Essential Sefton

To celebrate the Liverpool City Region’s Year of Environment, we’re asking you to Go Green! and switch to a green energy tariff with the Merseyside Collective Switch.

Run by local charity Energy Projects Plus, in partnership with your local authority, the Merseyside Collective Switch uses the power of the group to negotiate cheap energy tariffs, available exclusively to its members. Anyone can join and it’s completely free.

If the winning tariffs aren’t right for you, we will help you find one that is. Plus, by switching with the Merseyside Collective Switch, you will be helping to support charity Energy Projects Plus, who work with local people who are vulnerable to the cold or living in fuel poverty.

The Merseyside Collective Switch has been running since 2013. Together, we’ve helped local people save £1.5 million on their energy bills.

This year, we’re asking you to think about going green. Most of the larger suppliers now offer green tariffs, which means they use renewable energy sources such as wind power, rather than fossil fuels.

Alan Jemmett, Director, Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service said: “Collective switching is a great opportunity for securing a greener energy supplier and giving communities an opportunity to save on bills and avoid fuel poverty.

“Year of Environmental Action for the Liverpool City Region is delighted to partner this initiative. Sustainable Energy is one of our themes for 2019. By switching energy and using it wisely you can make a personal contribution to climate emergencies.”

“Switching your energy tariff with the Merseyside Collective Switch is both quick and easy, and it could save you hundreds of pounds a year.

“Whether you’re a savvy or reluctant switcher, it’s always worth shopping around to check if you’re on the best deal. If you haven’t switched recently you may be on your suppliers most expensive standard tariff. You may find a better deal elsewhere or even with your existing supplier.

“The winning tariffs have often been the cheapest on the market. Previous winners have included Big 6 suppliers such as British Gas, E.on, SSE and EDF Energy as well as Ovo and Green Energy.

“Offers have been included for prepayment meter (or pay as you go) customers as well as direct debit and pay on receipt of bill customers, so there’s something for everyone.

“The Merseyside Collective Switch also includes a full market comparison, so if the winning deals aren’t right for you, you can find one that is.”

The service is free, and there’s no obligation to switch if you decide not to.

Registration for this round closes on 10th October. We will then contact you to let you know about the deals that have been negotiated for the group.

To join the Collective Switch visit www.lcrenergyswitch.co.uk/ or call the local Save Energy Advice Line on freephone 0800 043 0151, where you can also get other free and impartial support to help you save energy at home.

Southport Business Improvement District (BID) is looking to recruit a new Chief Executive and voluntary Director’s to lead them through their second five-year term, which begins this November.

Having received a successful yes vote from the businesses within the town centre this June, Southport BID’s vision for their second term is to make a meaningful difference to the future of Southport.

By working in partnership, the BID’s main aim will be to work to help make Southport a forward-facing town.

Representing over 740 businesses of all sizes in the town centre, the BID will use the money invested from them via a levy, to deliver projects designed to make Southport greener, cleaner and safer, to add value to the town through events and to attract and support new and existing business.

Newly appointed interim Chair of the BID, Susannah Porter, knows there are big challenges ahead but says the team of passionate and committed Directors are feeling confident and positive about what can be delivered, “We are grateful for the show of support the levy payers gave us in voting for a second term.

“We know there have been challenges but we are determined to evolve and build on the achievements of the first five years and make Southport an inspiring place to live, work, shop and invest.

“We will be listening closely to the views of the levy payers to make sure the projects we invest in represent their priorities for the town.

“As such will be undertaking a consultation project over the coming weeks and will introduce working groups going forward to give people a chance to tell us, be heard and be actively involved in our projects.

“We want to work harder to talk to our levy payers and the wider Southport Community, constructively and positively. We are also looking for more stakeholders with the core skills to support our Management team to join our Board of Directors”

The Southport BID Board is made up of representatives from the local business community who offer their time and expertise to oversee the activity of the BID.

All BID Directors are unpaid in their role. Susannah says “we are applying a rigorous application process to ensure we find the very best candidates with the skills, experience and knowledge to help oversee the development of project ideas, drive investment and engagement whilst ensuring value is delivered to levy payers”.

Ahead of the new term, the BID will also recruit a new CEO to replace Hugh Evans, who recently retired. They hope to have someone in place once the new term begins and are looking for a candidate with experience in place management, who has the skill set to drive the BID, and Southport, forward with vision and strategic thinking.

To launch the new term, the BID will host their annual AGM on the 14th November. The event will host with key note industry speakers and will provide a chance for levy payers to meet the team of Directors and find out more about the plans for the next five years. Full details of the event will be announced soon on their website.

Southport BID was re-elected for a second term in June of this year following a successful ballot result. Each eligible property received a ballot paper and a 58% yes vote was returned. The new term officially begins on the 1st November this year and runs until 2019. More details of the ballot process and the BID’s current project can be found on their website – southportbid.com.

The Board ask that all potential applicants for the CEO or Director roles should head to the website to find out more about the positions or how to get apply.

Susannah is available on chair@southportbid.com – and as someone who lives and works within the town centre, she is always happy and willing to meet business owners with any questions or feedback.

Some evening lane closures and diversions will be in place on the M58 as improvement works continue.

Sefton Council’s contractors, John Sisk and Sons, are making progress on the construction of the two slip roads at Junction 1 of the M58 providing a northbound off slip and a southbound on-slip.

Necessary works on the motorway will start on Tuesday, August 27 and last until Wednesday, September 4. They will be carried during the night, between 9pm and 5.30am, and will include some lane closures, and on some nights, full closures of the motorway. Diversion routes will be in place

As well as improving journey times between Maghull and North Liverpool, it is hoped the scheme will reduce traffic on the A59 and some residential roads and facilitate potential future development in the Maghull area.

For more information on the scheme visit www.sefton.gov.uk or follow us on Twitter and Facebook for regular updates and progress. Sisk will provide regular updates on Twitter @M58J1.