The Director of Neighbourhood Services has agreed to:

1.  endorse the competitive tendering exercise that is outlined in paragraph 3 of the report; and

2.  award the contract for Surface Dressing preparation works for highways within Wirral to Rhino Asphalt Solutions Ltd as the most economically advantageous tenderer for an estimated contract value of £1,300,000 for a term of 4 years with an option to extend for another year. 

The Licensing Manager presented the report of the Director of Law and Corporate services for consideration of applications for a Market Rights Licence submitted by RR Events Solutions Ltd to be located at Ian Fraser Walk, New Brighton. The Licensing Panel were informed that applications had been submitted for the operation of continental street markets at the proposed location on 3 to 6 May 2024 and 8 to 11 August 2024. The proposed markets would operate between the hours of 10:00 to 18:00. It was reported that the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee resolved to adopt a Market Rights Policy in September 2022 which set out several criteria for consideration when determining market rights licence applications.

The applicant on behalf of RR Events Solutions Ltd was invited to make submissions to the Panel in support of their application. The applicant reported that RR Events Solutions Ltd had previously operated a continental market at the “Dips” in New Brighton, but that this location had proven unsuccessful due to several reasons including accessibility issues at the site hence the proposal to hold the markets at Ian Fraser Walk. It was further reported that RR Events Solutions Ltd worked with a core group of traders to operate markets providing craft and artisan produce from different countries of origin, including food and drink as well as goods such as lamps, rugs and garden furniture. The applicant explained that local traders were given the opportunity to take part in the market via advertisements on social media and a maximum of 5 free stalls were available for this. The applicant informed the Licensing Panel that in response to complaints received regarding the operation of previous markets in New Brighton, the applicant advised that there would be no stalls in operation against memorial benches, traders would not sell fish and chips which would be in particular conflict with local providers who specialised in this provision, music would be staggered throughout the day and that lessons had been learned in respect of checking the provenance of the goods to be sold by various traders. The Panel were also informed that the market would close at 4.00pm on a Sunday. The applicant advised that feedback from visitors had been positive and that the proposed markets had received no objections from businesses in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site.

The Chair exercised their discretion to invite a member of the New Brighton Coastal Community Team, who advised that they were representing 25 local businesses across four trading areas in New Brighton, to make a statement. The representative informed the Panel that the operation of a market as proposed within the applications would have an adverse impact on local businesses particularly when operating on Bank Holiday weekends. The representative explained that local traders were reliant on bank holiday trade to sustain their businesses and when events had taken place in New Brighton on Bank Holiday weekends previously, traders experienced a significant loss of trade. The representative informed the Panel that they no longer opened their own business on bank holiday weekends when events were on due to this. The representative further reported that the New Brighton Coastal Community Team considered the market offer to be a duplication of the offer local traders, such as cafes, provided and that there had been a lack of engagement with local traders in the wider New Brighton area. It was submitted to the Licensing Panel that the New Brighton Coastal Community Team would welcome the opportunity to work with the applicant in respect of the operation of a market that was not in direct competition with local traders on Bank Holiday weekends.

In determining both applications for Market Rights Licences, the Licensing Panel gave consideration to the submissions made by the applicant and the statement made by a representative of the New Brighton Coastal Community Team and had regard to the Council’s Market Rights Policy, in particular paragraph 4.1 which set out the criteria to be considered when determining whether to grant a licence. The criteria was considered against both the submissions made by the applicant and those made by the representative of the New Brighton Coastal Community Team as well as the potential impact of the operation of a market at the proposed location on Birkenhead Market.

The Licensing Panel noted that the applicant and the representative of New Brighton Coastal Community Team were willing to work together in respect of the operation of markets in New Brighton and that the primary concern regarding markets taking place in New Brighton was that they have had a negative impact on local businesses when operating on Bank Holiday weekends.

Having considered all of the above the Licensing Panel subsequently:

Resolved – That

1.  The application for a Market Rights Licence to operate a market between 3 May to 6 May 2024 be refused.

2.  The application for a Market Rights Licence to operate a market between 8 August to 11 August 2024 be granted with the following hours:

-  Thursday 8 August 2024 to Saturday 10 August 2024: 10:00 to 18:00

-  Sunday 11 August 2024: 10:00 to 16:00

3.  The following conditions be attached to The Market Rights Licence between 8 August to 11 August 2024:

The Licensing Manager reported that the applicant had withdrawn the application for a Markets Rights Licence to allow a short term market to take place at Liscard Way, Liscard.

That the contract for the operation of Parks Tennis Courts for a 5-year period commencing April 2024 be awarded to We Do Tennis CiC (Reg No. 11457528).

The Head of Pensions (Finance and Risk) introduced the report of the Director of Pension to the Committee. The purpose of the report was to request that Members approved the budget for Merseyside Pension Fund (MPF) for the financial year 2024/25.

Resolved – That the Committee,

(1)  Approve the budget for 2024/25 subject to a review of charges from the administering authority for support services.

(2)  A further report on the outturn for 2023/24 with finalised estimates, in particular for departmental & central support charges and any known changes in supplies and services for 2024/25, be presented to Members of Pensions Committee at a future meeting.

The following items contain exempt information.

Resolved - That, under section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by the relevant paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act. The Public Interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

Members were advised that the Responsible Investment Working Party had met on the 19^th February 2024 and considered a number of stewardship reports including an initial report on the defence industry. Sustainable investments levers of actions were considered to be either to engage, invest or exclude. There would be a second meeting of the Responsible Investment Working Party in the second quarter, and a work plan had been agreed which would include discussions on the Fund’s investments in defence companies.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Pensions Committee meeting held on 11 December 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

The Head of Pensions (Finance and Risk) introduced the report of the Director of Pension to the Committee. The purpose of the report was to request that Members approved the treasury management policy statement and the treasury management practices for Merseyside Pension Fund (MPF) for the year 2024/25.

Resolved – That the Committee approve the treasury management policy statement and the treasury management practices for Merseyside Pension Fund for the financial year 2024/25.

The Head of Pensions Administration introduced the report of the Director of Pension to the Committee. The report provided an overview of changes affecting the future administration and governance of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

Resolved – That the Committee note the administration and governance changes to the LGPS, to ensure continued compliance with legislation, statutory guidance, and industry codes of practice.

The Head of Pensions (Finance and Risk) introduced the report of the Director of Pension to the Committee. The purpose of the report was to request that the Committee approve the write off of £28,000 of irrecoverable rent arrears from the Fund’s property portfolio. For context, the annual property rental income for 2022/23 was £31.7 million.

Resolved - That the Committee approve the write off of uncollectable property rental income of £28,000.

The Director of Pensions introduced the report to committee. The purpose of the report was to provide Members with the minutes of meetings of Working Parties held since the previous Committee meeting. 

Resolved - That the minutes of the Working Party be approved.

The Director of Pensions introduced the report to committee. The report provided the Committee with details of the response to a consultation by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) which sought views on the Local Government Pension Scheme’s (LGPS) “next steps on investments”.

Members noted the areas of good practice on which Merseyside Pension Fund were leading.

Members requested training regarding legislative changes takes place before the next Responsible Investments Working Party.

In response to member queries, officers advised that Norther LGPS had received some indication that the pooling structure  implemented may not align with the governments preferred pooling method and that they were awaiting guidance from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Officers also advised that investments in the Merseyside region which fall under the levelling up category, have data on the economic, environmental and social benefits they bring but the pool was considering ways in which this could be enhanced. 

Resolved - That the Committee consider the report.

The Director of Pensions introduced the report to committee. The report provided the Committee with the draft minutes of the previous meeting of the Wirral Local Pension Board.

Resolved - That the minutes of the Wirral Local Pension Board be noted.

The Director of Pensions introduced the report to committee. The report provided Members with an update on pooling arrangements in respect of Merseyside Pension Fund (MPF) and the Northern LGPS Investment Pool. Minutes of the previous Northern LGPS Joint Committee meeting were appended for noting.

Members requested a report regarding responsible investment parties to return to Committee.

Resolved - That the Committee note the report and the minutes of the Joint Committee meeting.