Author: Ollie Cowan

Signs have gone up around parks and greenspaces in Sefton to let dog walkers know about a Public Space Protection Order which is now in full force.

Traffic light style signs have been installed in parks and greenspaces across the borough to let people know which areas are designated as either off-lead, on-lead or no dog zones. 

Failure to comply with the Order can result in a Fixed Penalty Notice of £75. 

The Dog Control PSPO has been formulated by Sefton’s Regulation & Compliance teams in conjunction with Green Sefton, with help from local residents and dog lovers. 

As well as it still being an offence for not removing dog fouling, the PSPO:

• Prohibits dogs from entering enclosed playgrounds and prohibit dogs from entering marked or fenced sports pitches during specified periods.
• Ensures dogs are kept on leads of not greater than 2 metres on designated carriageways (A and B classified Roads) and footways
• Ensures dogs are kept on a lead within defined picnic sites and family areas, all public roads and footways and all cemeteries and crematoria.
• Allows rulings so that a Council Officer can require your dog to be put on the lead to prevent annoyance or disturbance to others.
• Community rangers will be speaking to park visitors over the coming weeks to explain the PSPO and to hand out informative flyers.
• Restricts the number of dogs that can be walked by one person to a maximum of six.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulation and Compliance, said: “We actively encourage responsible dog ownership throughout the borough and the PSPO actively reflects this.

“Through a detailed consultation  we really reached out to many different groups and individuals regarding an important subject that numerous people have a vested interest in.

“In their thousands people responded which shows how much they care about their pets and our communities.

“Out of that came the Dog Control Public Space Protection Order.”

For more information about the PSPO visit www.sefton.gov.uk/dogs.

Wednesday 1^st August (10:30): Southport Charity Committee Coffee Morning

It is always a pleasure to be invited to the Southport Charity Committee Coffee Mornings and this one was no different! The Charity Committee Coffee Mornings are a great way to get to know and understand the hard work and dedication which gets unnoticed. It is also a fantastic way to keep up to date of how the charities are using the money and how we as a community are raising funds for the charities as well.

Thursday 2^nd August (13:45): Princes Trust Team Presentation

The Prince’s Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 to help young disadvantaged people. They run a range of training programmes, provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people. This presentation was to celebrate Southport Prince’s Trust team 2 for their success over the past 4 months. It was an honour to be invited to the presentation and I was thankful that I was given the opportunity to thank appreciate all the hard work which the members of team 2 have put into the program to be such a success.

Thursday 2^nd August (19:45): United Voice Choir ‘Joseph’ Production

I accepted this invitation for the United Voice Choir ‘Joseph’ Production with great excitement and delight as I have heard many great things about the production, especially as it has been a community Choir that has been running for 10 years. The organisation has also been invited to participate in the next Armed Forces Day in the Diana Gardens which speaks volumes of how good they are and how well the production ran.

Tuesday 7^th August (10:00): Citizenship Ceremony

It always fills me with great pride when I get the chance to welcome new citizens into the United Kingdom on behalf of her Majesty, and Thursday was no different. It was a pleasure to present 8 new people their United Kingdom Citizenship. These 8 new citizens came from all over the global, from Asia all the way to Africa. These ceremonies are always very interesting as it gives me the opportunity to find out where some of the new Citizens came from and even sometimes I get the opportunity to find out how and why they came to the United Kingdom.

Friday 10^th August (10:30): Athena Healthcare Coffee Morning

I always find the Charity Coffee Mornings very intriguing and fascinating as it gives me the opportunity to find out what goes on behind the scenes and it is a great reminder of how the community rallies together to aid others who need the support. Athena Healthcare gave me the opportunity to speak to both staff and residents about the fantastic job which is being done here and how the Athena Healthcare Centre is more than just somewhere people come and get treatment, it’s also a place where residents get the opportunity to take their minds off their health issues just for a little while and have a little laugh with friends and family.

The Southport Flower show returns this week and thousands of people are expected to flock to the town for the annual four day extravaganza.

A staple of the annual Southport events calendar, Southport Flower Show in Victoria Park is a huge crowd pleaser following the Southport Air Show in July and ahead of the British Musical Fireworks Championships in September. 

As with other fantastic events, Southport is expected to be increasingly busy between August 16 & 19 and we are encouraging residents and visitors alike to plan their journeys in advance.

Traffic & Travel

Visitors to the Flower Show are advised to take advantage of public transport and a Park & Ride shuttle service operating from Birkdale Common. For more information about this shuttle service and additional transport information, click here

Residents who are not attending the Southport Flower Show are advised to plan ahead and travel via alternate routes around Southport. 

Signage will be in place to minimise as much disruption as possible.

Parking

Parking and directional routes to the Flower Show will be clearly signposted upon arrival into Southport.  Two main public parking areas will be made available for an all-day rate of £7 at both Princes Park and Birkdale Common. 

While Princes Park is within walking distance of the Southport Flower Show, Birkdale Common parking will accommodate a shuttle service with a drop off/pick up point at the Duke Street Gate entrance of Victoria Park.

Shopping

A visit to the Southport Flower Show is not complete without sampling the shopping and restaurant delights of the town. 

After taking in the show each day, why not explore the fantastic array of shops, restaurants and bars which Southport has to offer? Lord Street is only a few minutes walk away from Victoria Park.

From the quaint and quirky offerings of Wesley Street to the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street’s high street giants, Southport has it all. The town’s Northern Quarter comes alive after 6pm with an array of wine bars, bespoke beer shops and clubs, while the town centre is renowned for its tasty restaurants and thirst quenching bars 

For additional ideas on what to do during your stay, check out Visit Southport.

Rubbish

Southport is one of many beautiful places across Sefton and we want to keep it that way. We actively encourage both visitors and residents alike to make sure they are responsible for their own rubbish and dispose of it in a sensible manner. 

If you cannot find a bin to dispose of your rubbish responsibly, please take it home with you.