On 4 July 2023 the government announced the launch of the Simplification Pathfinders Pilot. The Department of Levelling up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) now known as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) invited a small number of local authorities across England to pilot a simplified approach to funding. Wirral Council was one of 10 local authorities invited to participate.
A timeline of approvals for this approach is detailed below:
Committee minutes meetings and reports
- 13 September 2023 - Policy and Resources Committee agreed to approve this approach and enter the Simplification Pathfinder Pilot Programme
- 4 October 2023 - Policy and Resources Committee authorised the Director of Regeneration and Place to submit the Investment Plan
- 27 October 2023 - Director of Regeneration and Place approved the investment plan to be submitted to DLUHC (now MHCLG)
The Simplification Pathfinder Pilot aims to give councils increased decision-making ability, ensuring more flexibility when it comes to effectively responding to changing economic conditions. The pilot brings together three different steams of funding which are:
- Levelling up Funding (LUF)
- Future High Street Funding (FHSF)
- Town Deal Funding
All funds must be spent by March 2026 with outputs continuing to be monitored until March 2031.
What will be delivered?
Wirral Council’s investment plan submitted on 27 October 2023 details our plan to spend the allocated funding to deliver the outcomes and outputs listed in the pathfinder investment framework. The five key intervention themes monitored are:
- enhancing sub-regional and regional connectivity
- unlocking and enabling industrial and commercial development
- strengthening the visitor and local service economy
- improving the quality of life of residents
- employment and education
Simplification Pathfinder Pilot Board
The Simplification Pathfinder Pilot Board is responsible for providing strategic oversight of the funding allocated to Wirral Council. This board replaces previous governance of individual funding streams such as the Town Deal, which has now been dissolved.
Membership:
| Organisation | Board Member |
|---|---|
| WBC Chair | Cllr Tony Jones |
| WBC Birkenhead and Tranmere | Cllr Pat Cleary |
| WBC Bidston and St James | Cllr Brian Kenny |
| WBC Seacombe | Cllr Kaitlin Stuart |
| WBC Liscard | Cllr James Laing |
| WBC Bromborough | Cllr Ruth Molyneux |
| Wirral Chamber of Commerce | Neil Coles |
| Eureka! Science + Discovery | Andy Grimshaw |
| Heap & Partners | David Millar |
| Make CIC | Liam Kelly |
| Wirral CVS | Gareth Prytherch |
| MP Birkenhead | Alison McGovern |
| MP Wallasey | Angela Eagle |
| MP Ellesmere Port & Bromborough | Justin Madders |
| DWP/Birkenhead Job Centre Plus | Nicki O'Connor |
| Wirral Metropolitan College | Andrew Ellams |
| Merseyside Police | CI Matthew Moscrop |
| Liverpool City Combined Authority | Ian Lewis |
| Ex-officio Lib Dems | Cllr Phil Gilchrist |
| Ex-officio Conservatives | Cllr Andrew Hodson |