This report seeks authority for the award of a Ticketing Cloud-based Software contract for the Council to Spektrix Ltd. This will be for a three-year term with 1 annual extension option and is to commence subject to contract on 1^st June 2023.

This project supports the Wirral Plan 2021-2026 Inclusive Economy theme by supporting Floral Pavilion as a local business and supplying local business opportunities.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services has agreed to approve the award of the Floral Pavilion Ticketing Cloud-based Software contract for a three-year term to Spektrix Ltd with effect from 1^st June 2023 with a one-year option to extend. 

This report seeks approval of the recommended City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Combined Authority Transport Plan (CATP) programme for 2023/24 and delegated authority to the Director of Neighbourhoods to accept the associated grant funding. The report also seeks approval for the indicative recommended CRSTS CATP programme for 2024-2027.

The effective delivery of the council’s CRSTS CATP programme aligns with the Wirral Plan 2021-26, in particular: working for safe and pleasant communities; active and healthy lives; inclusive economy and working for a sustainable environment.

 The effective delivery of the council’s CRSTS CATP programme contributes to the strategic objectives of the Liverpool City Region Road Safety Strategy

Resolved – That

(1)  the proposed City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement Combined Authority Transport Plan programme for 2023/24 as set out in Appendix A to this report be approved.

(2)  the indicative City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement Combined Authority Transport Plan programme for 2024/27 as set out in Appendix B to this report be approved.

(3)  The Director of Neighbourhood Services be authorised to:
(a) accept the grant funding allocated to Wirral Council by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for the 2023/24 City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement Combined Authority Transport Plan programme and any related grant funding subsequently awarded.
(b) in consultation with the Chair and Spokespersons of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee amend the programme having regard for available resources and risk-based prioritisation of schemes.

(4)  the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to negotiate and finalise any grant funding agreements associated with these recommendations.

This report requests approval for the disbursement of grant funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA) City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2023/24 into Wirral Council’s Capital Programme for Highways Structural Maintenance and Bridge Maintenance. The report also requests approval for the disbursement of the indicative funding for years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 in the same programme. The report also recommends acceptance of an indicative highway condition matrix that will be used to inform future programme investment decisions.

The effective delivery of the council’s CRSTS structural maintenance programme contributes significantly to the Wirral Plan 2021-26, in particular: working for safe and pleasant communities; working for a sustainable environment; active and healthy lives and inclusive economy.

The services carried out under this programme of work will take place across all wards in the borough.

Resolved – That

(1)  the proposed programme of works for Wirral’s Carriageways, Footway Improvements and Bridge Maintenance for 2023/24, using grant funding allocated to Wirral Council by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) in the 2023/24 City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), Combined Authority Transport Plan Programme (Highways Structural Maintenance), as set out in Appendix 2 to this report be approved.

(2)  the indicative RAG-rated highway network condition matrix as set out in Appendix 3 to this report, be approved to be used by the Director of Neighbourhood Services as one of the decision tools when developing highway structural maintenance programmes.

(3)  the Director of Neighbourhood Services be authorised to:
(a) accept the grant funding and any subsequent additional grant allocated to the council in the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Combined Authority Transport Plan programme (Highways Structural Maintenance)
(b) in consultation with the Chair and Party Spokespersons of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee, to revise or amend the delivery or implementation of the work programmes, as deemed necessary, having due regard for the available resources and applicable risk-based prioritisation of locations selected for intervention and treatment.

(4)  the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to negotiate and finalise any grant funding agreements on behalf of the council, amongst the relevant subject areas over the next 4 years, as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.

This report seeks the approval of the Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer to disburse grant in aid (GiA) of £3m from the Environment Agency (EA) towards the West Kirby Flood Alleviation Project and to approve the necessary purchase orders to vary the council’s construction contract with Volkerstevin Ltd up to a maximum value of £17,273,533.  The recommendations require an urgent decision under Section 4 of the Constitution as a matter outside of the council’s budget policy framework, because there is an urgent need to make immediate contractual payments.

Resolved – That

(1)  additional Flood Defence Grant Funding and Local Levy Grant Funding of £4,400,000 provided by the Environment Agency be accepted.

(2)  a variation in the value of the construction contract with VolkerStevin Ltd for the West Kirby Flood Alleviation Scheme from £9,640,000 to £14,282,000 be approved.

(3)  the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to negotiate and finalise the associated grant funding agreements and contract variations.

(4)  Officers be thanked for the considerable amount of work put into the project.

(5)  the report be referred to the Audit & Risk Management Committee so that consideration can be given to reviewing concerns relating to the procurement of the construction contract and the increase in cost of the project.

This report makes recommendations in relation to the following community asset transfer (CAT) matters. Former Libraries at Irby Village and Wallasey Village. It builds upon the CAT reports approved by this committee at its meetings on 16 June 2022, 25 October 2022 and 2 February 2023.

A report on Woodchurch Leisure Centre, the former library at Higher Bebington and Brackenwood Golf Course will be brought to this committee in June 2023

Resolved – That

(1)  the capital allocation to support the transfer of Irby Library be increased from £20,000 to £40,000.

(2)  the Director of Resources be authorised to conclude the transfer of the assets of Wallasey Village Library to the Wallasey Village Library and Community Centre, and Irby Library to the Friends of Irby Library based on the agreed terms reported in the exempt appendices 1 and 2 of this report.

The Director of Regeneration and Place approved the proposed walking and cycling infrastructure upgrades on Price Street as set out in Appendix 1 of the attached report for implementation.

Wirral Council is committed to providing exceptional customer service. This strategy sets out how that will be achieved over the next four years. The Customer Experience Strategy is one of a suite of five strategies that shape our new operating model and deliver on our improvement plan.

This project will support the delivery of all five of the Wirral plan themes.

One of the key underpinning principles of the Wirral Plan is “Relationships -Working with residents, partners, businesses and communities for a better Wirral”. The Customer Experience Strategy will set out how we engage with all our customers to improve those relationships.

This strategy enables the authority to move away from a view that customer service is the responsibility of a single team or department, but instead recognises that it is a cross cutting theme that spans the whole organisation and links intrinsically with Wirral’s wider plans. It enables customer experience to become part of our core vision and values of ‘being customer focussed’ that each and every council officer subscribes to.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Customer Experience Strategy as set out in appendix one of the report be approved.

(2)  the Customer Charter as set out in appendix two of this report be approved.

The Council is proposing to transfer the Wirral Transport Museum to Big Heritage (BH), a locally based non-profit organisation, with a strong background in running museums and visitor attractions across the region. This will be a 25-year lease contracted out of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.

The Museum and tramway track in 2021/22 cost the Council £85,000 to maintain and attract a limited number of visitors per year. The proposal by BH would be to create a compelling visitor attraction, drawing in up to 40,000 visitors per year. The Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society (MTPS), who currently run the Museum on behalf of the Council have expressed their full support of the asset transfer to BH, with their board unanimously agreeing to support the proposal.

This Asset Transfer is in line with the Council’s approved Asset Strategy 2022-27 approved by Policy and Resources Committee on 9 November 2022.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Heads of Terms for an Agreement for Lease, Museum Lease, Tramway Operation Agreement and Option Agreement in relation to the landholding of Wirral Transport Museum, East Side of Taylor Street Birkenhead to Big Heritage CIC substantially in accordance with the Heads of Terms as set out in Appendix 1 of this report be approved.

(2)  the Director of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to:

(a)  Negotiate and finalise the legal document associated with this Heads of Terms

(b)   (b) Seek any necessary regulatory approvals from the Secretary of State in relation to the tramway operation.

Resolved – That the recommendation as detailed in the report be approved.

In light of the risks identified in Paragraph 7.2 of the report and the concerns raised in terms of the consultation and design, accessibility and impacts on other environmental factors to create the Birkenhead Scheme (removing mature trees), the Director of Regeneration and Place be requested to:

1.  Seek an extension of time for delivery on this scheme; and

2.  Consider other design options, taking into consideration the concerns raised with a view to enable a meaningful consultation to take place to include residents and local businesses.

Resolved – That

1.  The current Future High Street Fund Allocation for this project as set out in the exempt Appendix 2 to this report be ring fenced for this purpose.

2.  Policy and Resources Committee be recommended that the Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to:

a.  In consultation with the Director of Law and Governance, progress the appointment of a delivery partner for the Europa Residential Phase 1 project further to the ongoing mini-tendering process via the Homes England Housing Delivery Partner Dynamic Purchasing System; and

b.  Pursue and accept other avenues of funding and proceed to award of contract in the event that a suitably appraised and acceptable bid exceeds the Future High Street Fund allocation for this project.

3.  The Director of Law and Governance be authorised to finalise the legal documentation arising out of the implementation of the above recommendations.

Resolved – That

1.  The current LCRCA Brownfield Land allocation for this project as set out in the exempt appendix 2 be ring fenced for this purpose.

2.  The Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to;

a.  In consultation with the Director of Law and Governance, progress the appointment of a delivery partner for the 92 Grange Road, Birkenhead project further to the ongoing mini-tendering process via the Homes England Housing Delivery Partner Dynamic Purchasing System; and

b.  Offer the selected delivery partner deficit funding to support the delivery of the Council’s objectives regarding this site, should the need for such funding be demonstrated and justified.

3.  The Director of Law and Governance be authorised to finalise the legal documentation arising out of the implementation of the above recommendations.

Resolved – That

1.  Authority be delegated to the Director of Law and Governance (in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Place, and the Director of Finance):

(a)  to negotiate, finalise and sign the Memorandum of Understanding (substantially in accordance with the draft set out in the exempt Appendix 2 to this report) relating to the terms, principles and practices that will apply to the working relationship between the parties regarding the delivery and administration of the Liverpool City Region Freeport.

(b)  To negotiate and complete any associated legal documentation which aligns with the principles set out in the proposed Memorandum of Understanding.

2.  The Business Case for establishing the Wirral Freeport Investment Fund be endorsed.

3.  Policy and Resources Committee be recommended:

(a)   that the Wirral Freeport Investment Fund is established from 1 April 2023 (or as soon as regulations designate the Wirral Waters Tax Site for business rates retention purposes) and is managed and operated according to the arrangements detailed within this report and accompanying Business Case and the principles set out in the draft Retained Business Rates Strategy which forms a component of the Memorandum of Understanding.

(b)  that growth in business rates above the baseline within the Wirral Freeport Tax Site is held to a ring-fenced reserve which would fund:

·  investment in approved projects and the future repayment of capital borrowing for investments made by the Wirral Freeport Investment Fund;

·  the annual costs required to resource the administration and management of the Wirral Freeport Investment Fund from financial year 2023/24;

·  the Council’s pro-rata annual contribution to the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Freeport Management Team costs from financial year 2024/25;

Resolved – That

1.  Policy and Resources Committee be recommended to declare that the former Ministry of Defence, Old Hall Road, Bromborough site is surplus to the Council’s requirements and that authority be given to the Director of Regeneration and Place to secure its disposal on the best terms achievable; and

2.  Delegated authority be given to the Director of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Place, to secure the associated legal documentation that will be required to finalise the disposal of the site.

The Chair opened the meeting and reminded everyone that the meeting was being webcast and a copy is retained on the Council’s website for two years.

This report seeks agreement from the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee to progress proposed commissioning intentions for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Wirral. Wirral Council is legally obliged to provide, or make arrangements for the provision of, open access Sexual and Reproductive Health Services. Current commissioning arrangements expire at the end of the financial year 2023/24. Good sexual and reproductive health is an important component of overall health and wellbeing, and a pillar of wider work to reduce health inequalities in Wirra

Resolved – That

1. the Director of Public Health be authorised to commence the re-commissioning of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for an initial period of five years (1st April 2024 – 31st March 2029) with the option of two one-year extensions. The expenditure for the services will be no more than £20,300,000 (£2,900,000 per annum) over the seven-year term.

2. the Director of Public Health be delegated to formalise the agreement with the successful party/ies following the commissioning process

This report updates the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee on the progress in the delivery of three grant allocations from central Government to tackle drug-related harms as part of the National Drug Strategy (2021).

These are:

- The ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery) Programme

- Inpatient Detox funding

- The Individual Placement Support (IPS) programme (an employment support programme).

The report briefs the committee on the continuation of the Inpatient Detox, and IPS programmes and confirmed funding allocations for 2023/24, and the replacement of the ADDER grant with the Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery grant (SSMTR) for 2023/24 and 2024/25. In addition, under the National Drugs Strategy local areas have been mandated to establish Combatting Drugs Partnerships to oversee and co-ordinate local delivery of the national strategy.

The report updates the committee on the successful establishment of the Wirral Combatting Drugs Partnership and provides an update on the work underway to produce a drug strategy for Wirral, which will shape future work to reduce drug-related harms

Resolved – That

1. the Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery (SSMTR) grant funding of £2,267,750 for 2023/24 from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) be accepted and the proposed delivery plan for this funding be approved.

2. the proposed utilisation of the 2023/24 Inpatient Detoxification (IPD) grant of £111,364 be approved.

3. the continuation of the Individual Placement Support Grant of £145,800 in 2023/24 and £151,632 in 2024/25 be approved.

4. the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to finalise the legal documentation arising from the acceptance of the grant funding referred to in recommendations 1 to 3.

The Council has a current Adult Social Care charging and financial assessment policy which came into effect on 1 April 2015. It covers charging information for both residential care and non-residential care. This report sets out the result of an officer review of the provisions of the current policy. Following the review, it has been proposed that Adult Social Care should operation with two key charging policies.

The current policy has been split in two and strengthened to include more information which allows for a clear and transparent approach to charging, the two key policies drafted are:

Residential Charging Policy – Appendix 1

Community Services Charging Policy (previously referred to as Non-Residential) – Appendix 2

The adoption by the Council of a revision to current policy is recommended. Both charging policies will be subject to public consultation, therefore this is an in-principal decision, pending feedback from the consultation process (please see recommendations below). The new policies do not fundamentally change existing policy, they do however provide significantly more detail to enable people to make decisions regarding charging. Examples are provided to help the policy to be more understandable by people that contribute towards their social care costs. The new policy will not directly impact current charging arrangements.

Resolved – That

1.  the draft charging policies, as set out in Appendix 1 and 2 of the report  be approved and the Director of Care and Health be authorised  to undertake public consultation on both policies.

2. the Director of Care and Health be authorised, in consultation with the Chair and Spokespersons to finalise both policies following receipt of any feedback from the public consultation.

Following the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee on 29 November 2022, a draft Quality and Suspension Policy has been prepared for Commissioning, Contracts and Quality Monitoring of Providers for agreement by Committee. The Policy identifies how Wirral Council will ensure its compliance with its duty under the Care Act 2014 to commission care services of a good quality.

In that, those services which do not have a good quality rating from either the Care Quality Commission (CQC) or from the Councils Independent Quality Assessment - Provider Assessment and Market Management Solutions (PAMMS), will be suspended and have restrictions on new referrals for placements from Wirral Council, until such time that they have a good quality rating or show an improving direction towards a good rating.

As there are often capacity issues in the market, especially in the right place to meet carer needs, Providers that Require Improvement (RI) Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated services may need to be commissioned to allow for people to receive the type of care that they require. However, this will be ordered on a case-by-case basis, and with close contractual and social care monitoring of the new placement.

In addition, the Policy identifies that Wirral Council will publish the details of any provider that is suspended to new placements. This is seen as an important factor in providing quality information to people and their families before making a decision regarding placing their relative in a home.

Resolved – That the principles set out in the Draft Quality and Suspension Policy (Appendix 1) covering Commissioning, Contracting and Quality Monitoring of Providers be agreed, the suspension of those Providers/Services without a good quality rating be supported, and the Director of Care and Health be authorised to agree the final version of the Policy.

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the Wirral Adult Carers Strategy. A report was previously submitted to the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee in July 2022, at which approval was granted to co-produce a new Wirral Adult Carers Strategy and establish a Carers Partnership Board, which will oversee the development of the Carers Strategy.

Resolved – That the final Wirral Adult Carers Strategy 2023-2026 be approved, recognising there will be continuous development with stakeholders, to be overseen by the Carers Partnership Board.

The Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee received a report on 11 January 2023 regarding social care services currently delivered by Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHCFT). This report presented Members with an update regarding arrangements required after the Council had made an offer of a short-term extension to the arrangements and included subsequent correspondence from WCHCFT.

Following full consideration at the Committee meeting on 11 January 2023, Members resolved: “That in response to the Trust (WCHCFT) position regarding transfer of social care, the Committee would expect that we secure a safe, effective, and timely transfer that puts staff at the centre of the process. The proposed date of 1 April is likely to be challenging. Committee would therefore propose a formal project plan is negotiated and agreed between the Local Authority and the Trust setting out the timeline required to both meet these objectives and mitigate against risk to both organisations and ensure seamless care for people who use the services and request the Director of Care and Health to provide an update report to the March 2023 Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee.”

This report presents an update with the plans for the service transfer

Resolved (9:2) – That

1. the planned arrangements for the service transfer and the project plans as detailed within the report and its appendices be endorsed.

2.  the Director of Care and Health be authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the transfer.

Resolved – That the rates as set out in sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 of this report be approved and applied, with effect from 1 April 2023, to services commissioned by Wirral Council and jointly commissioned services between Wirral Council and NHS Cheshire and Mersey Integrated Care Board (Wirral Place), in relation to Residential and Nursing Care, Supported Living, Extra Care, Care and Support at Home, Direct Payments and Shared Lives.