Wirral council meeting tonight: Pensby and Thingwall councillor seeks strengthening of commitment to protect green belt land

A budget crisis, the threat of fracking and protecting green spaces are all on the agenda for a crucial Wirral Council meeting tonight.

The council faces a potential budget crisis this winter as its projected deficit is expected to grow to £49m.

This is because of big rises in the cost of social care, staff pay, borrowing costs, and childrens' services as well as a reduced income from sports centres and car parks, according to top finance officials at the council.

Council leader Janette Williamson has put forward a vote that the council request a bailout from the UK government to cover any shortfall in the council budget. Labour have also asked to request a similar bailout for Merseyside's fire service.

Cllr Williamson said she has not provided a figure yet as the situation is "moving fast" and she wants to wait and see what funding Wirral Council will receive in December for next year. She previously said she expected it to be in the millions.

A Wirral Council spokesperson said it is planning for a "worst-case scenario."

They said: "Our services are now under a greater level of pressure than we've ever experienced before."

"Wirral is not alone in having to review our priorities and core purpose as a Council, but to balance the budget and control our costs, which we are legally required to do – means we will have to make some difficult decisions."

Wirral Council could also commit itself to a target to insulate 7,000 homes by 2035 and develop a plan by the end of the year.

The target could affect some areas of Wirral more with one in four homes in Bidston needing insulation fitted compared to one in 12 in Heswall.

A big issue for the Conservatives is the Leverhulme planning applications to build more than 1,000 homes in central and southern Wirral. 

The vote, proposed by Pensby and Thingwall councillor Mike Collins and Conservative leader Tom Anderson, would reaffirm a commitment to protecting green belt in Wirral.

The motion said that Leverhulme Estate had "so far refused invitations from local councillors to attend any public meetings organised to discuss these applications."

The proposed homes would be situated in many Conservative seats on the west side of the peninsula and could become a big election issue for the Conservatives next year.

The vote may cause some friction after two Liberal Democrat councillors proposed a linked amendment calling the Conservative UK government a "threat" to the green belt and accused it of "breaking another manifesto pledge" on green belt house building.

Councillors will also be voting on a proposal by Liz Grey to call on the UK Government to ban fracking in the UK on the reasoning that Wirral is one of the areas that could be affected.

Some Wirral Conservatives have argued that Wirral is not under threat of fracking arguing "there's nothing like enough gas under us for anyone to think they'd like to get it out."

The full council meeting will begin at 6pm at Wallasey Town Hall this evening.