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Author: Martin Driver

Extra coronavirus testing capacity for Sefton

6 November 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News, Sefton Council

Extra Mobile Coronavirus Testing Units are being deployed in Sefton. These are for people who are showing coronavirus symptoms of a high temperature, a new persistent cough or a loss of taste or smell.

Mobile Test Units will be on site at Esplanade Coach Park in Southport and in Litherland Sports Park every day for the next two weeks. And on Saturdays 7th and 14th and Sundays 8th and 15th November a Unit will also be at Maghull Town Hall.

In addition, the Council has secured a Mobile Unit site in Ainsdale and there will be a Unit at Aintree from Thursday 12th to Friday 20th November, apart from on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th.

Sefton also has four walk-through Local Testing Centres, at Bootle Town Hall, Crosby Library, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall. They are open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.

People who develop coronavirus symptoms need to book a test straight away by making an appointment at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.

Also, Sefton residents who work or study in Liverpool can now access a coronavirus test even if they don’t have symptoms.  As a result of the support Sefton Council is providing, local residents who qualify under Liverpool’s new mass testing system, because they work or study in the city, can get tests closer to home. Their results will be available in 24 to 48 hours.

Book one of these COVID-19 tests.

Mobile Testing Units, which are supported by Sefton Council, NHS Southport and Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG, have visited locations across the Borough on most days since July.

Mobile Testing Unit sates already planned for November.

Just a week to go for Sefton nominations to City Region Culture & Creativity awards

6 November 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Borough Of Culture, Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council

There is now just one week left for Sefton’s artists arts organisations and other community groups to get their nominations in for the 2020 Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards.

Friday 13th November is the closing date for nominations to the Awards, which will celebrate Liverpool City Region’s thriving culture and creativity, even in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to be announced in February 2021, the 2020 Awards will recognise arts and cultural events, and innovation and creative activity, which has taken place within the Liverpool City Region between 1st April 2019 and 12th November 2020.

Nominations can be completed online. 

When the Awards were announced, Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council and Culture, Tourism and The Visitor Economy Portfolio holder for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “Our Borough has a wealth of individuals and organisations involved in the arts and is a hotbed of creativity. We want to see that reflected in the entry for these prestigious City Region Culture and Creativity Awards.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on every aspect of our lives including the arts and our own Borough of Culture 2020 celebrations have been affected but I have seen huge levels of creativity despite the restrictions and these Awards with the special categories will celebrate that innovation.”

Cllr Trish Hardy Sefton Council’s main Borough of Culture sponsor said: “When the COVID-19 restrictions hit, individuals and organisations behind the planned Borough of Culture 2020 reacted swiftly. They adapted their projects and made them digital so that people could enjoy them and take part in the activities online, through home-based activities or even by post.

“The 2020 Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards and particularly the Borough of Culture ‘Star of the Year’ category, are an ideal way to recognise this adaptability and determination to deliver projects that have helped lift local people’s spirits and provided fun things for people of all ages to do.”

Finalists will be announced on Monday 5th January 2021 and the Liverpool City Region community will be able to vote for their chosen winner for the People’s Choice Award. The Awards ceremony, which will be a digital event with presenters still to be announced, will take place on Friday 19th February 2021.

Nominations can include:

  • Performing Arts (including: Theatre, Dance, Music, Poetry, Opera)
  • Visual Arts (including design and public art)
  • Digital and VR
  • Photography
  • Film and broadcast media
  • Literature (including comedy and comics)
  • Museums, Galleries and Heritage
  • Sculpture
  • Craft
  • Technology

Send your nominations here.

 

Trip The Light Fantastic In Southport

6 November 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Southport Town Deal

A spectacular light, sound and water show could soon be built on Southport’s Marine Lake.

The ‘Light Fantastic’ lake animation will be unique in the UK, creating a new visitor attraction that will be visible from the proposed new ‘Marine Lake Events Centre’ and surrounding developments (announced earlier this week), and from Lord Street, the heart of the Town Centre.

Artist impression of Light Fantastic Southport

The concept has been developed by the Southport Town Deal board, as part of the Southport Masterplan, working with LCI Productions, an industry-renowned design-led production and installation company.

Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “The Marine Lake was built in the Victorian era, and yet remains an incredibly under-used asset. The Light Fantastic will provide a walkway into the lake as part of an incredible water, light and sound show which won’t just complement the Events Centre, but will also prove to be an attraction in its own right to further elevate and distinguish the Southport brand.

“Sefton Council and our partners on the Town Deal Board want to see Southport transformed in to a thriving, vibrant visitor destination.  We want to give people a reason to visit and stay for longer.  We believe that attractions such as this, our new events space, and Southport Cove Go Surf, will create a genuinely unique visitor experience and will only serve to strengthen our visitor economy.

“We’re putting Southport back on the map!”

 The attraction is expected to draw more than 180,000 visitors per year to see the spectacular show, bringing around £3.9m to the local economy every year.

 

More information about the Southport Town Deal is available here.

Still time to have a say and improve Southport Golf Links

5 November 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News

Golfers and members of the public still have two weeks to offer their views on ways to improve the course and facilities at Southport Golf Links.

Sefton Council’s Green Sefton team launched the public consultation last month, and are hoping to hear from even more people over the next fortnight.

While people can’t now play golf due to national restrictions in place from today, they can still use this time to rate the current facilities at Southport. Green Sefton want them to share their ideas for ways to develop and enhance not only the tees and greens, but other facilities such as the changing rooms and cafĂ©.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “We want to hear people’s opinions on both the existing course and facilities at Southport Golf Links, so that we can establish the priorities for improvements that they would like to see.

“I know people will be frustrated they can’t get out to play at the moment, but I hope they will use a bit of this down-time to have their say and suggest the improvements they would like to see.

“As well as the view of those for whom golf is already a lifelong passion, we’d like those who might be thinking about taking up the sport for the very first time to let us know what would encourage them to get started with the game.

“It’s an anonymous survey so people can feel free to express whatever views they have.”

Cllr Moncur went on to highlight the physical and mental health benefits of golf which, he said, could be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.

The consultation also looks at environmental concerns as part of Sefton Council’s commitment to combating climate change. Questions focus on renewable energy, sustainable irrigation, recycling and reducing the use of plastics and improving existing wildlife habitat on the course.

The Council has not identified any specific funding for any potential future development or investment at Southport Golf Links, but has cemented its commitment to acting on the consultation feedback as it did with last year’s consultation on Bootle Golf course.

Cllr Moncur continued: “The consultation questionnaire isn’t very lengthy and is easy to complete online. People have until Friday 20th November to take the opportunity to have their say.”

To take part in the consultation here.

National Lockdown latest and FAQs

5 November 2020
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News, Sefton Council

From today, Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December, the Government’s new national lockdown restrictions apply.

This means:

  • People must stay at home, except for specific purposes.
  • You should not gather with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
  • Certain businesses and venues must close.

The Government has introduced these new measures to achieve the maximum reduction in growth in the number of cases, preventing the NHS from being overwhelmed, while ensuring that schools, colleges and universities stay open and that as many people as possible continue to work.

They apply nationally for four weeks up to Wednesday 2 December.

Read our national lockdown FAQs.

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