UPDATE: Policy and Resources (P&R) Committee, November 6 2024
Wirral Council’s P&R Committee met at Wallasey Town Hall on November 6.
The full agenda for this committee meeting is available on the council website. The meeting is also webcast and can be viewed in full online from the beginning here.
The committee began with apologies, declarations of interest, minutes of the previous meeting of the committee and the opportunity for public questions and petitions.
Council leader Cllr Paul Stuart spoke in response to a public question about consultation, including whether there would be an accessible easy read version of this, after being asked about the substantial council budget gap and any consultation which takes place on its implications.
Cllr Stuart said:
It is anticipated that due to the scale of the financial challenges that we face that it will be necessary to consult on savings proposals that will result in a reduction to services. However, the final options for consultation will not be determined in advance of the local government finance settlement which his expected mid-December. The council is committed, however, to ensure that an easy read format will be available in the event of consultation and commission work is underway to prepare for this.
View Cllr Stuart’s response here.
Other items on the agenda included:
Wallasey and Birkenhead Town Hall – Next Steps.
Councillors on the committee were asked to agree to the continued occupation of Wallasey Town Hall for licensing services and for civic and democratic functions, and other appropriate Council and partner services on a case-by-case basis.
In addition they were asked to support the relocation of Registrars to Wallasey Town Hall including the opportunity to generate potential savings including suspending day to day activity in the Building. Work will be undertaken to consider options for a Birkenhead offer for the Registrar Service.
The councillors were also asked to note that a further report will be brought back to this committee to consider the future of Birkenhead Town Hall.
Finally members of the committee were asked to note the required capital works (£12m) associated with the condition of the building and the revenue costs (£1.2m) for Wallasey Town Hall. This will be subject to more detailed assessment for future capital bids.
The webcast for this item starts here.
Pay Policy 2025 – 2026.
Full report can be read here and the appendix - Pay Policy Statement 2025-2026 - here.
This report outlined how the council determines salaries of all employees as well as the detail and level of the salary package of its most senior staff, and identifies the Head of Paid Service as having responsibility for ensuring the provisions set out in this statement are applied consistently throughout the Council and recommending any amendments to Full Council.
The webcast for this item can be seen here.
Gender Pay Gap Report 2024
Full report is available here and the appendix - Gender Pay Gap Report 2024, here.
The webcast for this item starts here.
Annual Workforce Monitoring report 2023/24
Read this report here, and find the appendix 1 - Workforce Equality report 2023/24 – here.
The webcast for this item starts here.
Edsential CIC Director Appointment – full report here
Additional documents:
Appendix 2 – Peter Brown Biography
Appendix 3 - Letter of recommendation from Edsential
The webcast for this item starts here.
BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
2024/25 Budget Monitoring for Quarter Two (The period to 30 September 2024)
The full report can be read here and the webcast for this item starts here.
Introduced by the council’s director of finance Matthew Bennett, this report outlined the council’s current financial position. Halfway through the financial year the council is facing a major budget gap currently estimated at £21.5 million which will require significant action to address. The report outlines some of the work being done in response to this. Mr Bennett emphasised that substantial challenges from significantly increased demands for social care across both adults and children’s services account for a majority of the financial pressure being faced. He said Wirral Council is not alone among local authorities facing these steep rising costs. Mr Bennett also agreed with the importance of communicating with residents about the financial difficulties facing the authority and the implications of this as it becomes known – see webcast.
Capital Monitoring Quarter Two 2024/25
Full report here and watch the webcast from here.
This report provided an update on the progress of the Capital Programme 2024/25 at the end of September 2024.
Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024/25
Full report, and webcast.
Pre-Budget Report
You can read the full Pre-Budget Report here, and view the webcast of this item being considered by the committee from here.
This report provides an update on the current progress and developments in budget setting activity for 2025/26 and beyond. The Council faces a severe budget challenge to identify savings required to set a balance budget for next financial year, largely due to increased demand and costs for social care services. The report warns that unless significant deliverable cost reductions are identified and approved, the Council will not meet its statutory obligation to set a legal and balanced budget without a significant increase in funding.
Dock Branch Line – Acquisition
Full report is here and the webcast for this item can be watched from here.
This report sought agreement to move ahead with the purchase of the Dock Branch line from Network Rail. The Dock Branch Project aims to transform the former rail corridor, mothballed in 1993, into a vibrant public space connecting key areas of Birkenhead by providing a safe and accessible link for cyclists and pedestrians from Hind Street to Wirral Waters, and unlock adjacent development potential in the area.
The report divided the purchase into two phases:
The south section will allow the Hind Street development to move forward. Funding of approximately £51 million for remediation and infrastructure for the first phase of this development has been approved in principle from LCRCA and Homes England. The first phase will deliver 633 new homes.
Acquisition of the northern section will enable the linear park plans to move ahead. A bid of £14.9 million has been submitted to Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and a decision on this funding is expected in November 2024.
