Wirral to pilot doorstep devolution in ‘power to the people’ move

Jul 10 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

A GOVERNMENT pilot scheme to bring “devolution to the doorstep” will see support being offered to 21 Wirral community centres.

The aim is to give people more power over locally held assets such as disused council buildings – if they can show they can do a better job of utilising them.

It coincides with a “strategic asset review” being prepared by Wirral Council examining its use of properties across the borough.

The proposal is to develop support for 21 existing community centres in Wirral to enable their management committees to run them better.

It will help them “gain the skills to develop a sustainable economic focus and identify how they wish to govern their organisation”.

The Government says it wants to see people able to make use of the facilities to deal with “local needs gaps”.

Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears, also warned councils not to “sit on their assets” and encouraged them to publish an assets list for residents to shop from if they spot an underused building they want to take over.

Supporting these measures, a new “asset transfer unit” offering advice for local people and local authorities was unveiled in the Government’s White Paper.

One of the first tasks of the new unit will be to extend the pilots across the country to boost the number of asset transfers.

Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears said: “Residents are happ-ier with their local area when they are given more say and more control over local decisions.

“I want everyone to have the confidence and enthusiasm to make a difference in their com-munity – and if they see a disused building in their area, to make a case for the community to take it over and put it to better use.”

A report to Wirral’s cabinet outlining the council’s plans to review its use of buildings said improved use of the council’s land and assets is a priority.

Chester has also been chosen to host one of 18 Government pilot schemes, with the creation of a new asset management company to manage community properties and houses, as well as the possible transfer of Blacon Community Arts Centre and Blacon Advent- ure Playground to the community.

There are plans to turn Lache Community Centre into Lache Community Wellbeing Centre, complete with community rooms, cyber centre and doctor’s surgery.

liammurphy