 2 week period during social action element.

The Constituency Manager then informed the Committee that on 13 July 2016 Cabinet agreed to an allocation of £130,000 to the Constituency Committees (£32,500 per constituency) It was explained that schemes will need to be in line with priorities and contribute to the delivery of the Transport Plan for Growth ( minute 34 refers). Members were informed that the Wirral South Transport for Growth Fund Task & Finish Group had met on Tuesday 20 September to discuss the funding and agree their approach. Appendix one of the report included the minutes and action points from the meeting.

The Constituency Manager further reported that a meeting of the Wirral South Constituency Plan Task and Finish group had met for the first time on 19 July and the following next steps were agreed:

·  Further development sessions for those wards that haven’t had them

·  A further task and finish group prior to the next committee

·  A brief report to said committee to show progress made.

Councillor Adam Sykes proposed that recommendation 15.1. be amended as follows:

“the Wirral South Constituency Committee agree to commit £3,097 (remaining gaps in youth provision budget for 2016/17) to provide a National Citizenship Service bursary for young people who are financially excluded (with further details to be reported to the next committee on 2 February 2017)”

The amendment was agreed unanimously

Councillor Tracey Pilgrim proposed the following motion which was duly seconded and

RESOLVED that:

1)  the Wirral South Constituency Committee agree to commit £3,097 ( remaining gaps in youth provision budget for 2016/17) to provide a National Citizenship Service bursary for young people who are financially excluded in Wirral South (with further details to be reported to the next committee on 2 February 2017);

2)  a Social Isolation Contract Extension Assessment Panel is established (made of one elected member per ward, plus/inclusive of Chair and Vice Chair with volunteers requested). The Panel will receive a further presentation from the incumbent contractor in January 2017 (date tbc) and a judgement will be made on the extension of the existing contract. The delegated decision ill be reported to this committee ( on the 2 February 2017);

3)  the Wirral South Transport for Growth Fund Task & Finish Group are given the delegated power to spend against the associated budget in order to ensure the works related to this funding are implemented as efficiently as possible and;

4)  the Wirral South Constituency Plan Task and Finish Group meet for the second time within 4 weeks of the date of this committee.