Author: Martin Driver

Local businesses are being invited to a Better Branding through Storytelling event in Southport on Thursday 17^th November.

Organised by the Council’s InvestSefton team and Southport-based content marketing agency Hatter’s, the event takes place from 9.30am until 1pm at Southport Eco Centre.

More than logo and colours

Hatter’s owner Sarah Jackson said: “Branding is so much more than just a logo and some colours.

“It’s the impression you make, and the way you make people feel. The most successful businesses are those that build their brand around a story, and consistently tell that story in every aspect of how they communicate and present themselves.

“This session will help people understand how to build a brand story and share it in the right way.”

Memorable

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “I would urge Sefton businesses of any size and from any sector to sign up for this free event.

“It will be a great opportunity for local businesses to learn more about what goes into creating a successful brand that’s memorable and then how to project and share that brand effectively.”

InvestSefton is Sefton Council’s enterprise, business support and inward investment service.  It offers free information and advice and access to a wide range of services. It is there to help any business, of any size, in any sector.

To book a place, people can call Dom or Sharon from InvestSefton on 0151 934 3452 or email investsefton@sefton.gov.uk.

You can find out more about InvestSefton here.

To ensure as many Sefton households as possible benefit from the national Council Tax Energy Rebate Scheme, the Council is making payments to thousands of eligible families with children.

Today’s Sefton Council Cabinet meeting agreed the payments for families in Council Tax Band A to H properties that receive means-tested Council Tax Reduction.

Families with one or two children will receive £18 and families with three or more children will receive £22.

These payments will be in addition to the payments of £20 and £30 that the Council has already made to these families through the Energy Rebate scheme.

Funds will be credited to people’s accounts where we have their bank details, or their Council Tax accounts where we don’t and we will be writing to them to tell them which way the will receive the money.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services, said:  “We want to make sure that as much as possible of the remaining money available from Energy Rebate Scheme, is distributed to Sefton households facing rocketing electricity and gas bills, and further increases to prices in the shops.

“With an end-of-November deadline to spend the £109,000 of discretionary funding we have left, we have agreed today to make these extra payments that will help families with children, who are in receipt of means-tested Council Tax Reduction.”

In total, Sefton Council paid out around £15 million of automatic payments and, once these final payments agreed today are made, a further £708,000 of discretionary funding through the Energy Rebate scheme.

At today’s Cabinet Meeting (November 3^rd) Sefton Council’s Cabinet Members approved an updated Economic Strategy, aimed at helping the local economy to grow, and supporting local residents and businesses.

Four key themes

The Sefton Economic Strategy focuses on four key themes, all geared toward economic growth that will benefit residents, businesses, and communities in Sefton.

• Employment and Opportunities for Work
• Business Growth and Investment
• Regenerated Places
• Social Inclusion and Access for All 

You can find the Sefton Economic Strategy Update here.

Opportunities

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, says: “The Sefton Economic Strategy focuses on four key themes, one of which is “Regenerated Places”, which aims to improve Sefton as a place to live and work, and to attract visitors and investment. We want to create opportunities for local business, help develop supply chains and create employment and skills development programmes. 

“Of course, we are unashamedly ambitious for the entire borough of Sefton, and the Council has put its money where its mouth is by leading on the delivery of a large scale regeneration programme, from the building of a £73 million Marine Lake Events Centre and the opening of the repurposed Southport Market into a repurposed Food and Drink venue, to the regeneration of Bootle Town Centre, the Strand and Bootle Canalside, to name just a few of our major projects.

“We are ambitious for the economy of Sefton, our businesses, and our people.

Inclusive growth

“Our focus is on inclusive growth. We are fully committed to growth and prosperity, but not at any cost.  We’re not solely focused on the economic and financial outcomes of growth in our borough, but on the social and environmental outcomes too, and I don’t believe we need to trade one for the other.

“One example of this is the strategy of our wholly owned hospitality company, delivering quality employment and career opportunities alongside a fantastic customer offer at the Lake House in Waterloo.

“Another is the Strand Shopping Centre, where we are working with a range of partner organisations to deliver spaces and events that not only help deliver positive community outcomes, but also drive footfall in the town centre.

“We believe in a “People First” approach and will continue to engage with partners and communities about our strategies, projects and action plans for inclusive growth across the whole borough.”

You can find details of today’s Cabinet Meeting here.