The Wirral Coastal Strategy identified that ongoing erosion at the base of Wallasey Embankment required intervention in the short term. If erosion continues the embankment, which protects large areas of Meols, Moreton and Leasowe from flooding from the sea, would be weakened with an increased risk of failure. An Outline Business Case to reinforce the toe of the embankment has been approved and grant aid secured. A procurement exercise has also been completed to allow for construction of the reinforcement works with a programme that complies with Planning Consent conditions and Marine Licence conditions.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Environment Agency’s Grant in Aid Award of £1,358,000 be accepted.

(2)  a contract be awarded to Jones Bros Ruthin (Civil Engineering) Co Ltd with a value of £721,277.52 for the delivery of the Wallasey Embankment Toe Reinforcement Scheme.

This report provides Committee with a proposed Facility Investment Strategy for Leisure Services that reflects the importance placed on the provision of quality, community-based facilities providing sport and physical activities that contribute towards positive health and social outcomes for Wirral residents as identified in the Wirral Plan.

The Strategy will provide the Council with the opportunity to develop new and refurbished community facilities, designed with and for the needs of the local community and in most cases housed with co-located services, in order to deliver broader outcomes that are fundamental to the successful delivery of the outcomes of the Wirral Plan and to ensure the longer-term financial sustainability of the Council. Having been jointly commissioned with Sport England, and produced by leading Leisure Consultants, Knight Kavanagh Page (KKP), the Facility Investment Strategy sets out the plan to deliver a combination of new and refurbished leisure facilities and community hubs for Wirral Council. It builds on the Council’s strategic direction of travel as set out in the following strategic documents;

· Creating an Active Wirral 2026 (Appendix 1)

· Sport England Strategic Outcome Planning Diagnostic Report (Appendix 2)

· Wirral Council Playing Pitch and Open Space Strategy (Appendix 7)

· Environment and Climate Emergency Policy

· Medium Term Financial Strategy Along with the evidence base developed as part of the Indoor and Built Sports Facilities Strategy (Appendix 6).

The strategy is also presented in the context of the Council’s need to achieve financial stability as highlighted through the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities external assurance review published in November 2021. The strategy seeks to provide a long-term investment approach that modernises and rationalises the Council estate, taking away the need for subsidy and leading to revenue savings and better outcomes for residents. The Facilities Investment Strategy contains an accurate, detailed summary showing the current state of leisure facilities, includes proposals in respect of the component parts and shape of all future leisure facilities in the Borough, provides fully validated recommendations and proposals which explicitly detail where future leisure facilities within the Authority should be located (considering and agreeing the preferred option for all existing/new sites), the rationale for them individually and collectively, their scale, scope, relationship to the communities served, to each other and to other sport, leisure, cultural and community facilities.

Also contained within the Investment Strategy is high-level cost forecasting detailing the estimated revenue cost/surplus generating potential, and capital cost (including lifecycle costs) of all future leisure facilities in the Borough – in the form of cost summaries and projections - detailing what to invest in, where, why and in what order.

The Strategy is aligned to the priorities of the Wirral Plan 2026:

· Active and healthy lives

· Safe and pleasant communities

· Sustainable environment

· Brighter futures

· Inclusive economy

The Investment Strategy also builds on the wider regeneration aspirations of the Council as set out in the Birkenhead 2040 Framework and the new Local Plan 2021-2037 Submission Draft. Specifically, the strategy builds on and will inform the emerging regeneration masterplan proposals at Seacombe River Corridor, Central Birkenhead, Wirral Waters and West Kirby Town Centre.

This report is a key decision as it affects Wards within the Borough

Resolved – that

(1) the Leisure Facilities Investment Strategy be deferred to a future meeting of the Committee and that a workshop be arranged by the Director of Neighbourhood Services to enable Members of the Committee to consider the proposals further.

(2) the Director of Neighbourhood Services and Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to develop proposals within the context of regeneration master plans currently under preparation. Business cases are to be presented at a future meeting of this committee.

This report provides Committee with the outcomes of public consultation exercises undertaken in relation to the development of new models of service delivery, in respect of Leisure and Library Services.

The consultation outcomes will contribute to the five thematic priorities within the Wirral Plan 2021-26 that focus on improving outcomes for whole population groups.

On 28 February 2022, Budget Council agreed a balanced budget for the 2022/23 financial year. The budget was predicated on assumptions that there would be cessation of services within the Neighbourhoods Directorate to generate savings and allow for the balanced budget to be achievable. Public consultations on affected service changes and closures prior to the final decision by the Committee on what decisions to then take in the expenditure of their budget provision in exercise of their functions, were also agreed as follows:

· The Closure of the Fun (Leisure) Pool at Europa Pools and the development of a fitness facility

· The Closure of Woodchurch Leisure Centre

· The Closure (for a 12-month period) of Wirral Tennis & Sports Centre for redevelopment

· The closure of Brackenwood (18 Hole), Hoylake (18 hole), Wallasey Beach and Kings Parade (pitch n putt) golf courses

The public consultation exercise was opened on the Councils Have Your Say platform between 31st January 2022, and 27th March 2022. A separate consultation exercise was undertaken on the Council’s proposals for a new operating model for Library Services, including a number of library closures.

This consultation ran for 8 weeks from 21 February to 18 April 2022. This decision affects all wards. This matter is key decision as the saving is greater than £500,000 and the service changes involved are significant in terms of their effect upon communities living and working within the borough.

Resolved - that

(1)  the outcomes of all public consultation exercises for Leisure & Library Services as contained in the “Have Your Say” consultation reports at Appendix 1-4 (Leisure) and Appendix 8 (Libraries) be considered.

(2)  the implementation of Option 3, as amended and agreed by Council be approved as the new core operating model for Wirral’s Library Service with a detailed implementation plan to be presented back to a future meeting of this Committee in September 2022

(3)  the permanent closure of the leisure pool at Europa Pools, with alternative provision and pool-based activities for children and young people within the main competition pool (and other sites where permissible) be approved.

(4)  the retention of the alternative fitness offer within the space previously occupied by the leisure pool at Europa Pools be approved.

(5)  the permanent closure of Woodchurch Leisure Centre be approved.

(6)  the permanent closure of Brackenwood and Hoylake Golf courses, and the closure of Kings Parade and Wallasey Beach pitch n putt golf courses be approved.

(7) the reinstatement of the tennis offer, and development of community offer at the Wirral Tennis & Sports Centre (WTSC) subject to the implementation of a new model for tennis at the site, established through a partnership agreement with the Lawn Tennis Association as contained in Appendix 5, and with the development proposal submitted by Alliance Leisure in Appendix 6 that will continue to achieve the agreed budget savings for 2022/23 be approved.

This report seeks a decision in relation to the surplus assets that Members put into the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process as part of the 2022/23 Budget. This report needs to be considered in the context of the Facilities Investment Plan and the consultation outcome reports which appear elsewhere on this Committee agenda.

This report also advises of unsolicited enquiries / expressions of interest, which were received during the CAT process for assets not currently in-scope and recommends a way of dealing with these matters for members decision.

The Wirral Plan 2021-2026 sets out the Council’s vision to secure the best possible future for our residents, defined by the community prosperity we create and supported by our excellent people and services.

This proposal directly supports the following key themes within that plan

- Safe, vibrant communities where people want to live and raise their families

- A prosperous inclusive economy where local people can get good jobs and achieve their aspirations.

This matter has the potential to affect all wards.

This is a Key Decision

Resolved – That,

(1)  the Expression of Interest for the libraries at Hoylake, Irby, Pensby, Prenton, Wallasey Village, Higher Bebington and Woodchurch (as set out in paragraph 3.7 of this report) be taken forward to the business planning stage (Stage 2) of the Community Asset Transfer process.

(2)  For Bromborough and New Ferry Libraries, the approaches set out in this report at paragraph 3.9 be progressed.

(3)  The Expressions of Interest from the Woodchurch Wellbeing and Wellness Centre and Helen Diamond Swim and Leisure Limited, for Woodchurch Leisure Centre, be taken forward to the business planning stage (stage 2) of the CAT process for the reasons set out in paragraph 3.10

(4)  The Expressions of interest from Special Ventures Partnership and Love Golf MCR for Brackenwood Golf Course be taken forward to the business planning stage (stage 2)

(5)  The Expression of interest from The Royal Liverpool Golf Club and Royal and Ancient for Hoylake Municipal Golf Course be taken forward to stage 2 of the Community Asset Transfer process.

(6)  the assets listed in Appendix 1 of this report be referred to the appropriate Policy and Service Committee for a decision

(7)  The Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee recommends that the Economy Regeneration and Housing Committee requests that officers consider re-opening the Community Asset Transfer process in relation to Bromborough Civic Centre and consider expressions of interest in relation to the overall building before considering any other options. 

As detailed in the report.

The Director of Regeneration and Place has agreed to make a Direct Award via the NHS Framework in respect of the services required to develop to tender stage the specification for the fit-out works (known as Cat B) for Office A1 Birkenhead Town Centre, as detailed in the report.

Wirral Council has received three funding allocations from national Government to reduce the impact of substance misuse within the borough, these are: Wirral ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery) Accelerator programme; Inpatient detox funding and the Individual Placement Support (IPS) programme.

This report provides the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee with an update on progress in delivery of these three grant funded programmes.

 In addition, the report updates the Committee on the extension of the duration of funding to be received in order to achieve national drug strategy objectives. With funding to be received towards this aim now extended until the end of the 2024/25 financial year.

The report provides an overview of the Wirral ADDER programme plan for 2022/23 (including underspend) and requests the committee approve the planned use of funding.

The expenditure of this funding and the delivery of these programmes of work will have an impact on all of the Wirral Council Wards, but it will have a stronger impact on those areas of Wirral that present the most significant social and health inequalities. Although this funding doesn’t directly save Council expenditure, the outcomes achieved from this work will produce financial savings and social value benefits due to the positive impact on individual Wirral residents, and the communities they live in (in terms of improved health and lifestyles, and reduced crime, family disruption, and domestic abuse).

Resolved - That

(1)  the progress in mobilising and delivering the three national grant funding programmes (Wirral ADDER accelerator programme, inpatient detox funding and individual placement support funding be endorsed.

(2)  the proposal to utilise the predicted extension of the provision of additional funding to deliver the national drug strategy until the end of the 2024/25 financial year be approved.

(3)  the proposed utilisation of the ADDER programme grant for the 22/23 period (£1.4m) and proposed utilisation of the underspend carried forward from 2021/22 funded by Home Office and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), formerly Public Health England be approved.

(4)  the payment of £106K of in-patient detox grant for 2021-22 to CGL/Wirral Ways to Recovery, as part of a contract variation, to re-imburse the additional expenditure on detox placements they have made this year to this amount be approved. This is additional to their budgeted capacity and has been accrued as part of delivering the Inpatient Detox Grant Programme.

(5)  the continuation of the Individual Placement Support Grant (£135,000) for 2022-23 be approved.

This report provides Committee with the outcomes of a public consultation exercise undertaken as part of the 2022/23 budget setting process, to reduce the revenue expenditure for Public Toilets.

On 28 February 2022, Budget Council agreed a balanced budget for the 2022/23 financial year. This included proposals for the reduction of the number of Public Toilets which would generate savings and allow for the balanced budget to be achieved. As part of Budget Council’s recommendations an amount of £50,000 would be taken from the Public Toilet Budget which would result in the re-alignment of the facilities. The Council currently provides 9 locations for Public Conveniences throughout the Borough and this proposal recommends:

·  The retention of: West Kirby Marine Lake, Parade Gardens Hoylake, Harrison Drive (Kings Parade) New Brighton and Moreton Common

·  The closure of: Moreton Cross, West Kirby Concourse (external), Meols Parade (Bennetts Lane), New Ferry and Thornton Hough.

The public consultation exercise was opened on the Councils Have Your Say platform between 16th February and 14th April 2022.

Resolved – That

(1)  the outcomes of the online public consultation through the “Have your say” consultation report at Appendix 1 be noted.

(2)  the closure of the public toilets at Moreton Cross, West Kirby Concourse (external), Meols Parade (Bennetts Lane) New Ferry and Thornton Hough be authorised.

(3)  the Public Toilets identified for closure Moreton Cross, West Kirby Concourse (external), Meols Parade (Bennetts Lane), New Ferry and Thornton Hough be declared surplus to requirement and the Director of Regeneration and Place be authorised to consider other options for the sites including marketing them for sale and subsequent disposal, demolition and clearance or any expressions of interest from the communities.

This project will be a major catalyst to the Wirral Waters programme and will support economic, employment and visitor objectives in relation to the Liverpool City Region. The centrepiece will be a new 15,000 stadium for Tranmere Rovers Football Club alongside other leisure related activities. The total project cost is estimated at approximately £100m.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Sports City Project in principle, as outlined in paragraphs 3.7 to 3.8 of the report be supported.

(2)  delegated authority be given to the Director of Regeneration and Place to:

(a) accept a grant of £100,000 from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as referred to in paragraph 4.1 of the report; and

(b) award a contract for a feasibility study into the Sports City Project, within the approved budget and to the highest scoring tenderer and in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender criteria.

As detailed in the report.

Resolved – That the recommendations as detailed in the report be agreed.

The purpose of the report is to notify Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee of the commissioning activity for Quarter 2 of financial year 2022/2023.

Procurement activity to commence in August 2022 for care and support, for the two new Extra Care Housing Development schemes at Green Heys in Liscard and Spinnaker House in Rock Ferry. Both schemes to go live in financial year 2023/2024 (dates to be confirmed).

Resolved - That 

(1)  the commencement of the tender process for the procurement of care and support at home services for the two new Extra Care Housing Development schemes at Green Heys in Liscard and Spinnaker House in Rock Ferry with an agreed contract length of 5 years from the start date of the respective schemes be authorised.

(2)  the Director of Care and Health be authorised to award the contract to the highest scoring tender within the approved budget following the tender process.

This report describes the plans for an All Age Disability service review and transformation. It will also describe how the programme will contribute towards budget savings, with a £1M efficiency target required for 2023/24.

Greater alignment of services and more creative responses to people’s needs and aspirations is likely to lead to a reduction in future demand and in cost pressures relating to more expensive and intensive forms of care.

Resolved -That

(1)  the commencement of an All Age Disability review be approved.

(2)  the approach to the review be approved and a further update report be brought to the September Committee, detailing progress made and the recommendations following the review Committee and a final report be brought to November Committee.

As detailed in the report.

Resolved – That the recommendations as detailed in the report be agreed.