Author: Martin Driver

Over the last eight months, more than 120 Sefton households have provided safe places to live for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion of their country.

Approaching 250 children and adults have come to the Borough through the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, which has been supported by Sefton Council.

Impact

Recognising the impact that the national cost of living crisis will have on those households hosting Ukrainian guests, the Council has now written to tell them they will be receiving monthly top-up payments over the winter.

For the period from December, host households who are participating in the Homes for Ukraine scheme will receive a top up to the ‘thank you’ payments starting from £75 per month. Payments will depend on the number of Ukrainian guests being hosted ranging from £75 for households with one guest to £200 for those with six.

Generosity

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “We appreciate that as a result of their generosity and kindness in hosting Ukrainian refugees, many Sefton Sponsors will be facing significant financial challenges over the forthcoming winter.

“In recognition of these challenges, which will have been worsened by the national cost of living crisis, we are making these top-up payments to help them out.”

Payments will made retrospectively, so hosts will see them in their bank accounts from December to April.

Cllr Hardy added: “Like many councils across the country, we have agreed these monthly payments, to those people across our Borough who are providing people with a safe haven from Vladimir Putin’s unwarranted and illegal war.

“We understand the generosity of those people could be stretched in the face of spiralling fuel bills, rocketing interest rates and soaring prices in the shops, and we wanted to do what we can to help and to prevent Ukrainians facing the prospect of homelessness.”

You can find out more about the Homes for Ukraine scheme in Sefton here.

As overnight temperatures have dropped, Sefton Council’s gritting teams have been in action on a regular basis.

Over the past five days gritting has been carried out on over 2,000 miles of roads in Sefton, as well as footways in key town centres.

Early hours

T work most effectively, grit or salt spreading to help prevent the build-up of ice usually takes place in the late evening or early hours of the morning when most people are at home. However,  treatment can happen at any of day it is needed.

The weather situation is monitored 24 hours a day and once we become aware of potentially freezing conditions, our contractors are immediately mobilised to begin a carriageway treatment process.

Busiest routes

Almost 470km of roads and pavements across the Borough are treated. The busiest routes and areas are targeted to benefit as many people as possible and to keep the Borough moving.

Grit works most effectively in conjunction with significant volumes of traffic, which is why it is usually put down ahead of the morning rush hour.  Busier roads tend to clearer more quickly than those roads used by less traffic. However, during extended periods of sub-zero temperatures or heavy snowfall, the effectiveness of gritting can be partially diminished. 

Since 2020, gritting in Sefton has operated from the Council’s award-winning new ‘Winter Hub’. Located in Netherton, the ‘Hub’ has space for 3,500 tonnes of salt.

Widespread programme

Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Locality Services, said: “Once again, we will be feeling the benefit of the Winter Hub as we undertake our widespread gritting programme to keep drivers and pedestrian across the Borough safe.

“However, during very cold conditions we do still advise everyone to take extra care when out and about and to remember that untreated side roads and pathways may still be icy.”

“We would also encourage residents to check in on elderly or isolated neighbours to make sure they are ok and are fully prepared for any potential adverse weather conditions.

“We would also remind anyone worried about keeping warm and paying their heating bills that information about Sefton’s network of Warm Spaces can be found at https://seftoncvs.org.uk/warmspaces.”

People can find details of which roads and pavements across Sefton are treated here.

An update made to its systems by our software provider has resulted in a problem with online payments for our bulky items service, which means it is currently unavailable.

We have been in touch with the supplier and have requested that they reverse the changes that have caused this problem until a solution is found.

“We apologise for any inconvenience but would also like to remind people that we do suggest that items which are of good quality could be donated to local charities such as Emmaus, Sefton Helping Hands and British Heart Foundation. In some cases, free collections of preloved items can be can arranged by charities.

You can find more information here.