The Wirral Plan was developed following engagement with Members, staff and partners in 2020/21. As the Council moves to a Whole Council Election scheme in 2023, there is an opportunity to re-set the Wirral Plan as a four-year plan for the full term of the new administration. This work will be conducted during 2022/23 to enable a new 2023/27 plan to be adopted from Summer 2023.

Resolved – That

(1)  the progress made against the Wirral Plan deliverables as set out in Appendix 2 be noted and request that all future progress of deliverables be presented using the framework in the amended delivery plan agreed at Council (Min. 25, Council, 6^th September 2021). This framework is informed by the agreement between the chairs of Economy, Regeneration and Development (now Economy, Regeneration and Housing) Committee and Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee (Min. 27, P&R, 30^th June 2021).

(2)  the refreshed Wirral Plan 2022/23 priorities be endorsed, as set out in Appendix 3, and their approval be recommended for approval by Council in July.

(3)  that officers be requested to work with the Council’s political leadership and committee chairs during 2022/23 to develop a new four year plan for adoption following the elections in May 2023.

The Improvement Plan, included as Appendix 1, has been developed in response to the External Assurance Review commissioned by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The External Assurance Review was undertaken as a condition of the Council’s request for exceptional financial support from the government in 2020/21 and 2021/22. The development of an Improvement Plan and its effective implementation is a condition of the government granting this support for 2021/22.

The Improvement Plan also responds to the report and recommendations arising from the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge in March 2022. The Corporate Peer Challenge report is included as Appendix 2 to this report.

Resolved – That the Improvement Plan be endorsed and recommended to Council for approval.

At its meeting on 4^th March 2021, Economy, Regeneration and Development Committee approved the grant of £1,750,000 of Wirral Waters Investment Fund (WWIF) viability support for Egerton Village. The grant is to enable the development of 14,671 sq ft of commercial floorspace to support key sector development at the Four Bridges area of Wirral Waters. Egerton Village will serve existing and new businesses and communities, students, visitors and residents by providing much needed amenity space including an appropriate food and drink offer as well as providing studio and workspace accommodation.

Given the time that has elapsed since the grant was approved, the owners and developer Peel Land and Property have provided updated information in terms of the named Peel subsidiary Company that will undertake the development.  This will represent a change from the Committee approval and hence the reason for this report.  Peel is still committed to progress the development and the need for the grant remains.

That the recipient of the Wirral Waters Investment Fund (WWIF) Grant be amended and the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to progress the legal Grant Funding agreement between the Council and Peel L&P Investments and Property Ltd (09246810) subject to the provision of a satisfactory parent company guarantee.

The report outlines proposed indicative spend of a further extension to the government’s the Household Support Fund (£3,049,345.09), which is available to support those most in need with the cost of food, energy (heating, cooking, lighting), water bills (including sewerage) and other essentials.

Resolved – That

(1)  the indicative local allocation of the Household Support Fund as outlined below be agreed:

(2)  a progress report on the outcomes achieved be provided to the relevant Committee following conclusion of the series of Grants.

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.