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Essential Sefton

200 hundred trees to be planted thanks to Air Show patrons

9 August 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
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 

Sefton publishes Orrell Mount Consultation Results

8 August 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Active Sefton, Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News

Sefton Council has today published results of the recent public consultation into the Orrell Mount Park master plan.

Working with an independent consultant, Sefton Council drew up a detailed master plan of proposed improvements to Orrell Mount Park.

These proposals included the creation of a 3G football pitch facility.

Keen to make sure it was reflecting local people’s views, the Council undertook a two-month consultation on the master plan, which started on May 30th.

Almost 1,000 people provided feedback on the proposals through the consultation, which was managed by independent consultation company FMG Consulting.

Forty nine percent of respondents supported the creation of a 3G pitch, while 49% of respondents said they were against the plan. The remaining 2% said they neither supported nor opposed the 3G pitch proposal.

With the lack of majority support for the proposal, Sefton Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher has decided the 3G pitch element of the proposals will not go ahead.

Cllr Maher said: “I understand this will be a huge disappointment to those who were in support of the scheme, especially our young people and boys and girls who clearly need high-quality training and playing facilities like this.

“But, throughout the process, we have promised to listen to the public’s views and act accordingly and that’s a promise we are keeping.

“Which means that as there is evidently no clear outcome on the 3G pitch aspect of the consultation, I have taken the decision not to proceed with the proposed development.”

Throughout the development of the master plan and the consultation the Council has taken every opportunity to speak at length with key stakeholders to ensure as many views as possible were heard.

While the plans for the new football facilities were not supported, the consultation showed a clear desire for the wider improvements to the park.

Cllr Maher said: “The consultation showed there is support for the wider master plan for Orrell Mount Park, which would bring considerable improvements to this space for communities and future generations, and I will ensure that, should resources become available, the Council will progress with these developments.”

He continued: “Through our Playing Pitch strategy, Sefton Council recognises there is a clear need for more training and playing facilities in the Borough and I want to reassure our communities and our young people who will be our future sporting stars that we remain committed to creating much needed 3G playing pitch developments.

“We will continue to work with the Football Foundation to identify sites for future development and we have recently entered into a partnership with the Football Foundation to create a dedicated project management role to oversee and develop such schemes.”

Cllr Maher went on to thank the JC23 Foundation for their support of Sefton Council in these endeavours and we look forward to any opportunity to work with them on any future suitable developments.

Cllr Maher added: “I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this process including those people who took time to provide feedback.

“While it may not have been the decision many wanted to see, this process has shown that Sefton Council is committed to open and transparent consultation and to making decisions guided by local people’s views.”

Details of the results of the Orrell Mount Master Plan consultation will be published in due course via www.sefton.gov.uk/orrellmount

/ends

Mini Planet protectors unite to help clean up Seaforth

1 August 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Green Sefton, Health, Latest News

A team of dedicated ‘Planet Protectors’ have begun the first stage of a huge clean up operation in the Church Ward area of Seaforth.
 
The clean up crew, made up of pupils from Rimrose Hope Primary School, teachers, councillors and volunteers, have taken to the streets of Church Ward to clean up unsightly litter from their community.
 
Led by ward councillors and funded through Sefton Council, the summer Church Ward Clean-Up programme runs until August 31st and encourages youngsters from around the area to help clean and tidy the area where they live.
 
Pupils from Rimrose Hope, dubbed the ‘Planet Protectors’ were tasked with identifying a number of different locations which they believed were in need of cleaning. 
 
Areas identified included
 
•    Kings Park
•    Gordon Road
•    Corinthian Street
•    Thomson Road
•    Sandy Road

Lawrence Crilly, Head Teacher at Rimrose Hope, said: “The children take their responsibility for caring for our world very seriously. They know that caring for our world begins with caring for our local area.

“It was great for the children to meet many other local grown ups on our walk setting a great example for them to follow. They met Cllr Cummins of Church Ward, John the ‘Sweeper’ who keeps our streets clean come rain or shine and French, the barber, who is supporting the campaign by giving haircuts to the cleaning crew!”
 
Cllr Paul Cummins, a Sefton Council Cabinet Member, Church Ward Councillor and Chair of Governors at Rimrose Hope, said: “We wanted to use the summer holiday period as an opportunity for the community to get together and improve the area where they live.
 
“Working with the ‘Planet Protectors’ from Rimrose Hope, we identified a number of grot spots that will now be cleaned and tidied through a number of litter picks, which take place every Wednesday during the summer holidays.”

Fellow cabinet member and ward councillor Cllr Daren Veidman added: “As a reward any children who attend and help at two or more of these litter picks will receive a voucher for a free hair cut from a local hairdressers and a family pass for a show at the Plaza cinema!
 
“At our first clean up we collected more than 12 bags of rubbish. Not only did we clear away common litter items but we also removed TVs, a bike, bricks, wood, scaffold poles, footballs and more which had been dumped or left out in public.”
 
The next Church Ward Clean-Up event will be held on August 3rd at Gordon Road, with the junction of Rawson Road, from 10am.
 

Much needed summer food programme returns to Sefton

25 July 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
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

Council cabinet to consider Marine Lake Events Centre business case

20 July 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
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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