Author: Ollie Cowan

A new grant scheme will help Bootle residents to tackle local grotspots and improve the appearance of their area.

The Environmental Improvements Fund will offer grants of between £250 and £1,000 to new projects developed by local people in the Linacre electoral ward.

The funding for the new grants has come from Sefton Council, and the scheme is being managed by Bootle-based regeneration and community action specialists, Regenerus.

Applications from established community and voluntary organisations are welcome, but the fund is also open to informal groups of friends or neighbours joining forces to work on a one-off green project.

Projects need to be able to operate within the fund guidelines, and so must comply with all relevant legislation, for example health and safety and working on the highway regulations. Advice will be available from both Regenerus and Sefton Council to make sure this issue doesn’t prevent a project from going ahead.

Organisers say they expect applications for a wide range of projects, from groups wishing to hire skips for a neighbourhood clean-up to residents looking to create a new community garden on local wasteland.

They also believe that, as well as improving the environment in Bootle’s Linacre Ward, the projects will achieve the additional benefits of creating new friendships, promoting volunteering and getting young people involved in looking after their neighbourhood.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said:

“This scheme will be a brilliant boost to the local community and we are delighted to be working alongside Regenerus in making sure we can make local grotspots a thing of the past.

“We want community groups to come forward and apply for this funding so they can improve the areas that they live in to make them better, brighter and more enjoyable for all.”

For further information about the Environmental Improvements Fund ring Regenerus on 0151 934 2637 or email hello@regenerus.org.uk.

The closing date for applications for grants from the first round of funding is 31st December.

Merseyside Police is appealing for information following a report of a dog being stolen during a car key burglary in Formby on Saturday, 4 November 2017.

Officers were called to a report that a seven-year-old Springer Spaniel dog called Tilly had been taken from a property on Freshfield Road, Formby, along with a BMW car.

The burglary occurred between around 5.30am and 7.30am.

The car was later recovered and the owners are still searching for their dog.

The offenders also took a brown Mulberry handbag, purple purse, and a Barbour brown leather satchel along with an iPad Air.

Enquiries are now being carried out into the theft and CCTV is being located and reviewed.

Detective Inspector Robert Moss said: “The dog’s owners are clearly very distressed and we are doing everything we can to try to locate the person responsible for this incident, and reunite the owner with her pet dog, Tilly.

“I would appeal to anyone who has seen the dog or has any information about this incident to call officers on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”