People from all walks of Wirral life invited to share their views
People across Wirral are being invited to share their views on what brings communities together and what could help make the borough an even more welcoming, connected and inclusive place to live.
People from all backgrounds are being encouraged to share their experiences of living, working, studying or volunteering in Wirral as part of a community listening exercise commissioned by Wirral Council's Community Safety Service.
The listening exercise forms part of the council's three-year Community Cohesion Programme, which aims to strengthen relationships between communities, increase people's sense of belonging and help address issues that can contribute to tensions and division.
The programme is backed by funding of nearly £372,000 which the council has received from the Home Office, which can be used to support community cohesion and integration activity, and will run from April 2026 to March 2029. It is being delivered by Wirral Council's Community Safety and Housing services in partnership with the Wirral Multi-Agency Hate Crime Strategy Group.
Strengthening community cohesion is key to building trust between residents, improving understanding across different groups and creating resilient communities that are better equipped to respond to local challenges and external influences.
The programme will use a community listening approach to establish a baseline understanding of social cohesion across the borough and identify areas where additional support is needed.
Protection Approaches, a UK charity specialising in community cohesion and resilience, is carrying out the engagement on behalf of Wirral Council. Through conversations, interviews and an online questionnaire, the charity is seeking views on what people value about their communities, where they feel a sense of belonging and connection, the challenges they experience and what could help bring people and communities closer together.
The findings will help Wirral Council better understand people's experiences and priorities and inform the future delivery of the Community Cohesion Programme, including investment in community-led initiatives, education programmes to combat misinformation, work to tackle hate crime and targeted place-based activity across the borough.
We want everybody who lives, works or studies in Wirral to feel valued and recognised as an important part of our wider community. This exercise will help us better understand people's experiences and identify what more can be done to ensure everyone feels welcome and able to thrive in our borough.
It is important that this work reaches a diverse range of organisations, individuals and communities so that we can build a comprehensive picture of life across Wirral. We must be prepared to listen to what people tell us, respond honestly to the challenges they raise and recognise the valuable contribution that residents, businesses, community groups and volunteers make to the borough every day.
We want to hear from people from all backgrounds and every part of Wirral about what they value about their communities, what brings people together and what could be better.
By sharing your experiences and ideas, you can help inform work to build stronger, more connected communities across Wirral and ensure that a wide range of voices are reflected in future priorities.
An online questionnaire is now live and is open to anyone who lives, works, studies or volunteers in Wirral. Responses will be anonymous and will be considered alongside feedback gathered through conversations and interviews taking place across the borough.
The findings and recommendations will be shared with Wirral Council and used to help inform the priorities and delivery of the Community Cohesion Programme over the coming years.
To complete the questionnaire, visit 1. Introduction - Wirral - Community Insights Questionnaire. The deadline for responses is 11.59pm on October 11 2026.
The Community Cohesion Programme is funded through Home Office funding, with £371,856 allocated to this programme between April 2026 and March 2029.
The programme includes:
- Grant funding for community organisations to increase capacity and develop new initiatives.
- An education programme aimed at tackling misinformation, including misinformation encountered online and in the home.
- A pilot rehabilitative intervention programme for repeat or high-harm hate crime perpetrators.
- Proactive and responsive multi-agency, place-based activity, including targeted engagement events, joint operations and work with communities experiencing significant change or growth.
