Decision

The Director of Public
Health has approved the virement of £340,000 from the Public
Health grant to the Regeneration and Economy budget during the
period 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026.

Reasons for the decision

The current contract
for Worklessness Support Service in Wirral, funded by the Public
Health Grant and UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will expire on
31st March 2025.
Approval for a 12-month extension of the current contract delivered
by Involve Northwest is being recommended by the Director of
Regeneration and Place to the Economy, Regeneration & Housing
Committee on 12th March 2025.
The virement of Public Health Grant funding is essential to sustain
the current service, contributing to the UKSPF.
There is available funding from the Public Health Grant following
confirmation of Wirral’s Public Health Grant allocation for
2025/26.

Wirral is an area which has levels of worklessness exceeding
regional and national averages and this service is helping to
address worklessness in Wirral, in line with Wirral’s Health
and Wellbeing Strategy 2022 – 2027 (Priority 1: Create
opportunities to get the best health outcomes from the economy and
regeneration programmes.

This decision enables the delivery of a jointly funded Worklessness
Support Service, delivered by Involve Northwest.

Alternative options considered

Not undertaking a
virement of Public Health Grant funding to Regeneration and Economy
to contribute to funding a local Worklessness Support Service would
have a negative impact on the existing local service, and on Wirral
residents that can access and benefit from this service.