Frequently Asked Questions

Wirral is changing, and so are the needs of the people who live and work here. Residents are relying on services in different ways than they did even a few years ago - from support for families and older people, to community safety, housing, health and wellbeing. As those needs evolve, it’s important that the way the Council works evolves too.

At the same time, like councils everywhere, we are operating within a tighter financial settlement and face a £50m gap over the next three years. That is part of the picture - but it is not the whole story.

We want to make sure our future Council Plan is shaped by real experiences, local priorities and what people tell us makes the biggest difference in their everyday lives. Listening now will help us design services that work better for residents, focus on what matters most, and stay sustainable in the long term.

Understanding people’s lived experiences is the essential first step in shaping that future.

No. This is not a formal consultation – it is not about proposals or options. It’s an open conversation to understand what matters most to people across the borough. What we hear will help shape the refreshed Council Plan and guide future decision making, but we’re not asking people to comment on specific proposals.

We are asking broad, open questions about residents’ lives, priorities and experiences. Things like: 

• “What’s working well where you live?” 
• “What would make the biggest difference in your community?” 
• “What should the Council focus on in the coming years?”

These are short, informal conversations - usually just a minute or two.

We want these conversations to be fair, open and genuinely representative. If we published a set schedule, we might unintentionally encourage lobbying or organised attendance, which could skew the feedback. Instead, we’re visiting all parts of the borough at different times, meeting people where they naturally are.

No. We only capture themes, not personal data.

Everything we gather — from every ward — will feed directly into the refreshed Council Plan and guide the Council’s transformation programmes. Your insights will help determine what we prioritise, how we design services, and how we work with communities in the future. This information will also help us understand what matters most to residents, where services need to evolve, and where we can work differently to improve outcomes.

Yes. We will publish a summary of what we heard across the borough.

Yes. We’re speaking with both residents and staff. Staff insight is equally important - they understand first-hand how services work, where challenges lie, and what improvements could make the biggest difference.

No. This is a neutral, non-political engagement exercise. It is not campaigning, and it does not promote any political viewpoint. This is about Wirral Council being sustainable in the future. All messaging is cross organisation, consistent and focused solely on understanding residents’ priorities.

The listening activity will run over several weeks, with conversations taking place across all parts of the borough. The insights will then be analysed and used to shape the refreshed Council Plan, which will be published later in the year.