Author: Martin Driver

With over 2,000 rounds having been played at Bootle since it re-opened on Wednesday 20 May, Sefton Council’s Green Sefton team is warning people not to use the course for exercise and dog walks or fishing.

Since Green Sefton announced it had re-opened Bootle Golf Course and Southport Golf Links in May, with fees held at 2019/20 levels, business has been brisk. From this week, players have been able to play in fours, rather than just in pairs or on their own and from today (Monday 15 June) snacks and drinks will be available. Other restrictions to ensure players’ and employees’ safety remain in place.

But, the re-introduction of so many golfers means people who have got used to using the course at Bootle for their daily exercise and for walking the dog, are now facing the hazard of being hit by a stray ball.

Mark Shaw Green Sefton Service Manager said: “We knew golfers were itching to get out on our popular courses at Bootle and Southport and we are delighted to welcome so many of them back and to be loosening the restrictions they face when they come.

“However, we want to remind those people who quite legitimately used Bootle Golf Course as a place to take their daily exercise sessions under lockdown, that they now risk putting themselves in harm’s way with the danger of being struck by golf balls.  This also applies to those people who have taken the suspension of play as an opportunity to fish, unofficially, in our water hazards.”

The Green Sefton team is putting up signs at Bootle Golf Course to remind and warn non-golfers of the hazards, including where a public footpath that crosses the 8^th and 11^th fairways.

People wanting to play need to book a tee slot, by telephoning Bootle Golf Course on 0151 928 1371 or Southport Links on 01704 535286. Slots are available every 10 minutes from 9am to 7pm.

Find out more including details of the current restrictions.

Sefton Council’s £1/2 million-plus plans to improve golf in the Borough through the development of driving ranges at Bootle Golf Course and Southport Golf Links, remain in the pipeline although have been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

Featuring dedicated coaching bays, plans for the new, floodlit facilities were developed after a consultation with local residents and golfers who highlighted the importance of new practice facilities and investment in course infrastructure.

Plans to boost Sefton’s golfing offer approved by Sefton Council.

Sefton Council is warning people planning on driving to its beaches this weekend that ‘Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?’ is what their day out could sound like as they sit in queues and drive around looking for a legitimate parking space.

The Council is keen to prevent large numbers of people to travel to its beaches, which on previous weekends have seen visitors from as far afield as Manchester, Wigan and Birmingham.

Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council has said he’s worried that people are ignoring Government advice and appear to be completely ignoring social distancing guidance. After the recent busy weekend for the beaches, which saw an average of 7,000 people on the beaches at any one time each day Cllr Maher warned that as well as risking their own safety, these visitors are also compromising the safety of our local residents.

Cllr Maher said: “Many people living in our coastal areas have experienced an increase in parked cars and we have worked with Merseyside Police to limit access to local roads.

“Also, we have done all we can to address the issue and our enforcement officers have been out issuing parking tickets to cars parked irresponsibly and dangerously during busy weekends but the high volume of vehicles and people can make it impossible for them to work safely.”

Cllr Maher warned that people who do decide to drive to Sefton’s beaches can expect to waste a lot of their day out queuing in hot cars, waiting and driving in circles looking for spaces to park legally, with fraying tempers and increasingly fractious families.

He added: “It’s not how I would choose to spend my weekend and I hope people will agree and take advantage of the attractions and greenspace near their homes.

“And I would ask those local people who do visit our coast and open spaces, to remain respectful, to take their litter home and not to light camp fires or barbecues.”

Cllr Maher also pointed out that a Public Spaces Protection Order preventing the outdoor consumption of alcohol in areas of Formby & Ainsdale Beaches, Southport Promenade and town centre, Crosby & Waterloo including by the Marine Lake as well as Bootle and Formby town centres. The Order can be enforced by Police officers and authorised Council officers and fines for breaching it start at £50.

He also dismissed suggestions that the Council should close Sefton’s beaches pointing out that the Borough has 22 miles of coastline, with hundreds of individual access points, making it impossible.

After three days in Litherland, a Coronavirus Mobile Test Centre will be at Maghull’s Meadows Leisure Centre from Sunday 14^th to Tuesday 16^th June.

Once again, the site will be providing clinical diagnosis tests to tell people if they currently have the Covid-19 virus. Tests are available for anyone but they need to have made an appointment first at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119.  Essential workers still need to book through www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-essential-workers.

Key NHS and care workers can now attend the regional testing sites at Haydock and Manchester Airport without the need for an appointment.

Testing is vital to the ongoing work to overcome COVID-19 and enables key workers who test negative to return to that work. By the time Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s sessions in Litherland started around 3,200 people had already been tested at Sefton’s previous Mobile Test Sites .

The Government has said that through its NHS Test and Trace service, anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted and will need to share information about their recent interactions. This could include household members, people with whom they have been in direct contact, or within 2 metres for more than 15 minutes.

Those people identified as having been in close contact with someone who has had a positive test result will then be required to stay at home for 14 days. They must do this even if they do not have symptoms, to prevent them spreading the virus without knowing.

People in isolation who develop symptoms can book their own test at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. If they test positive, they must continue to stay at home for 7 days or until their symptoms have passed. If they test negative, they must complete the 14-day isolation period.

With the news last week that the R- infection rate in the North West of England is around 1, Sefton Council is reminding people that if they do have to leave the house they should stay 2 metres (approximately 4 steps) away from those who aren’t members of their household. And the Government has announced that from next Monday, anyone using public transport will be required to wear a face covering.

Questions & Answers on Test and Trace and Antibody testing.

After these three days in Maghull, the next scheduled visit for a Mobile Test site to Litherland on Thursday 25th, Friday 26th and Saturday 27th June followed by further days in Maghull starting on Sunday 28th June.

As part of this week’s national Carers Week, Sefton Carers Centre has launched a new helpline for unpaid carers to get support and advice.

A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid (including those who are in receipt of Carers Allowance), for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot manage without their support.

Open Monday to Friday, between 10am and 3pm, the number for the new helpline is 0151 288 6086. There is an option for an evening call back for carers who are busy during the day. Carers can also email: help@carers.sefton.gov.uk.

Supported by Sefton Council and the South Sefton and Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) Sefton Carers Centre is a local charity. It provides invaluable free advice and guidance to unpaid Carers across the borough of Sefton. This includes Welfare Benefits Advice, Carer’s Assessments and specialist young carer and parent carer teams, as well as local information in relation to the current crisis.

Sefton Carers Centre is also organising events in supermarkets during this Carers Week to highlighting Carers and the need to support them, as well as holding virtual events for Carers.

Find out more about the free support services that Sefton Carers Centre provides.

Sefton Carers’ main reception can be contacted on 0151 288 6060, Monday – Friday (9.00am – 4.30pm).