Latest news with #WirralCouncil
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- General
- North Wales Live
Mountain centre's closure another 'devastating' blow to outdoors sector in North Wales
The shock closure of another mountain centre in Gwynedd is the latest hammer blow to the region's outdoor education sector. Blue Peris, in the shadow of the giant Dinorwig quarry, near Llanberis, is to close by October. Bedford Borough Council has decided to end its lease at the site to cut costs. Blue Peris Mountain Centre has provided outdoor skills for generations of Bedfordshire youngsters for 50 years. Its supporters slammed the decision as 'absolutely devastating', some calling it a 'disgrace'. The 60-bed centre is also a national training centre for Mountain Leaders. Online, people lined up to condemn the move and the wider decline of outdoor education in North Wales. One man said the facilities push youngsters 'out of their comfort zone to discover who they are'. 'We still need adventurous young people and minds to lead the next generation,' he said. 'Great Britain was made what it is today through the Shackleton spirt.' Another man recalled how urban children from England had their eyes opened when visiting Eryri National Park. After witnessing a group of school pupils climbing a mountain, he said: 'I was emotionally moved, when several pupils didn't know what the animals on the mountain were - they were sheep!' During the Covid pandemic, five of Wales' 44 outdoor education centres closed due to lockdown pressures. Recent years have brought a swathe of sell-offs as cash-strapped councils look for savings. Earlier this month, Wirral Council collected £300,000 for the Oaklands Outdoor Education Centre between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed, Conwy. In March, Kent County Council received £370,000 for Kent Mountain Centre, a landmark Grade II-listed property next to Llyn Padarn, Llanberis. At the start of this year, after seven decades providing trips for young people from Merseyside, the Colomendy outdoor education site, near Mold, Flintshire, was closed with immediate effect. Liverpool City Council has said it is looking for a new operator. Even the Scouts are not immune from rising cost pressures. In August 2024, its 38-bed Old School Lodge hostel in Deiniolen was closed. Having catered for Scouts from Wallasey and West Wirral, the Gwynedd site went on the market this year for £525,000. Blue Peris has offered rock climbing, kayaking and other activities to school children since its inception in 1975. It was founded by the late Colin Furneaux, former Bursar of Bedford Modern School. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, running costs were expected to rise by £50,000 to £185,000 next year, excluding costs for repairs. Unless the decision is challenged by borough councillors, notice to close will be served to landowner Harpur Trust on August 1. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Wirral leader says 'nothing swept under carpet' in regeneration probe
"Nothing will be hidden" from investigators probing a council's troubled regeneration programmes, its leader has said. Paula Basnett, who became leader of Wirral Council in May, announced an internal investigation of the Birkenhead town centre project early into her regeneration works in the town are behind schedule and over budget, with the council expected to borrow £8m to cover a rise in costs to £24m. Ms Basnett, who is a councillor for Rock Ferry, said the council needed to get a grip on the situation. "I do think that we have to understand why it's been delayed and why there was an overspend. Our residents are entitled and should be made aware," Basnett said."I walk up Grange Road and I see the work taking place. I see the impact it's having on our businesses. I see the impact it's having on our residents."They want to be able to enjoy shopping and browsing around the shops." The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the works, taking place across the entire town centre, were £2.8m over budget the day a contract was were so concerned that on 21 July they decided not to approve any further funding until investigations had said on her election as leader that improving neighbourhoods, sorting out the council's finances, and getting regeneration back on track were her three main priorities."I won't be brushing anything under the carpet," she said."[The investigation] will be open and transparent. We will be holding officers to account."Our residents are entitled to hear what has been going on and I fully appreciate that once we do have those findings, it will be out in the public domain."The findings are expected later this year. Basnett said she hoped the outcome of a wider review would set out realistic timelines and costs, allowing councillors to prioritise projects. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Woodside Ferry Terminal set to reopen in autumn after delay
The reopening of a ferry terminal in Wirral has been pushed back to autumn due to site at Woodside had been due to open this summer but a representative of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: "Unfortunately, delays in manufacturing off site has resulted in this being pushed back until autumn 2025."They said the authority was "working closely with the contractor to minimise these delays by increasing resources".The upgraded terminal would be ready to welcome the new £26m Mersey Ferry, due to be launched by the summer of 2026, they added. The terminal closed in 2022 before work started on a £8.6m scheme to transform the Council is also investing millions of pounds on changes to the waterfront around Woodside and nearby Hamilton Square, along with plans for a new U-Boat museum, the Local Democracy Reporting Service include new cycle lanes and walking the longer term, a masterplan includes the building of 1,700 homes, two new hotels, major leisure facilities and an outside event space looking out onto the River Mersey. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Wirral regeneration chief 'off work' after inquiry launch
A council chief is "absent from work until further notice" as an urgent inquiry into a town centre regeneration scheme of regeneration Marcus Shaw is in charge of Wirral Council's major plans to revive parts of the borough like Birkenhead and to build thousands of of Mr Shaw's absence was shared with councillors on the same day that council leader Paula Basnett said further investigation was required into Birkenhead's generation scheme. Wirral Council and Marcus Shaw have been approached for comment. Basnett announced the urgent investigation into the scheme last week, the Local Democracy Reporting Service scope of the inquiry has not been revealed, but deputy council leader Julie McManus previously suggested it would look into what was happening with council projects, why there were delays, and any further costs as a the latest update, Basnett said: "Following an initial review into the Birkenhead Town Centre project, it has been determined that this matter needs to be further investigated and, as a precautionary move, we have taken steps to make changes in this area while the review takes place." 'Fresh start' She said the authority's regeneration programme continued to move forward on key projects. She added: "When I became leader of Wirral Council I promised a fresh start, drawing a line under what had gone before and moving forward with pace and purpose."She said she was clear she would take the necessary action to make sure the considerable sums of public money the authority had been entrusted with were spent announced a review of regeneration projects when elected leader, saying this would "establish where we need to focus to make sure we get a grip".Currently, hoardings are up across Grange Road, Charing Cross, Conway Street, and Europa Boulevard in director Jason Gooding, who is acting chief executive while Paul Satoor is currently away from his role, said he "will share further information when I am able to".Mr Gooding said he would be covering the role alongside legal director Jill Travers and finance director Matthew Shaw joined the council as assistant director of asset management and investment in March 2023. He became the interim director of regeneration following the sudden departure of Marc Cole in 2024 before being appointed on a permanent basis in regeneration director was the fifth to be appointed since long-term figure Alan Evans left the role in 2022. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Wirral Council's debt increases by £233m in six months
Wirral Council's net debt has increased by £233m in six months, with the expectation more borrowing is on the figure was revealed during a meeting about the authority's treasury management strategy.A summary published by the local authority showed that between September 2024 to March 2025 there was a £25m increase in spending on Public Finance Initiatives (PFI), £73m in borrowings, and a drop of £8.2m in £152.5m of the £233m was due to changes to PFI liabilities, and accounting rules which mean rent costs must be listed on the council's balance sheet both as an asset being leased and the future lease payments. PFIs was a government policy launched in 1992 where a private firm was contracted to deliver a public project while the costs were then paid back over several years. Wirral Council said the PFIs had to be reassessed to take inflation into account. 'Long-term stability' Changes to debt borrowing have been blamed on accountancy rule changes, capital projects such as regeneration, and temporary loans taken from other councils, the Local Democracy Reporting Service report said: "The council's chief objective when borrowing has been to strike an appropriately low risk balance between securing low interest costs and achieving cost certainty."The council's borrowing strategy continues to address the key issue of affordability without compromising the longer-term stability of the debt portfolio."It said external borrowing may have to increase in the future and the decrease in investments was because the council was having to use that funding for service needs.A Policy and Resources committee meeting will further discuss the council's finances on 26 June . Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
