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Author: Martin Driver

Sefton Council confirms free school meal vouchers scheme for summer holidays

1 July 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council, Uncategorized
Cllr Trish Hardy
Cllr Trish Hardy

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing has today written to the Borough’s headteachers to confirm funding for free school meals over the six-week school summer holidays.

In her letter, Cllr Hardy explains that the scheme to support children and families who receive free school meals will, once again, work through the provision of supermarket vouchers. As with previous holiday vouchers, they will be valid to buy food in store and online at local supermarkets.

Difficulties

Cllr Hardy said: “We know that many families across the Borough will be facing difficulties in the long summer holidays, particularly with the additional challenges that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has thrown up for people over the last year or more.

“I am pleased that Sefton Council is able to help ease at least some of these difficulties by providing this support to families over the six-week.”

The scheme is available to children and families across Sefton who currently receive free school meals. Any that do not receive free school meals now but think they might be eligible can visit www.sefton.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals to find out whether they qualify and how to apply.

Thanks

In her letter, Cllr Hardy thanks headteachers and their staff you all their hard work in the past 12 months doing their best to keep our children safe and to continue to delivering education and emotional support. But she also explains that this is likely the last time that the Council can use fund free school meals in this way.

Cllr Hardy said: “This time we are, once again, using the Covid Local Support Grant, formerly known as Covid Winter Grant Funding to fund free school meal vouchers over the summer.

“However, we have received some funding from the Department for Education to put in place a Holiday Activity and Food Programme through future Christmas and summer for children who receive benefits-related free school meals. The programme will be optional for eligible children to attend.”

 

Sefton Council outlines action being taken and natural challenges with sand clearance at Crosby and Southport promenades

30 June 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Green Sefton, Latest News

Sefton Council’s Green Sefton team have set out the ways they are managing the build-up of windblown sand along popular coastal paths.

In recent months around 90 tonnes of sand has been cleared from the path in Southport both manually and using a tractor.

Tractor clearance of sand built-up along the seawall at Southport is undertaken regularly and Green Sefton are working with Highways colleagues to investigate the use of signage to alert people to areas where windblown sand is prone to accumulate.

At Crosby, a specialist Telehandler designed to shift heavy loads, has been purchased to assist with clearance at that location. The most challenging section is the area from south of Mariners Road car park up to the Crosby Marine Lake area. This path was cleared during a scheme in 2018 but since then the natural shift of sand has resulted in the path becoming impassable, in parts, for some users once again.

Telehandler-clearance-Crosby
Sand clearance at Southport
Sand at Southport promenade
Telehandler-clerance-Crosby-2
Sand-clearance-at-Southport
Tractor-clearing-sand-at-Southport
Crosby-alternative-route-signage

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Green Sefton officers have identified an alternative inland path for this section of the promenade providing access for wheelchairs, prams and bikes along the existing ‘Curlew’ cycle route. Signs are already in place and the new machinery will allow for more efficient removal of sand in the approaches to, and along, this alternative route.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “We are incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful and scientifically important natural asset right here in Sefton. It is a special location for our residents, as well as visitors, and our Green Sefton team are working at full capacity to ensure that day-to-day people can enjoy their time spent here. They are also prioritising longer-term development and conservation works to safeguard the coast for future generations to come while providing improved visitor facilities.

“I want to reassure our communities that we are doing all we can to ensure that our coast is accessible and safe for all, while making clear that some of the challenges we face are beyond our control due to our diverse landscape and unique natural environment.” 

Mark Shaw, Sefton Council’s Green Sefton Service Manager, said:

“We face consistent challenges with the issue of sand covering pathways at various locations along our unique 22-mile coastline, and particularly at Crosby and Southport promenades.

“As many of our regular beach users understand, this is a massive natural process that has been shaping our coastline for millennia and will continue to do so for many more thousands of years. It can be exacerbated by windy coastal weather conditions and the development of new dunes as a result of erosion at other parts of the coast.

“We simply cannot work against these natural processes every day and people must expect that paths adjacent to a sandy beach are always going to be prone to some level of sand build-up.

“What we can do, and continue to do, is to undertake regular observation and maintenance to ensure that these coastal footpaths and cycleways are kept as clear as is possible for all users. This work is undertaken both proactively and reactively and as quickly as our limited resources allow. Where this isn’t possible, we work to identify alternative routes.  

“The reality we are facing is that often the sand is returned to these areas just as quickly as we have removed it, and on busy days our small workforce has to prioritises litter clearance and visitor management as it is impractical to undertake sand clearance while these areas are full of people.”

The recent warm weather has resulted in increased visitor numbers to all parts of the Sefton coast. The continued need for Covid-19 measures is having an impact on the Council’s ability to prioritise routine maintenance of its outdoor sites, such as sand clearance on coastal paths.

Mark Shaw added: “We would ask the public to be patient as we try to reach those affected areas and clear the paths as quickly as we can. We are exploring longer-term options to create new paths or alternative routes, increase staffing, invest in more specialist machinery, all while balancing the conservation needs and understanding that significant funding would be required to sustain this activity.”

Sefton Council shares Southport Crematorium update

29 June 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Green Sefton, Health, Latest News

Sefton Council’s Green Sefton Service has now undertaken extensive maintenance to the grounds of Southport Crematorium, after its regular upkeep was hampered by the effects of COVID-19.

Green Sefton worker at Southport Crem
Green Sefton worker undertaking mowing at Southport Crematorium

The update comes the day after Sefton Council’s Leader, Cllr Ian Maher, outlined that the local authority is still feeling the effects of the virus.

A combination of staff shortages due to redeployment, general staff turnover and shielding or self-isolation during the pandemic has resulted in a backlog of maintenance work across Sefton’s outdoor spaces.

The recent spells of good weather have resulted in rapid natural growth of grassed and planted areas. And, the extension of the football season has also contributed to a delayed schedule of planned works, with additional grass cutting and pitch marking required later in the sports season than usual. 

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “The maintenance of Southport Crematorium’s grounds had fallen below our normally high standards for a site which is so important to our communities as a place for quiet remembrance and reflection.

“It’s been an unprecedented time of demand and challenge for our Green Sefton service, alongside all other Council departments, over the past year and a half. Many officers have been redeployed throughout the pandemic, supporting our Public Health teams to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

Freshly weeded area at Southport Crematorium
Freshly weeded area at Southport Crematorium

“We’ve also had to respond to the increased public use of all Green Sefton sites during the various stages of lockdown. This has included clearing litter at the coast and emptying bins in our parks, despite our relentless pleas for visitors to take responsibility for their rubbish when enjoying our outdoor spaces. We’ve had to prioritise hotspot areas all while protecting our own staff, for instance when they have needed to self-isolate.

“This has inevitably caused a delay and a backlog to our normal maintenance schedules. I am very pleased to report that over the past week we’ve had Green Sefton officers at the crematorium catching up with grass cutting and weeding, and we have allocated some additional temporary funding to increase staffing provision across Green Sefton until the end of September. This will include having two members of staff undertaking the regular upkeep of the crematorium.  

Mowed area at Southport Crematorium
Mowed area at Southport Crematorium

“We’re also working closely with local volunteers who have come forward to support our maintence of this important space moving forward. We will be looking for funding opportunities that could support longer-term improvements and projects to enhance the site further and ensure it remains a fitting place to remember loved ones.”

Similarly, the Council’s Burial and Cremation Service has been under a great deal of pressure over the past year and a half, responding to increased service demand and added restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peter Moore, Head of Highways and Public Protection, said: “In order to comply with legislation, guidance, health and safety requirements or simply to ensure that burials and cremations were prioritised, some services such as ashes interment, scattering and memorialisation were suspended for significant periods of time. This has sadly resulted in people waiting much longer than normal to access these services.

“We recognise that these services are important aspects of the bereavement process and remembering loved ones, and that long delays are distressing for people. We are prioritising trying to catch-up with these services, but this is going to take some time.

“We are continuing to work hard on this and to try to get to a position where we are able to give everyone a firm date as soon as possible.”  

Community and voluntary sector groups in enhanced COVID support areas invited to webinar

28 June 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News, Sefton Council

NHS Test & Trace will be holding a webinar on Thursday for community and faith leaders, voluntary and community groups in areas like Sefton, where enhanced testing and support measures have been put in place.

The webinar takes place from 11am to 12 noon on Thursday 1st July and is a chance to hear directly about the enhanced support package, the work being done to support your local area and the actions we can all take to keep our communities safe.

All community leaders are being encourage to attend the webinar by registering here.

Anyone wanting any further information or with any questions can please get in touch at: community.resources@dhsc.gov.uk

Sefton Council still feeling effects of COVID explains authority Leader

28 June 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News

Although the delayed end of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions is now scheduled for next month, Sefton Council is still feeling the effects of the virus.

Since the country first went into lockdown 15 months ago, Sefton Council employees have been providing vital services such as bin collections, social services, care work and the protection of our unique environmental assets. And, throughout that period, teachers and other staff have been in the Borough’s schools for those pupils who were unable to stay at home.

Continuation

In some cases, staff who have been unable to carry out their regular jobs due to closures, such as our Leisure Centre teams, have been temporarily transferred. They have gone to work in other areas to ensure the continuation of key services such as burials and cremations.

Council staff have also worked with partner organisations such as Sefton’s Voluntary Services to support those most vulnerable to coronavirus, including those people who have had to shield. Practical support provided has included the delivery of food and medicines as well as help with online shopping slots and calls to help combat potential loneliness.

The Council has very much appreciated the high levels of praise and support received from local residents in appreciation of the work that has continued despite the difficult circumstances.

Rising

While lockdown restrictions have been eased, Sefton has seen two periods of surge testing due to COVID variants and, like the many other areas, case numbers are rising with the now-prevalent Delta variant. And the Council’s employees are being affected like everyone else, either off with coronavirus or because they are self-isolating.

While some of them are able to continue working from home, front-line employees cannot. And this means some services are being affected.

High standards

Sefton Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher said:
“My Cabinet colleagues and I are only too aware that at the moment, we are not managing to maintain the high standards of service that people have come to expect, in all areas.

“We have not been able to empty litter bins as frequently as we would have liked. We have not been able to maintain some outdoor areas, including the grounds of Southport Crematorium, to the level we aim for.

“And it has, perhaps, taken longer than usual to clear the litter left on our beaches by visitors, despite our pleas and the extra measure we have put in place.

“But I can assure everyone who lives, works or is visiting our Borough, this is not through a lack of will, effort or pride in it by us or by the Council’s employees who I am sure all my fellow Sefton councillors would like to thank personally and pay tribute to.”

Bounce back

Sefton Council has been unveiling some of its plans to bounce back after the pandemic. These include bids totalling almost £34 million to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund for innovative developments in Bootle and Crosby, the exciting Town Deal plans for Southport and a new Business Plan for Bootle Strand.

In a recent letter to Sefton residents, Cllr Maher explained that Sefton Council had had to make over ÂŁ233 million of savings over the last 10 years to be able to continue delivering key services.

He said that every Council has seen a rise in demand for services, but also a loss of income from fees and charges and reductions in Council Tax and Business Rates.

Cllr Maher wrote:

‘We’ve been calling on Government for months to deliver the resources the Council needs to support residents.

‘So how has the Government responded to our calls for increased and continual funding?

‘With announcements that are nothing more than smoke and mirrors!

‘The Government will have you believe that they are making £1 billion of funding available for local authorities for social care. What they won’t tell you is that £700 million of that comes from allowing councils to increase council tax.’

Sacrifices

Cllr Maher added:
“We have all been through difficult times and I would like to thank Sefton residents, communities and businesses for the sacrifices they have made to keep each other safe.

“As a Council, we have manged the distribution of more than £95 million of financial support to Sefton businesses since the start of the pandemic.

“Now we need to start building back and to do that we need Boris Johnson and his ministers to work with us and provide the support, funding and resources where they are needed most due to a decade or more of government austerity cuts.

“In the meantime, I hope that the people of Sefton will bear with us as we emerge from what has been a dark period and will be assured that we and Sefton Council’s dedicated workforce are doing our best for them.”

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