PUBLIC consultation on Wirral council's budget options ends this Friday.

The authority needs to save around £40million next year, but has asked for permission from Government to borrow around £23.5m to help offset Covid-19 costs.

This leaves £16.5m that the Council will have to find to offset its general increased costs in 2021/22.

In December, Wirral's policy and resources committee agreed to consult the public on options for savings and generating extra income being put forward.

Among the possible options are changes to bins collections, car parking charges and maintenance of parks and open spaces amongst many others.

Major reductions in council "back office" functions are also being proposed.

There could also be a five per cent rise in Council Tax.

No decisions have been made yet about which options will be taken forward.

Other proposed options include delay the reopening of Woodchurch Leisure Centre, including the swimming pool, as well as to close four municipal golf courses, including Hoylake and Arrowe Park, along with a number of public toilets, including those in West Kirby at the Marine Lake and the Concourse.

The Williamson Art Gallery and Europa Pools are also at risk.

Woodchurch Leisure Centre is currently operating as a Covid-19 vaccination centre. However, its long-term future is uncertain under these proposals and it is not clear when the pool will reopen to the public.

To have your say on the options, see the online survey at https://haveyoursay.wirral.gov.uk/

Urging our readers to take part in the consultation, West Wirral MP Margaret Greenwood MP said: "I am very concerned by proposals in Wirral Council’s Budget Consultation that could see the reopening of Woodchurch pool delayed, golf courses at Arrowe Park, Hoylake and elsewhere in Wirral closed and the Williamson Art Gallery close its doors for good.

"After a decade of austerity from the Conservative Government, local authority budgets and the capacity of our councils to provide the services that communities need have been greatly reduced.

"This year has been especially difficult for councils who have had to shoulder the burden of escalating costs and significant losses in income as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

"Wirral Council is now having to consider wide-ranging measures to balance the books because the government has run down council budgets over many years and failed to adequately fund local authorities during the pandemic.

"Swimming pools and golf courses are really important amenities and provide people with opportunities to exercise, socialise and keep fit. The Williamson Art Gallery is a much loved institution valued by people right across the borough.

"I am concerned that closing these facilities would deprive people of affordable, inclusive activities at the very time when people are looking forward to when we can come out of restrictions.

"The government must provide councils with the resources that they need to support them both in their efforts to tackle Covid-19 and in the long-term for the recovery of local communities.

“I would urge people to respond to Wirral Council’s Budget Consultation to have their say on these proposals.”

Urging the public to take part in the consultation, council leader Janette Williamson said recently: "If it was just up to me we would not be looking at most of the cuts being put forward in this consultation but the council’s financial situation is to a very great extent out of our hands.

"These options have been put forward by the council committees overseeing all the services involved, with all parties taking part.

"The new committee system has called on all political parties to step up to the plate.

"But while there is no disguising the fact that this year's budget is going to be incredibly difficult I can guarantee to everyone who takes part in this consultation that your opinions matter to us."

Wirral's Liberal Democrat leader Phil Gilchrist said: "As I see it councillors will have to carry on searching for ways of avoiding the most damaging savings.

"The prospect of doing this looks bleak at the moment.

"Councils are doing so much work on the ground to support communities during the epidemic.

"To cap it all the Government have put the ball back in our court, expecting us to increase Council Tax.

"They  also expect Councils to raise extra Council Tax to support adult care. We are between a rock and a hard place".