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Business and Economy

Global events firm picked for Marine Lake Events Centre

23 August 2022
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Borough Of Culture, Business and Economy, Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News

Major steps are being taken in the delivery of the state of the art Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport, as Sefton Council identify ASM Global, the world’s leading venue management company and producer of live experiences as the preferred operating partner.

The new Centre will be complemented by the UK’s first light, water and sound show in the town’s Marine Lake.

A report published today (Tuesday, August 23) to Sefton Council’s Cabinet will ask members to approve the lease agreement between the local authority and ASM Global, as well as seeking approval to borrow £19.7m of funding to be added to contributions from the Town Deal (£31.7m) and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (£17.7m) towards the project.

This vital stage in the Marine Lake Events Centre (MLEC) and Water & Lights Show project follows a series of landmarks for the scheme – most recently the submission of a detailed planning application and comprehensive business case.

Investigatory works on the existing Southport Theatre and Convention Centre site and the Upper Promenade, have also started to allow for an assessment of the land’s underground conditions to progress the design further.

Marine Lake Events Centre joins ASM Global’s network of more than 350 venues around the world, which host 20,000 events, and welcome 165 million guests every year.

ASM Global has been identified by the local authority as the recommended partner to manage, operate and programme the new entertainment and conference venue along with The Water and Light Show in the resort.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “By awarding preferred bidder status to ASM Global we are once again showing our ambition, determination and passion towards delivering the incredible MLEC project.

“We are doing everything to ensure the end goal is a fully flexible, scalable cultural space capable of staging concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows, musical theatre, conferences, exhibitions that is the envy of other towns and cities.

“ASM Global operate 350 venues across five continents and share in the ambitions of Sefton Council and the Southport Town Deal in making MLEC a soaring success. Our borough, our town and the council will benefit from the wealth of experience and knowledge the team at ASM Global can bring to the table.

“Within the UK they operate 12 venues ranging from a 600-capacity seaside theatre in Whitley Bay to the 40,000 sqm exhibition centre of Olympia London and AO Arena in Manchester.

“The MLEC, together with the Light Fantastic, is forecast to attract more than half a million visitors to Southport year on year and generating an annual £18 million for the local economy and I am delighted that Sefton Council is once again leading the way in exciting projects like this.”

ASM European Executive Vice President, Chris Bray comments: ”ASM Global is delighted to partner with Sefton Council to deliver the Marine Lake Events Centre and welcome the venue into the ASM Global family. Southport has a rich history of events and culture and we are pleased to engage in this long-term partnership and what’s set to be a visionary and game-changing project for Southport and the Sefton region”

“The combination of a high quality, flexible venue and the Light Fantastic is a unique offer, in a stunning location, which will create an outstanding leisure, events and cultural destination for both residents and visitors. There has already been excellent progress in securing funding, developing the initial designs and submitting the planning application, and we are excited to now join the project team and share our wealth of experience of designing, developing and relaunching venues.”

“We look forward to delivering a busy concert and entertainment programme alongside a wide range of conference and business events that will provide a great meeting place and platform for the region.”

Nick Russell, Director at consultancy firm IPW said: “The Marine Lake Events Centre will create a cornerstone to the regeneration of Southport calling upon the former successes in both entertainment and conferencing in the town to create a new hub for business, theatre and events. During a very competitive process our team has selected ASM Global as the preferred operator for the project. Their worldwide experience will ensure the operating success of the venue as they have done in many venues across the country.

“We look forward to working with them to finalise the scheme and secure MLECs development for the town and the city region.”

The cabinet report also confirmed that Sefton Council is in ongoing discussions with a number of public sources such as Arts Council England, aiming to identify additional funding streams to support the project.

As part of the local authority’s robust assessment of capital costs for the project, £19.7m of funding will need to allocated to the MLEC project, which will currently be contributed by Sefton Council.

Details of next week’s meeting can be found here.

200 hundred trees to be planted thanks to Air Show patrons

9 August 2022
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: 2019 - Sefton's Year of friendship, Business and Economy, Essential Sefton, Front Page, Green Sefton, Latest News

More than 200 trees will be planted across Sefton thanks to the generosity of visitors to the recent Southport Air Show.

Two hundred and sixteen saplings will be planted throughout the borough after a campaign by Sefton Council’s Tourism team, which encouraged visitors to the hugely popular air show to help offset any carbon emissions the event may create.

Earlier this year Sefton Council confirmed it is on track to be net zero carbon by 2030, noting a 13% reduction in total emissions from the baseline, rising to 28% once projects started this year are complete.

The 2030 target, which was set out in Sefton Council’s Climate Emergency declaration in 2019, is ambitious but critical to preventing further damage to the climate. All Council decision making reports now have to consider climate implications and training has been developed for all staff to ensure that all areas of the Council are on board with this ambitious but necessary work.

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “Reducing our carbon footprint and helping our borough combat the climate emergency is a common goal across the authority.

“While events like the Southport Air Show are vital for our tourism sector, we appreciate more needs to be done to offset any potential carbon emissions. That is why we encouraged as many people as possible to donate ÂŁ1 to ensure a sapling is planted in their honour. 

“Future generations will greatly benefit from the power of these fantastic trees – even a young woodland can lock up over 400 tonnes of carbon per hectare, helping to reduce pollution and combat with climate change.  

“Reducing our carbon footprint is at the forefront of all our event planning and going forward we will be offering this voluntary planting scheme at future events, including the upcoming Southport Musical Fireworks Championship between September 23rd and September 25th.”

Sefton Council’s Tourism team also helped place a huge smile on the faces of hundreds of foster care families, with 220 free tickets being donated to Sefton foster carers and children for them to enjoy the two day event.

A Sefton Fostering spokesperson added: “We were so happy to receive over 200 free tickets from Sefton’s Tourism Team for the Southport Air Show this year. 

“We know that our families who attended had an incredible two days at the show and it was a fantastic example of the Local Authority working together as one for the benefit of our communities.

“We will continue to work with our wonderful Tourism team on future events to see what benefits we may be able to provide for our foster families.”

The 2022 Southport Air Show weekend was also a huge success for the young Southport 281 Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets , who raised ÂŁ627 from the sale of event programmes that will now go towards funding future activities and events.

To find out more about stunning events in Sefton, including the British Musical Fireworks Championship, please visit www.visitsouthport.com 

Much needed summer food programme returns to Sefton

25 July 2022
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Business and Economy, Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News

Sefton Council and its partners are once again providing food to schoolchildren from eligible families and other groups across the Borough through the 2022 summer holidays.

Now in its seventh year, the much-needed provision will see Sefton Council and Sefton Council For Voluntary Services (Sefton CVS) put together thousands of packed lunches for children across the Borough.

In 2021, more than five thousand meals, in the form of takeaway packed lunches, are served through the scheme. And as in 2021, families who have had their income significantly affected by the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, will be eligible for the scheme.

And again, Sefton Council will be working in partnership with Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) to co-ordinate additional access to food with local Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) sector organisations across the borough.

To compliment the Summer Food offer to families, Sefton Council’s Family Wellbeing Centres will be hosting a number of activities for young people, as well as helpful sessions on topics such as Debt Advice, Wellbeing Days and Mental Health awareness.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: “This is always a very important service that Sefton Council and its partners provide but with escalating prices in the shops and rocketing fuel costs at home and at the petrol pumps it is, unfortunately, needed more than ever this year.

“We have had families tell us that without this service, they would have to miss paying bills to meet the extra cost of feeding their children during the long summer months, which is why we continue to do all we can to help people across Sefton who would otherwise struggle to put food on the table.”

This year’s scheme will run from August to September, with those families eligible for the scheme being notified in advance of where they will be able to collect their meals.

/Ends

Have your say on Sefton’s new Economic Strategy

22 July 2022
Amy Hitchmough
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Categories: Business and Economy, Front Page, InvestSefton, Latest News, Local Consultation

Sefton Council has launched a public consultation to collect views on how to help improve the Borough’s economy for its residents, communities, and businesses.

Feedback from the consultation will help form a new Sefton Economic Strategy, the plan that looks at Sefton’s business and employment needs and sets out what the Council will do to help meet these needs.

Strategic economic growth is a key part of the Sefton 2030 Vision towards which the Council is working. This new consultation will enable the Council to understand better the needs of Sefton residents, business owners, organisations and investors, as it plans its Economic Strategy for the years 2022 to 2024.

Pre-consultation work has been undertaken, gathering the views on areas including employment and opportunities for work, business growth, investment, and social inclusion from a diverse range of people.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said:

“It is important to hear the views of the public, which enable Sefton Council to help create opportunities for the workforce and local businesses across Sefton.

“We recognise the importance of working with our many key partners and stakeholders from the private sector, communities, voluntary sector and local businesses. This consultation is for everyone, including those partners, and can help define our future.”

The Council is encouraging those living or working in Sefton, as well as business owners, organisations, entrepreneurs, and investors to share their views by completing the online survey at yourseftonyoursay.gov.uk

Please read a copy of the draft Sefton Economic Strategy before completing the questions:

Draft Sefton Economic Strategy document

Easy Read Draft Sefton Economic Strategy document

The consultation is now open and will run for four weeks, up until Wednesday 17th August 2022.

Council cabinet to consider Marine Lake Events Centre business case

20 July 2022
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Business and Economy, Essential Sefton, Featured Friendship News, Front Page, Latest News

Sefton Council’s Cabinet will next week consider a report which would see the Local Authority reach a major milestone in its plans for the exciting Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport.

The report, which was published today (Wednesday, July 20th) asks Cabinet to approve plans for a Full Business Case to be submitted to Central Government, following the award of the ÂŁ37.5m Southport Town Deal.

Cabinet will also be asked to approve plans to procure both a Design & Build contractor and an Operating Partner for the proposed venue.

Excitement for the Marine Lake Events Centre & Water and Light Show project has been building rapidly in recent months, and a detailed planning application for its creation has already been submitted.

Both the Planning submission and Business Case proposal follow a detailed public consultation process held by the council, which showed that 84% of residents and businesses in the resort are in favour of the Marine Lake Events Centre (MLEC) being created.

Should the business case and planning permission be approved, The MLEC is expected to bring more than half a million visitors to Southport year on year, while generating an annual ÂŁ18 million for the local economy.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “The submission of a full business case and the appointment of contractors and operators are the natural next steps in this fantastic one in a generational project.

“We are wholly committed to the delivery of this incredible scheme which will be of massive importance to the economy across the borough.”

Detailed in the report includes a transparent financial analysis of what the local authority’s predicted annual cost of borrowing for the project could be, less the annual income received from the venue’s future operating partner.

A more detailed financial forecast is currently being drafted and will be presented to the September meeting of Sefton Council’s Cabinet.

Cllr Atkinson continued: “We know that the public recognises the council’s ambitions to boost Southport’s cultural offer and visitor economy, as well as ultimately support local businesses and increase spend.

“This report reaffirms the Cabinet’s steadfast commitment to the MLEC project by borrowing up to £20m to make it happen.

“I am immensely proud of what we have been able to deliver in terms of regeneration projects for our communities and businesses across Sefton, especially following the impact of the pandemic.

“Should it be approved, the new development will provide first class theatre space, a conference and exhibition centre able to accommodate a wide range of events, and café and signature restaurant, providing facilities for both visitors and the local community alike.

“The plans also include a new Water and Light show installation on the Marine Lake, the largest permanent installation of its kind in the UK.

“Our plans for the Marine Lake Events Centre and Water & Light Show directly complement the ongoing and continued investment Sefton Council makes toward improving the future of the town for our amazing communities and visitors.”

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Southport holds a special place in the hearts of so many people in our city region and beyond as being a family-favourite destination for days out and holidays alike. The town has been entertaining generations of visitors for as long as it has existed.

“We want to build on that legacy and make sure that Southport can continue to thrive and attract visitors for many more years to come, giving a massive boost to local businesses and creating good quality, secure jobs. We are working with Sefton Council to drive the town’s revival and start a new chapter in its story. I for one cannot wait to see what the future has in store.”

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