Resolved: that,

Approve the adoption of the revised Local Development Scheme as set out at Appendix 1 of this report.

The report provides a summary of the developed Shared Lives Option paper which was approved for progression at the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee on 23rd September 2021. The report of 23rd September 2021 provided members with a summary of the outcome of the review of the current Shared Lives Model on Wirral the report included an officer recommendation for future service delivery detailing benefits, costs, and efficiencies. Members requested a further detailed developed paper on the recommended option. This report includes a detailed breakdown of the developed option and provides an update on establishing a Shared Lives framework.

Resolved – That

(1) approval for the development of an in-house Shared Lives Model to be delivered during financial year 2022/2023 be authorised;

(2) delegated authority be given to the Director of Health and Care to:

(A) Establish a procurement framework of Shared Lives providers to complement the inhouse Shared Lives service, and

(B) Extend the current Shared Lives contract for 12 months to enable the new service developments to be put in place.

Resolved: that,

1)  A Deed of Variation be entered into by the Council to accept £2.89 million of funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to deliver 6.65 kilometres of walking and cycling infrastructure upgrades and 5.15 hectares of habitat improvements as part of Phase 1 of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan - the Sustainable Urban Development Green Sustainable Travel Corridors Programme;

2) Amendments be made to the individual phase programmes, if required, in consultation with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Chairs and Spokespersons of the Economy, Regeneration and Development and the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committees, having due regard to any issues that may arise during design or consultation stages of projects; and

3) The necessary procurement process to appoint external contractors to undertake the necessary highway works associated with Phase 1 of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan - the Sustainable Urban Development Green Sustainable Travel Corridors Programme to be carried out.

Resolved: that

(1) the tenderer set out within the exempt Appendix 3 to this report be appointed as preferred developer, being the highest scoring tenderer following conclusion of the competitive dialogue process (as outlined in the exempt Appendix 3 ) within the approved budget and in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender criteria;

(2) The Director of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Place be delegated authority to enter into all associated legal agreements with the preferred developer so as to finalise and complete the development agreement and all other associated legal documentation for sites A, B and C, (as shown in Appendix 1 to this report) with the option to include any other appropriate land/development opportunities that are within the defined wider area, as shown in the attached plan (Appendix 2 to this report); and

(3) The Director of Law and Governance be authorised to draft and agree an appropriate Grant Funding Agreement with the preferred developer, for pass through of the Future High Street Funds grant allocation for New Ferry and a Grant Funding Agreement for additional capital up to £2,590,265.53 on appropriate terms and conditions for the grant.

That the Director of Regeneration and Place has approved that the terms of the lease granted to Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive for land at Woodside Ferry Terminal be amended.

Related issues regarding the proposed Council Tax Base for 2022/23 upon which the annual Council Tax levels will be set.

A. Resolved -

(1)  That the figure of 95,172.39, as the Council Tax Base for 2022/23, be approved. An increase of 973.79 (1%) on last year’s Council Tax Base.

B. RECOMMENDED – To Council,

(2)  The level and award of each local discount for 2022/23 be as follows:

Wirral Women’s & Children’s Aid

To continue to award Wirral Women & Children’s Aid 100% discount. This remains unchanged from 2021/22.

Care Leaver’s Discount

To award Care Leavers the requisite discount to reduce their Council Tax liability to zero until they are 25. This remains unchanged from 2021/22.

Empty Property Discounts

Discount category D = 0% Full charge on properties undergoing renovations.

Discount category C = 0% Full charge on empty properties from date they become unoccupied.

Both remain unchanged from 2021/22, Except for properties requiring adaptations to meet the need of a disabled person as described in Section 3.23

Empty Property Premium =

100% (200% Council Tax) for unfurnished properties empty for more than two years.

200% (300% Council Tax) for unfurnished properties empty more than five years. 

300% (400% Council Tax) for unfurnished properties empty more than ten years.

All remain unchanged from 2021/22, except for properties requiring adaptations to meet the need of a disabled person as described in Section 3.23

Council Tax Discretionary Hardship Relief Scheme

The Council Tax Discretionary Hardship Relief Scheme, approved by Cabinet in October 2013, continues in its current format for 2022/23. The Scheme offers help and assistance in exceptional cases of hardship.

Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (LCTRS)

The current Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme remains to be the most appropriate scheme for Wirral Council and therefore will remain unchanged from 2021/22 apart from the following:

The scheme will be aligned to all the DWP’s upratings and changes for Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.

Resolved: That

1. the Sport and Physical Activity Strategy (2021-2026) / Creating an Active Wirral be approved.

2. the Director of Neighbourhoods be requested to develop the next stage of a delivery plan to be reported back to a future meeting of this committee.