As part of Sefton Council’s licensing duties, it is seeking the views of residents across the Borough on how it implements gambling laws at businesses such as betting shops.
A public consultation will run from Monday 8th February to Monday 5th April. The Councilâs Licensing Unit will be seeking the views of local businesses with gambling licenses, as well as key partners including police and Public Health colleagues and members of the community.
Under the Gambling Act 2005, the Council is the Licensing Authority for processing certain gambling applications. This means that a Statement of Licensing Policy must be in place, and reviewed every three years, to show specifically how the Council understands the law.
As the policy is up for review, people interested in submitting their views are encouraged to take part in the consultation. All comments will be collated, and as a result, changes will be suggested to the draft policy.
Cllr John Kelly, Chair of Sefton Councilâs Licensing and Regulatory Committee, said: âSefton, like all local authorities, has a duty to periodically review its licensing policies. This is an opportunity for not just the owners of gambling businesses to submit their views, but for anyone across Sefton to find out more about how we process gambling licenses and how they feel our policy could be amended.
âPlease take the time to read about the proposed policy and tell us what you think about it.â
Alternatively, those wishing to offer their views who do not have access to the online consultation, can contact the Licensing Unit via email licensing@sefton.gov.uk or by calling 0345 140 0845.
The Council will try to meet any other requirements that anyone may have that will allow them to engage in the consultation process.
COVID variant testing extended to two more Southport ward areas
The Mobile Test Unit at the former Kew park-and-ride
Sefton Council has confirmed that the testing area to locate the South African COVID-19 variant is being widened beyond Southportâs Norwood ward.
As a result of a second case of the variant that has not been linked to the firstâ being picked up through the regular PCR procedure, targeted testing is being extended to cover parts of the Cambridge and Dukes ward areas in Southport. The second case has been picked up through the random sequencing of previous positive tests.
Unconnected
Sefton Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher said: âThis not a case of the COVID variant being identified through the dedicated âsurgeâ testing we have started this week. It appears to be an unconnected, historic case that has been picked up through somebody developing coronavirus symptoms and booking a PCR test as they should have done at one of the existing test sites.
âNationally, a percentage of all PCR tests are randomly tested to identify variants of the virus and this is how the second local case was picked up. On being informed of that second case, we were advised to increase the targeted testing area.
âNationally, a percentage of all PCR tests are randomly tested for variants as well as for the presence of the virus and this is how the second local case was picked up. On being informed of that second case, we were advised to increase the targeted testing area.
âSo far I have been pleased to see how positive local residents and businesses in the Norwood area have reacted to the news about the South African variant by willingly participating in this important testing programme. I am confident people in the two new wards identified will work with us to help prevent its spread in the same way.â
Additional Mobile Testing Units will be set up in the new target areas, in which there is a population of around 9,000 residents and approximately 12,000 additional properties, including. And the delivery and collection of home testing kits will be rolled out across the new areas.
Local people will be informed about the testing and when it due to start.
Dedicated measures
Margaret Jones, Sefton Councilâs Director of Public Health said: âOnce the dedicated testing measures are in place, we will be encouraging everyone aged over 16 within it the areas affected to get a test.
âBut, like last week we wonât be asking anyone in Sefton, within the target areas or outside them to do anything else any different.
âWe all need to continue protecting ourselves and others by sticking to the national lockdown regulations and staying home except for essential purposes such as shopping for essential supplies, going to work if we canât do so from home, providing care and going for a coronavirus test if we need one.
âAnd, maintaining at least 2-metresâ distancing, wearing a mask or face covering while out and about and washing our hands frequently are all essential when we do have to go out.â
Testing in the Norwood ward, which started on Wednesday will continue over the weekend.
Extended opening
From Saturday 6th February, the opening hours of the Mobile Test Units set up in Southportâs Norwood ward area extended to 8am to 6.30pm. Located at the former Kew park -and-ride site, the Units were rapidly set up, and opened on Wednesday, as part of national measures to identify and stamp out the South African variant of the COVID-19 virus.
In addition to the Mobile Test Units, a team of up to 50 will be delivering home testing kits to households and businesses in the affected area. Where possible, they will wait while people test themselves. then deliver the swabs to a collection area.
Team members include Council staff, Merseyside Fire and Police officers, and members of Sefton Voluntary Services. All of them will carry clear identification, they will not ask for any money or request anyoneâs financial details. Neither will they enter peopleâs homes.
Testing guidance
To help you take a swab, the NHS has made step-by step guidance videos:
Sefton Council is reminding people living and working across the Borough that whatever kind of coronavirus test they take, if they get a positive result for the COVID-19 virus, they need to self-isolate. The Council has published 10 useful tips for 10 days of isolation on its website at www.sefton.gov.uk/self-isolation.
Subjects covered include financial support available, planning food and shopping deliveries, medical contacts and advice, caring for others and looking after your physical and mental wellbeing. Arrangements for pet care, stopping the spread of the virus at home and pharmacy deliveries are also included.
Over 250 volunteers from all walks of life are being thanked for coming forward to offer their different skills to support with the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Sefton.
Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) are working in partnership on the volunteer programme with NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG and the call for people to sign up has been met with an overwhelming response.
Retired nurse, Barbara Fearns is amongst the volunteers providing support in one of the four dedicated local vaccination centres, which are run by Sefton GP practices working together in groups â known as Primary Care Networks – to immunize their patients in order of priority. Barbara is a marshal, ensuring residents know where they are going when they arrive at the centre to ensure they receive their vaccine in a quick and safe way.
Barbara, who retired in 2012, says: âI am thoroughly enjoying my volunteering role. I feel privileged to be a small cog in a big wheel in rolling out the vaccine. Itâs giving me something to do during lockdown and it is nice to get out and see people.
âI feel quite emotional seeing how grateful people attending are to be vaccinated. In their words-âit’s hopefully a step closer to normalityâ I am so proud of our NHS.â
Volunteers are carrying out a range of vital roles depending on their background and skills from marshalling like Barbara, to signing in patients and other key admin tasks. Along with volunteers from the public, the vaccination programme has been supported by GP practice staff and CCG staff.
Chief officer of the CCGs in Sefton, Fiona Taylor, has also returned to the front line to help out with the COVID-19 vaccinations and is thanking all of our volunteers for supporting them at this busy time.
Fiona said: âWe are so grateful to all volunteers who have helped out at our vaccination centres, from our clinical staff helping to vaccinate patients to GP practice staff, members of the public and CCG staff helping to register patients and ensure that they are kept safe whilst coming in for their vaccine. The support has been phenomenal and it has been great to work with Sefton CVS to organise the volunteer recruitment.
âI have been helping at a site in Bootle myself to vaccinate patients and itâs been an absolute pleasure and very humbling to be able to make my contribution.
âIâm really proud of all the team working so hard to keep our residents safe during this pandemic and grateful to everyone who is helping.â
The COVID-19 vaccination scheme in Sefton has been supported by volunteers from right across the borough who have given up their time to contribute to the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.
GP practices and the CCGs are reminding everyone to be patient and to follow the current restrictions and guidance and play their part in the vaccination rollout by following these steps:
Do not contact your GP practice or the NHS to seek a vaccine, we will contact you
When we do contact you, please attend your booked appointments
Please attend as close to your appointment time as possible to avoid queues and to keep safe
Please continue to follow all the guidance to control the virus and save lives by socially distancing, wearing a mask or face covering and washing your hands regularly
Sefton Council is reminding people who live and work in the Borough that whatever kind of coronavirus test they take, if they get a positive result for the COVID-19 virus, they need to self-isolate.
10-Days of Self Isolation tips
Sefton Councilâs Director of Public Health, Margaret Jones said: âItâs vital that any of us who get a positive test result for COVID-19 start self-isolating straight away.
âWhether itâs a test as part of the search for the South African variant in Southportâs Norwood area, a test you have booked because you have symptoms or a SMART test because youâre a key worker or have caring responsibilities, if itâs positive you need to self-isolate immediately.
âSelf-isolating means not leaving our home for 10 days to help stop us spreading the virus to other people.
Useful tips
âI know that self-isolating can present a real challenge for many of us, which is why we have posted 10 useful tips for 10 days of isolation on our website at www.sefton.gov.uk/self-isolation
âSubjects covered include financial support available, planning food and shopping deliveries, medical contacts and advice, caring for others and looking after your physical and mental wellbeing.
âArrangements for pet care, stopping the spread of the virus at home and pharmacy deliveries are also included in the self-isolation tips.â
Efforts
Efforts to identify cases of the South African variant of the COVID-19 virus in Southportâs Norwood area will continue over the weekend.
Teams will continue to distribute home testing kits to addresses in the targeted area and, where possible, wait to collect them while people take the tests. And the Mobile Testing Units at the former Kew park-and-ride site will be open from 8am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Testing guidance
To help you take a swab, the NHS has made step-by step guidance videos:
National lockdown regulations remain in place so everyone should be staying at home except for essential purposes such as shopping for essential supplies, going to work if we canât do so from home, providing care and going for a coronavirus test if we need one. And if we do go out, we all need to make sure we are maintaining at least 2-metresâ distancing, wearing a mask or face covering while out and about and washing our hands frequently.
A Home Testing Kit being delivered to an address in the Norwood ward area
Efforts to identify cases of the South African variant of the COVID-19 virus in Southportâs Norwood area receive a boost today when 15 Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service officers join the team delivering home testing kits.
After a training session this morning, the fire officers will join the teams distributing home testing kits to residents and businesses within the target area and where possible, waiting for people test themselves and then hand back the sealed packs. The swabs will then be taken to a collection area and sent off to Government laboratories for analysis.
Dedicated
Dwayne Johnson, Sefton Councilâs Chief Executive said: âSeeing the new dedicated testing centre open yesterday and the home testing kits starting to be distributed, within just a few days of us finding out the variant had been identified within the Borough, was great.
âWell done all the Council staff and also a huge thank you to our partners who are providing this invaluable support in rolling out this important initiative.â
Assisting
Station Manager Steve Thomas said: âWe are really happy to be able to help with the testing today- itâs in our nature to help our community however we can, whatever the situation.
âThe Service has been assisting partner organisations in the Local Resilience Forum and the wider community since the very beginning, through delivering prescriptions, helping at food banks and helping at mass testing centres, and this is just the latest way we can help.
âHopefully our assistance today can help stop the spread of the virus and we can look forward to an end to the pandemic.â
Coming days
Over the coming days, Sefton Council plans to speed up the process to make more tests available in the townâs Norwood ward area.
Opening hours for the Mobile Test Unit at the former Kew Park and Ride site, will be extended to 8am to 8pm. This will help make it easier for people in key roles who live and work in the area who have to go out to work to get a test.
Everyone involved in the process will carry clear identification. They will not ask for any money or financial details and they will never enter peopleâs homes. They will also be able to provide advice and information.
Testing guidance
To help you take a swab, the NHS has made step-by step guidance videos:
Despite the recent focus on the South African variant, Sefton Council has been reminding people across the Borough of the need to continue following the national lockdown regulations.
This means staying at home except for essential purposes such as shopping for essential supplies, going to work if we canât do so from home, providing care and going for a coronavirus test if we need one. And if we do go out, we all need to make sure we are maintaining at least 2-metresâ distancing, wearing a mask or face covering while out and about and washing our hands frequently.
Anyone outside of the part of the Norwood ward area being targeted for the variant developing coronavirus symptoms should book a test by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
SMART testing sites, at Southportâs Splash World, Bootle Leisure Centre and Aintree racecourse are open from 8am to 8pm for people with no coronavirus symptoms who are key workers and people with caring commitments during the lockdown. People in these groups should be going regularly for SMART tests, which tell people if they are carrying the COVID-19 virus without knowing in as little as 30 minutes.
Further information, including tips about support during self-isolation, can be found at www.sefton.gov.uk/covid19
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Retired nurse, Barbara Fearns is amongst the volunteers providing support in one of the four dedicated local vaccination centres, which are run by Sefton GP practices working together in groups â known as Primary Care Networks – to immunize their patients in order of priority. Barbara is a marshal, ensuring residents know where they are going when they arrive at the centre to ensure they receive their vaccine in a quick and safe way.
