Resolved – That the Director of Regeneration & Place has approved the commencement of the procurement exercise to seek a suitably qualified organisation to provide dedicated support to high street stakeholders in Liscard and Birkenhead Town Centres based on the specification set out at paragraph 3.12 – 3.17 of this report and in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender evaluation criteria.

This report requests that the Director of Neighbourhoods agrees to award a Pitch Renovation and Maintenance contract to Duncan Ross Ltd.

The cost of the works will be fully met by the £147,000 funding which was agreed as part of the residential housing development of Acre Lane and formed part of the Section 106 Agreement. This contract includes initial pitch renovation works and subsequent maintenance, for a period of up to 48 months depending on budget and performance and is proposed to commence, subject to contract, on 15th May 2023.

The initial scope was to improve the playing quality of a minimum of 2 full sized football pitches by installing a new drainage system, however after further discussion and in consultation with the Football Foundation it has been agreed that the best use of the available funding would be to carry out a comprehensive pitch renovation scheme. We have further extended the scope of the work to include all of the pitches on the playing field. The site currently houses 3 full sized pitches, 3 9v9 pitches and 1 mini soccer pitch.

The pitches currently suffer heavily from compaction and the works identified will seek to address this through soil structure improvement operations including decompaction and aeration, along with surface grading, topdressing and re-seeding, the purchase and installation of new goals and sockets for 3 senior pitches, and subsequent maintenance operations. These works will create a more open soil structure, encourage better grass root development, improve drainage while also improving drought resistance – enabling a longer playing season at a consistent pitch standard.

The anticipated value of the contract is £132,000. Some initial improvement works to the site boundary having already been undertaken.

The subject of this report supports the delivery of the Wirral Plan key priority of 'Active & Healthy Lives’, by improving playing pitches used by the local community.

This is not a key decision.

Resolved - that the Director of Neighbourhood Services has agreed to award a Pitch Renovation & Maintenance Contract to Duncan Ross Ltd as the lowest priced bidder for a contract for the renovation of Plymyard Football Pitch and as otherwise described in this report.

On 27 April 2023 the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee considered a report relating to a Strategic Acquisition. The report contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

It was considered in the public interest to exclude the press and public as the report and appendices contained ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information)’ during the consideration by Committee of the report and its appendices. Policy and Resources Committee resolved [amongst other matters] to approve:

·  the acquisition of the Pyramids and Grange Shopping Centres from the Mars Pension Fund Trustees [a plan of which is set a in Appendix 1 to this report];

·  that the acquisition be financed by funding via the Public Works Loan Board;

·  that the Director of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Place, be authorised to negotiate and finalise the associated legal documentation for the acquisition of the Pyramids and Grange Shopping Centres;

·  the appointment of Jones Lang LaSalle Property Limited (JLL) to fulfil day to day property and asset management functions for the two centres including asset management, rent collection, service charge administration, proactive and reactive repairs, security electrical testing and litter collection for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of acquisition; and

·  the appointment of Barker Proudlove Ltd and Emanual Oliver Ltd as letting agents for the shopping centre.

The Director of Law and Governance is content to proceed with the purchase within the terms of the authority to given to  them by Policy and Resources Committee.

Terms have been agreed to for the associated appointment of Jones Lang LaSalle Property Limited (JLL) to fulfil day to day property and asset management functions for the two centres and Barker Proudlove Limited and Emanuel Oliver Ltd to carry out letting agency functions.  Such appointment will enable there to be continuity given that JLL were already acting as the property manager for Mars Pension Fund on the property. The appointment of Barker Proudlove Limited and Emanuel Oliver Ltd provides continuity as this is the same arrangement that was entered into by Mars Pension Fund.  The appointment of JLL, Barker Proudlove Ltd and Emmanuel Oliver Ltd, each for a term of 12 months will enable the Council to establish a procurement process to enable firms to bid for such work on or about the anniversary of the purchase of the shopping centres.

Arrangements have been made for the Council’s responsibilities as landlord to be subject to the usual public liability insurance policy.

Resolved – that the Director of Law and Governance has approved:

(1)  the acquisition of the Pyramids and the Grange, Birkenhead from the property owner, Mars Pension Fund Trustees;

(2)  the appointment of Jones Lang LaSalle Property Limited (JLL) to fulfil day to day property management function for the two centres including asset management, rent collection, service charge administration, proactive and reactive repairs and maintenance, security maintenance electrical testing and litter collection for a period of 12 months from the date of acquisition; and 

(3)   the appointment of Barker Proudlove Limited and Emanuel Oliver Ltd as letting agents for the shopping centres for a period of 12 months.