This report provides a further update on progress made in planning, funding and implementing the recommendations of the Road Safety Working Group as requested by the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee on 7 September 2021. This report also sets out Wirral’s Road Safety Plan 2023 – 2027, following the adoption of the Liverpool City Region Road Safety Strategy in November 2022.

One of the key themes in the Wirral Plan 2021-2026 is to provide safe and pleasant communities. Making the borough’s roads safer for cyclists, pedestrians and other road users helps to meet the key priorities set out within the current Wirral plan.

Resolved – that,

1. the update on the recommendations of the Road Safety Working Group as set out as appendix A to this report be noted.

2. the Road Safety Plan 2023 - 2027 as set out in appendix B to this report be approved

2. officers be thanked for the significant amount of work undertaken to deliver the Road Safety Plan 2023-2027 and in implementing the recommendations of the working group.

Resolved: That

1. the report be noted;

2. any proposed actions to mitigate the in-year position be endorsed; and

3. the inclusion of the Real Living Wage in the Medium-Term Financial Plan be endorsed.

The report provides an update on Extra Care Housing in Wirral and sets out the plan to provide appropriate Extra Care Housing schemes in Wirral that will support residents with eligible needs.

Resolved: That

1. further plans for development of Extra Care Housing for Wirral as set out within this report be endorsed; and

2. the Director of Care and Health be authorised to approve the extension of the contracts for the provision of care in 2 Extra Care Schemes - St Oswald’s Court, care provided by Professional Carers, and Barncroft, care provided by Community Caring for further terms to align with the 6 other Extra Care schemes care contracts, to enable a single future procurement exercise at a cost of £1.2m.

Resolved: That

A decision on the All Age Disability and Mental Health Delivery Review be deferred until we have more information, namely:

·  The dependencies on which the decision must be based;

·  The dates of these dependencies;

·  The confirmation that resources will be in place to act on the information forthcoming; and

·  The length of time taken to analyse the information.

Therefore the date by which the contract must be extended to can be determined.

This report seeks approval for the Council to adopt the Wirral Interim Approach to Avoid and Mitigate Recreational Disturbance as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. The approach provides a mechanism to fund measures, through a tariff on new housing development of 10 or more units, to avoid and mitigate disturbance to birds from human activity on the internationally designated foreshores around the Wirral coast arising from additional visits to the coast generated by new housing development. The Wirral Interim approach forms part of a wider Liverpool City Region Recreational Management Strategy (LCR RMS) initiative to tackle this issue. The Wirral Interim approach has been produced as an interim measure due to delays in implementing the LCR RMS, which is expected to come into force in 2024.

The Wirral Interim approach document was published in draft alongside the Submission Draft Wirral Local Plan 2021-2037 in July 2022 and is in the Local Plan Examination Library as document reference ECC27. The LCR RMS will be implemented through a joint Supplementary Planning Document, and the draft scoping document (currently out to consultation) is appended to this report for noting. The Local Plan will support all five themes of the Wirral Plan 2021-26: Inclusive Economy, Safe & Pleasant Communities, Sustainable Environment, Brighter Futures and Active & Healthy Lives.

Resolved –  that

1.  the adoption of the Wirral Interim Approach to Avoid and Mitigate Recreational Pressure Document as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications be approved.

2.  periodic updates be received by this Committee  on the Interim Approach to Avoid and Mitigate Recreational Pressures and its implementation be reviewed on an annual basis in consultation with the Chair and Spokespersons of the Committee

The Director of Regeneration and Place introduced a report which provided details of the Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Place Based Business Support (PBBS) grant funding allocation of £952,320 from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA).

The report set out recommendations for how the Council should utilise the grant to deliver the required outputs and activities. The grant funding presents the opportunity to achieve savings against the Council’s revenue budget. The Council has commissioned Wirral Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCC) under contract to deliver the Business Support Service (BSS) until 31 December 2023, with the option to extend delivery to 31 December 2025. It is proposed that the BSS Contract is varied to incorporate PBBS outputs and be part-funded from the Council’s UKSPF PBBS allocation. The PBBS allocation will also enable the commissioning of additional specialist interventions to support growth in key sectors and clusters and the funding of two full-time equivalent council staff posts during the UKSPF grant funding period.

Resolved – that

1. the expenditure of the UKSPF allocation to deliver Place Based Business Support as outlined in paragraphs 4.1 to 4.7 of this report be authorised

2. the Director of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to enter into an extension of the Business Support Service contract with Wirral Chamber of Commerce and Industry for an additional two years from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025.