We asked, you said, we did

We asked:

The i-Tree eco study invited Wirral residents to share their thoughts and experiences about trees in their communities.

In the survey, residents were asked about the number of trees in their area, the health of these trees, the type of trees they like to see and where they like to see them. They were also asked what they already do, or would like to do, when it comes to looking after trees in Wirral.

You said:

The questionnaire yielded 304 responses.

• Eighty-five percent of respondents said that they were able to see three or more trees looking out from their home.
• Fifty-eight percent of participants said that they were able to visit their local trees and woodlands as often as they would like.
• Ninety-four percent of respondents said that they did not find it difficult to travel to their local trees and woods. The main barrier to access to trees and woods was a lack of time.
• Over ninety percent of people felt that there were too few trees in Wirral.
• People generally thought that managing trees to reduce their potentially negative impacts (such as subsidence, leaf drop or pollen) was less important than managing them to increase their positive impacts such as creating a nice place to live and contributing to clean air.
• Most respondents indicated that they wanted to get more involved with decision making around local trees and around one in two said that they knew who to contact if a tree in their neighbourhood was causing annoyance.
• Many participants said that they had - or would be willing to - plant trees in their own garden.
• Respondents indicated that they consider trees and woods to be important in many ways.
• Survey respondents felt trees make the most positive contribution in urban woodlands and public parks/recreational areas.
• Many survey respondents said they would like to see more oak trees in their local area or neighbourhood. After oak trees, rowan, cherry, birch, and fruit trees were the species that people would like to see more of in their local area.
• Most survey respondents would like any trees planted in their local area to be mostly native.
• Most survey respondents thought that the trees in their street were healthy.

For more information about the consultation and to view the Wirral iTree Technical Report click here.

We did:

The findings of this consultation will inform tree management going forwards. A review of the Tree, Hedgerow and Woodland Strategy is now taking place and the recommendations from the i-Tree Eco study and this consultation will feed into the revised strategy.

Summary of the Tree, Hedgerow and Woodland strategy:

• In the ten-year span of this strategy over 210,000 trees will be planted, at least 21,000 per year.
• We will adopt the principle of 'the right tree for the right place' to ensure the most resilient tree population possible.
• We will establish a clear picture of Wirral’s tree stock and its benefits.
• We will work constructively with individuals and groups to deliver this vision.

Please click here to review the Tree, Hedgerow and Woodland strategy.

We asked

As part of the budget consultation exercise for the 2023-24 budget, a budget proposal to find savings through reducing the current Sport & Recreation service offer was put forward. This included the option to fully cease providing leisure services, closure of two pools or reduce the number of leisure sites.

You said and we did

Over 70% of the responses either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposals. The option to find savings through reducing the current Sport & Recreation service offer was therefore removed from the final budget proposals set before Budget P&R Committee on 15 February 2023, and taken for final ratification at Budget Council on 27 February 2023.

A Leisure Review was approved as part of the process. This will focus on the transformation of the service over a 5-year period, and include several key themes: energy efficiency measures, service restructures, contracts and commissioning arrangements and sales & marketing.

The budget page is here.

We asked

As part of the budget consultation exercise for the 2023-24 budget, a budget proposal for a budget reduction in Youth Services was put forward. This included the closure of Pilgrim Street Arts Centre, a reduction in play scheme budgets and/or reducing spend on youth centres.

You said and we did

Almost 73% of the responses either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposals. The option to reduce the Youth Services budget was therefore removed from the final budget proposals set before Budget P&R Committee on 15 February 2023, and taken for final ratification at Budget Council on 27 February 2023.

The budget page is here.

We asked

As part of the budget consultation exercise for the 2023-24 budget, a budget proposal for the reduction of the maintenance budget for Parks and Countryside services was put forward. This included a 50% budget reduction (options such as relocating central libraries (meaning stopping non-statutory works at a selection of parks across the parks and countryside services estate) or a 25% reduction (meaning stopping non-statutory works at a smaller selection of parks across the parks and countryside estate).

You said and we did

Almost 75% of the responses either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposals. The options to reduce the maintenance budget for Parks and Countryside services was therefore removed from the final budget proposals set before Budget P&R Committee on 15 February 2023, and taken for final ratification at Budget Council on 27 February 2023.

The budget page is here.

We asked

As part of the budget consultation exercise for the 2023-24 budget, a budget proposal for the reduction of Wirral’s Library Service was put forward. This included options such as relocating central libraries (Wallasey and Birkenhead), reducing the size of the service and/or moving some library sites into other council buildings.

You said and we did

Over 60% of the responses either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposals. The options for reductions to Wirral’s Library Service was therefore removed from the final budget proposals set before Budget P&R Committee on 15 February 2023, and taken for final ratification at Budget Council on 27 February 2023.

The budget page is here.

We asked

As part of the budget consultation exercise for the 2023-24 budget, a budget proposal for Street Cleansing was put forward. Residents were asked their views on reductions in the scale of regular service street cleansing across the borough in residential areas.

You said and we did

61.5% of the responses either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposals. The option to reduce the scale of regular service street cleansing across the borough in residential areas was therefore removed from the final budget proposals set before Budget P&R Committee on 15 February 2023, and taken for final ratification at Budget Council on 27 February 2023.

The budget page is here.

We Asked

Wirral Council is looking to introduce more 20mph speed limits to improve air quality and reduce traffic speeds so that people can feel safer on the road. 15 Zones were consulted upon. We asked for residents' views on the introduction of the scheme, by each zone.

You Said

919 people responded to the survey, 66.4% objected to the introduction of the scheme and 33.6% supported it.

The survey identified some concerns about the introduction of the scheme, which included that:

• It would increase journey times.
• It would increase air pollution.
• It would increase congestion.
• It was not appropriate for main roads.
• It would not make the roads safer.
• It would not be enforceable.

Supporters believed that the scheme would:

• Make the roads safer.
• Change driver attitude for the better
• Become and accepted aspect of road safety, like seatbelts.

We Did

During the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee on 30th January 2023, officers were able to provide detailed responses to resident's concerns, which can be viewed in the documents section of the 20mph Scheme project page.

It was recommended and agreed that 20mph speed limits are introduced in the 15 zones identified, as part of phase 1 of this scheme.

We Asked

The Community Champions programme was launched on 1 September 2020 by Wirral Council to support the need for clear, accurate information, shared by trusted voices, during the pandemic. Since that time more than 600 people have signed up to help keep their communities safe.

The local authority wanted to gain residents views over a series of questions relating to COVID-19 to help them evaluate their response to the pandemic. The survey evaluated the community champions programme and the role they have played distributing key messages to communities throughout the pandemic.

You Said

1. There have been some shifts in attitudes toward covid and covid safe behaviours. People felt less at risk as the research progressed.
2. There were many social and economic changes that could have contributed to people’s changing attitudes.
3. Members of the public might take a defensive stance against government recommendations after being confused about changing rules during the pandemic.
4. Misinformation during the pandemic has likely led to a lack of trust.
5. Risk perception and covid safe behaviours change in different demographics.
6. Information over-load might have made the public disengage from messaging about covid-19.
7. Community champions played a valuable role during covid, but now their role is likely to change
8. Community champions wanted to remain community champions, but with a focus on different behaviours. Some suggestions were mental and physical health, asylum seeker support, and support for families in poverty

For more information about the consultation and to view the consultation report click here.

We Did

The community champions programme is to be relaunched in early 2023 based on the recommendations within the report. Champions will be categorised based on their interests and a training and communications programme developed for each thematic area. The first area of interest to be developed is Cost of Living.

We asked

in order to develop a pollinator strategy, the consultation sought the views of Wirral residents' feedback on the following 5 key areas:

You said

The questionnaire yielded 172 responses, and the mapping tool received 48 pollinator site recommendations. Responses conveyed strong support for the development of a pollinator strategy for Wirral in order to address the decline in pollinators and support the local commitment to tackle the declared climate emergency

For more information about the consultation and to view the consultation report click here.

We did

Following the consultation, a strategy was developed to support pollinators in Wirral. The Wirral Pollinator Strategy sets out five broad aims that the Council and its partners will work together to deliver:

1. Ensure the needs of pollinators are represented in local plans, policy, and guidance for regeneration and economic development.
2. Protect, increase, and enhance the amount of pollinator habitat in Wirral to prevent extinctions and improve the status of any locally threatened species
3. Increase awareness of pollinators and their habitat needs across local residents, community and voluntary groups, businesses, and other landowners
4. Increase the contribution to pollinator conservation of all land under the ownership of, or managed by the Council
5. Improve our knowledge and understanding of pollinators in our local area

The Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport committee on 30th November 2022 reviewed and approved the consultation and strategy.

The strategy in full can be found on the consultation page.

We asked

The consultation sought the views of parents/carers and other stakeholders on options for change in schools. One proposal was an amalgamation of Manor Primary School and Hillside Primary School: the closure of both schools and opening of a new combined school on one site. Pupils from both schools would be guaranteed a place at the single school. The second proposal was amalgamation of St Peter’s Catholic Primary School and St Paul’s Catholic Primary School; the closure of both schools and opening of a new combined school on one site. Pupils from both schools would be guaranteed a place at the single school.

You said

The questionnaire had 421 responses, 104 direct representations were received and a petition specific to Manor Primary school from 238 individuals objecting to the proposal being consulted. There was significant opposition by the local community to the possibility of amalgamation of the schools.

For more information about the consultation and to view the consultation report click here.

We did

Following consultation alternative proposals were put forward and these were supported by Officer Decision Making by the Council. In summary these are:

• For St Peter’s and St Paul’s RC Primary Schools to maintain the schools as is with greater collaboration between schools moving forward land at an opportune time look to either a soft federation (each school retains its governing body but there is a shared leadership structure) or a hard federation (the school has one governing body but operates as two separate schools).
• Hillside Primary School have made an application to the DFE in relation to joining the Co-op Multi Academy Trust (MAT). Senior officers from the local authority have met with the CEO of the Co-op MAT, they have confirmed that given the expected pupil numbers that will attend the school in medium/long term they can support Hillside Primary School in remaining viable. This can be achieved through additional support they are willing to offer the school as part of the trust.
• Manor Primary School have shared an alternative proposal in relation to receiving continued support from the Leading Learners Trust. Senior Officers from the local authority have met with the CEO of the Leading Learners Trust. The school have been receiving support from the trust in relation to school improvement for the last 12 months and have articulated that with continued partnership the school can be supported to remain viable in the future.