Wirral’s new broom looks to get house in order
An independent review has been commissioned into the council’s regeneration programme, as recently elected leader Paula Basnett seeks to address issues including delays and ballooning costs on Birkenhead’s town centre improvements, along with the proposed relocation of its market.
Wirral Council confirmed on Thursday that the regeneration review is being led by management consultancy Aughton Lane. As set out in a decision notice published by the council, the twin outcomes are that the council should “know what good looks like” and have a greater understanding of performance on the projects reviewed.
The review will assess a number of major regeneration schemes across Wirral dating back to 2022. The work is expected to take eight weeks, with the firm committing at least two days a week to it.
The review will look at the council’s governance, capacity and capability, as well as engagement and public trust. The contract will have a total cost of up to £95,000 as Cllr Paula Basnett, who took over as Leader in May, looks to gain a better understanding of any issues around the programme and to guide any changes to the future approach.
Cllr Basnett said: “This review is independent of the council and intended to make sure we are delivering the best regeneration programme we can.
“Wirral Council has a duty to ensure that the substantial public funds entrusted to us—amounting to many millions of pounds in government grants—are invested wisely and deliver real, lasting benefits for our residents. I intend to deliver on that duty.
“This Independent Review is a vital step in determining that this programme is not only ambitious but achievable. It will ultimately provide the public with confidence in our plans and help us make any necessary refinements to ensure we deliver on our promises.”
Birkenhead town centre
Of particular pressing concern – and due to be discussed at the policy & resources committee next week – is the Birkenhead town centre highway and public realm works programme, which is running a year behind schedule and has seen costs climb from around £12m at the outset to a possible £24m by completion.
July’s meeting of Wirral’s economy, regeneration and housing (ERH) committee on Thursday saw members spell out their anger over the project’s delivery.
Cllr Pat Cleary described the situation as “unacceptable,” adding that “We were classed as a pathfinder local authority a few years ago – I’m broken-hearted at what the people of Birkenhead are going through with this. What is going on in the town centre?”
The Birkenhead Town Centre project covers a range of interventions around Grange Street (set for new paving and street furniture), Charing Cross (mainly junction improvements) and Conway Street, with the latter inked in for new cycle lanes and walking routes.
Cllr Andrew Hodson added that “now is the time for a hard look at why these projects have failed” while Cllr Jo Bird used the word “appalling”, saying: “I couldn’t walk through the town centre yesterday. Businesses are really suffering.”
Wirral had issued an upbeat update in May about the upcoming lifting of some travel restrictions, talking of “light at the end of the tunnel”.
The project is backed by a combination of Future High Street Fund money and cash from the Liverpool City Region’s active travel fund. Graham is engaged as contractor.
Birkenhead Market
One of the issues that arose at the ERH meeting was continued disquiet over the proposed relocation of Birkenhead Market to the former Argos unit at Princess Pavements.
In March last year, the £13.7m move to the Grange Shopping Centre unit was presented as “the only viable option” by director of regeneration Marcus Shaw, in a report explaining that a previously mooted plan to use the old House of Fraser space was too expensive, at £30m+ – the budget for the project is around £14m, using up a Future High Streets Fund allocation.
Wirral acquired the Grange centre in 2023, with a report in December of that year stating that the current market building is “ageing and operating inefficiently”. Part of the report for July’s ERH meeting described the market’s status in the 2025/26 financial year as a £264,000 “adverse position”.
This March, Seddon was appointed to deliver the Corstorphine & Wright-designed project, which is to see 13 retail spaces and 10 food trader spots along with an events space, in a 33,000 sq ft proposal.
According to the report for last week’s meeting, the project is now at an advanced stage of design development, namely RIBA Stage 4, with a revised schedule now provided by the contractor.
Seddon won a four-way battle to be selected for the new market. Credit: via Wirral Council
The new Leader wasted no time to register feelings on the market issue, raising a point early in proceedings that she wants to see a workshop set up relating to all matters, ahead of the summer break, remarking that “time is of the essence”.
Although the item had not been scheduled to be discussed in full until late in the meeting, during the work programme segment, various councillors weighed in, commenting on the unhappiness the market traders’ association had reported with the council’s attitude towards it until the recent change of regime.
Cllr Hodson noted that the issue was one where the public was losing confidence in the local authority.
Time is indeed of the essence, with officers reporting that the “drop-dead” date for commissioning the Argos re-fit project comes on 14 September.
What was thus suggested is that the project should be reviewed with utmost importance, and be discussed at the policy & resources committee four days ahead of that – give the ERH committee is not due to meet until 15 September.
Cllr Cleary was among those suggesting the matter be tackled with urgency, stating “if we have to meet in August than we should meet – 15 September is a long time away.”
Having driven projects such as the market move forward, Shaw was made interim director of regeneration in August last year, and then appointed to the post on a permanent basis in March – the fifth person to lead the department in two years.
Earlier this month, it was reported that councillors have been told Shaw will be “absent from work until further notice”.
Great idea- lets save money and get best value for the local taxpayer by splashing £95k on management consultants as opposed to getting a Cost Consultant/Quantity Surveyor in to review the cost over-runs and future costs to complete….
By Liz T
Who are Wirral Council’s cost consultants?
100% increase on Grahams contract and a 12 moth delay without penalties on what should be a pretty fixed sum.
95k equating to 6k per day for a report!
And worse of all £425 a sqft to refurb a large commercial unit into a Market/Food hall for 23 traders! Or £595k per trader unit! Someone is taking the proverbial.
By Birkonian
Losing confidence in the council! Ha ha we’d done that a long time ago
By Crafty888
The town has been ruined by incompetance the historical ferry has beendone away with cycle lanes unused by cycliststhe market mismanaged so badly its unfit for purpose.We need a council to put all these things rightand put Birkenhead back on track as a town to be proud of and its history celebrated.
By Maggie
As a disabled person the town centre around the Pyramid Centre has been a nightmare since way before Christmas 24 when I go there is NEVER any continuing building going on there’s never anybody working it’s a nightmare for pedestrians or disabled and shop owners to ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
By Cora Price
This couldn’t come at a better time – something has been needed desperate for the last two and a half years
By Damo
The outcome of the review is the Council should know what good looks like and the performance of projects. I’d suggest it doesn’t need an independent review and management consultants to opine as its plain to see. Rome wasn’t built in a day although that might have been Birkenhead. It needs to get it things right as its suffered too long with underinvestment and poor civic pride.
By Rockin' the Ferry
“The town has been ruined by incompetance the historical ferry has beendone away with cycle lanes unused by cycliststhe market mismanaged so badly its unfit for purpose.”
What are you even talking about. The cycle lanes are not unused they are underused because they do not connect into a safe continuous network. Complaining about that is like moaning that nobody uses a bridge that stops halfway across the river.
You want Birkenhead to be a place to be proud of. That means giving people a reason to live here move around easily and not be chained to a car they cannot afford or a bus that never shows up.
If you make it easy to drive people will drive to places like Bromborough and Cheshire Oaks. If you want them to shop in Birkenhead you need to make it possible to live without a car in the first place.
That means people on bikes not cars stuck in traffic. It means housing in the town centre not empty plots. It means a market that actually works not one designed for an era that no longer exists.
If you want the town to thrive stop fighting the future and start asking why we have to beg for the basics while the same old voices shout everything down.
By Active traveller
A great deal of politics at play here, Neil – lots of positioning so that when Britain’s most dysfunctional local authority comes crashing down, they can say ‘it wasn’t me, it was that bloke over there!’ As for the inconvenience of the improvement works, has anyone ever managed to make an omelette without first breaking the eggs? I’ll wait.
By Birket Boy
Taking to long and over budget
By Anonymous