The Birkenhead Constituency Committee Manager presented her report that provided an update on progress in relation to agreed schemes of work from the budget devolved to the Constituency Committee to date.  The report also provided details of other Birkenhead Constituency Committee neighbourhood projects.

The Constituency Manager provided a verbal summary and update on progress for each item of report that included:

·  Skip Fund, Community Partnership days and Clean-ups - 91 skips had been provided for 2016/17 and officer support had been given for over 36 Community Clear Ups and Action Days at the cost of around £11,880 from the skip fund budget.  It had been estimated that roughly 108 tonnes of waste had been removed.  A number of community partnership days had been planned for March and April and some dates still to be confirmed.

·  The ‘Community Pay Back’ Team - A programme of alleyway week clearing and cleansing for Birkenhead had been delivered by the Community Pay Back team.  They had completed over 60 jobs for the Birkenhead Constituency Committee.

·  Birkenhead in Bloom 2017 - 16 awards had been won at the RHS North West in Bloom competition last year with Oxton winning the cup.  There were a number of proposed projects planned and the aim was to submit more applications and build on current projects.

·  Food hubs and holiday food projects updates - Updates were provided in respect of St James Centre, Beechwood, Neighbourhood Planning, Volunteering Programme, Community Boxing Club, Rock Ferry Food Hub, Gautby Road Community Centre and Livingstone Street Centre.  A number of projects had been funded for 2017 which would be delivered during school holidays, before or after school.

·  Improving Life Chances Community Pilots - The aims of the Improving Life Chances Steering Group were:  Improving life chances for children; supporting families to be financially resilient; tackling the immediate impacts of poverty and supporting parents into sustainable employment.  Task groups had been set up in Bidston and St James and Seacombe wards to target specific areas experiencing high child poverty.  The aims and actions that had been established were set out within the report.

·  BID team, Connectors and Assets update – The Business Improvement District Team were continuing their diverse town centre activity to support the retail area in Birkenhead and a programme of events had been set for 2017.  The Community Connectors Project’s target was to engage with 1,885 individuals across the specified wards and their role was to provide support for individuals to access local community activity to improve their wellbeing and as appropriate, their readiness for employment.  The Birkenhead Assets Update referred to The Beechwood Centre which had taken over the Beechwood Community Centre and would be providing an expanded food hub, community café, soft play area, sports hall, community room, play scheme and much more for the local community.  The Beaconsfield Centre was being operated by Neo café which had a food hub, youth club, residents association, bingo, advice and guidance, community garden and much more.

Resolved – That the progress and updates set out in the Constituency Manager’s report be noted.