Wirral Council says it is making progress with its plans to provide better facilities for young people in Moreton, as part of wider proposals to develop the site next to the library at Pasture Road.

Despite the limitations imposed by the Covid-19 lockdown, the council has been able to use a variety of virtual and social media channels to invite young people in Moreton to have their say on the proposed re-provision of youth facilities.

The idea behind these developments is to provide space for young people through a possible remodelling of the current library, including a potential new build extension of the library which will offer a flexible space for all users. Funding for the project will be provided by the Wirral Growth Company which is a joint venture between Wirral Council and Muse Developments.

“It is vital we gather the views of our young people on how they would like youth facilities to be provided and this will inform further consultation which will take place with the wider community,” said Cabinet Member for Children & Young People Councillor Tom Usher.

“Thanks to funding from the Wirral Growth Company, we have an ideal opportunity to create a great space for young people which meets their collective needs and is a sustainable resource for the future.

"With their input, it means we can make sure we get this right so the development is fully-used from the outset.”

Using its existing connections and knowledge of the local community, the council’s youth service led the consultation and was able to effectively engage young people to have their say on the possible options in the plan.

The feedback from the young people will be collated by the council and, as part of this process, library employees and other users will be consulted depending on the plan that is progressed and its impact on the library layout.

It will also be used to help inform the wider consultation on the extensive plans for the Pasture Road site which is due to be taken forward by the Wirral Growth Company, later in the year.

Cllr. Usher added: “Building on this first round of feedback, we are hopeful young people will be encouraged to continue to input their views on the changes being made in their local community.

"There is a significant amount of regeneration works planned across Wirral and we recognise how important it is to give young people a voice on what these changes will mean to them.”