Agenda item

Leader's Announcements

Minutes:

Councillor Phil Davies opened the meeting and thanked everybody involved in the River of Light display the previous evening from both the Council and other organisations. The feedback he had been receiving was very positive.

 

Councillor Chris Spriggs added her thanks to everyone involved, and expressed her delight that the streets of New Brighton had been filled with local people and local volunteers for the street entertainers and fireworks display.

 

Councillor Phill Brightmore thanked all those involved in a number of community displays which had been provided across parks in the Borough and in particular he thanked Mary Worrall, Senior Manager, Parks and Countryside, and all her staff. He also expressed his thanks to the staff of Biffa for their quick response in clearing up after the River of Light event.

 

Councillor Phil Davies also thanked all those involved with the community fireworks displays including the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service for all their work on both nights.

 

Councillor Phil Davies then invited Councillor Phill Brightmore to address the Cabinet on a number of awards which officers of the Council had been involved in in the last couple of months.

 

Councillor Phill Brightmore informed the Cabinet of the following:

 

1.  Last week, The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) presented its Best Project Award to Wirral’s ‘Reducing the Strength and Custodians’ scheme. The initiative was a partnership between Wirral Council’s Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Public Health teams, working with the Wirral Ways To Recovery service and the award was recognition of its collaborative approach as well as its success in achieving a number of challenging targets.

 

‘Reducing the Strength’ was now embedded in Birkenhead, Tranmere, Rock Ferry and New Ferry working with local off licences encouraging them to stop the sale of super-strength, low-cost beers and ciders. The scheme was now expanding into Seacombe and other areas.

 

As an extension to the project, the team also developed the ‘Custodians’ scheme which trained staff in off-licences in how to refer problem drinker customers to the drug and alcohol service, Wirral Ways to Recovery. This was also proving successful and had been well received by businesses.

 

He expressed thanks to all the departments involved, and in particular Colin, Gareth, Jon, Heidi and Christine. In addition to the local Councillors, who he knew gave the scheme their full support. This was a fantastic example of departments coming together to better the lives of those living in the most challenging circumstances.

 

2.  The World Urban Parks European Congress came to the Wirral in October to celebrate the 170th Anniversary of the opening of Birkenhead Park, which was the world’s first municipally funded public park.

 

Delegates at congress, including international parks professionals, local Friends of Parks groups and representatives of national organisations shared information about the pressures facing public parks and the importance of urban public parks for health, social inclusion, the economy (including tourism) and the environment.

 

Birkenhead Park was awarded a Gold Standard Large Parks Award from the World Urban Parks organisation. Further, Dr Mary Worrall, Senior Manager in Wirral Council’s Parks, Coast and Countryside team, was also bestowed with the honour of becoming a Certified Park Professional International (CPPI), the highest award given by the World Parks Academy. Both awards were richly deserved and he was sure Cabinet would join in congratulating Mary, Paul and their team, in Birkenhead Park and elsewhere across the Borough.

 

The congress also strongly endorsed the Council’s bid for the inclusion of Birkenhead Park on the UK’s list of tentative world heritage sites, in recognition of its historic outstanding universal value.

 

3.  In September, the RSPCA also announced their intention to give Wirral Council and its partner, the Friends of Birkenhead Kennels, the Gold stray dog footprint award and Wirral Council a Silver Award for it’s Animal Licensing. This was remarkable, and he gave a special mention to Sam Simpson who worked as a full time volunteer managing the Kennels, she was also a Trustee for FOBK.

 

He also thanked Hazel Millington who supported FOBK as well as carrying a very diverse range of duties including that of a Statutory Dog Warden, Animal Welfare and Licensing Officer, Technical Officer and an all-round expert advisor to the Council in all things animal!

 

During early 2017 the Environmental Health service won the Echo Environment Award for best project, this award was for its EatWell Wirral Healthy Eating Award and Takeaway for a Change Healthy eating in school project. The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy also awarded the service a Special Merit for supporting businesses to export.

 

Wirral was so lucky to have such a strong and dedicated team, he had been pushing the service and the officers very hard in the last few years to deliver change, improve efficiency whilst adapting and evolving to the changing and challenging environment the Council operated in. He commented how extremely proud he was of everyone in the team.

 

Councillor Brightmore acknowledged that a good number of these schemes had begun under his predecessor in the role, Councillor Bernie Mooney, and before her Councillor Brian Kenny. He was fortunate indeed to be in a position to give this report as these projects received recognition and expressed his thanks to them.