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Sefton Council launches Extra Care Housing consultation

13 February 2023
Sian McCosh
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Local Consultation, Your Sefton

A consultation seeking views on Sefton Council’s Extra Care allocation guidelines is now underway.

As part of its Sefton 2030 vision, the Council pledged to ensure that residents have a choice of housing within the Borough. As part of this, work has begun to develop a number of Extra Care housing facilities.

Living independently

Extra Care housing is designed for older and vulnerable residents and enables people to live independently while having easy access to on-site care and support when needed. As well as providing a home for residents who have a care need, it will ensure that couples can remain housed together and that older carers are supported.

Sefton Council are aiming to develop 1300 homes across fifteen developments in Sefton by 2036.

Feedback encouraged

Sefton residents are being invited to share their views on the Extra Care Allocation Policy, which details the eligibility and process for applying to Extra Care Housing in the Borough. Respondents will be asked to comment on a draft policy which covers areas such as age, care and financial eligibility.

Cllr Cummins, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care said: “Giving our residents who require care the support to live independently for longer is one of the Council’s key areas of focus.

“I’m delighted that we are moving forward with Extra Care Housing, which promises to give older people the greater control and choice over their own care.

“Hearing from the public is always a vital part of these processes and I’m looking forward to hearing what people have to say.”

Cllr Hardy, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities said: “We want to ensure that people in Sefton have plenty of housing options available to them, and the introduction of over 500 Extra Care homes will be of great benefit to older residents in the Borough.

“The aim is to develop communities that people enjoy being part of and take pride in, and your views are key to helping us to achieve this goal.”

Have your say

The consultation was launched last week (Friday 10th February) and will run until Monday 27th March 2023. The results will be used to shape the future of Sefton’s Extra Care Housing.

Anyone wanting take to part in the consultation can do so by taking part in a short survey at https://yourseftonyoursay.sefton.gov.uk/

Further information can be found at https://www.sefton.gov.uk/housing

Memorial to ‘always smiling’ Sefton councillor unveiled in Bootle

13 February 2023
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News

A special memorial plaque has been unveiled in memory of a Sefton councillor.

Cllr Gordon Friel, who served on Sefton Council since being elected to represent Lincare Ward in 1994, sadly passed away at the age of 69 last year.

Well Known Face

He was a well known face among the local authority and served on both the Licensing and Planning committees during his time representing Sefton.

Cllr Friel also represented the borough on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee.

Now a special memorial plaque has been unveiled at the Living Wall on Washington Parade in Bootle by Cllr Friel’s family and Linacre ward Councillors.

The Friel family were joined by Cllr John Fairclough, Cllr Christine Maher and Cllr Dan McKee for the unveiling.

Tribute

Speaking in tribute to his friend and former colleague, Cllr John Fairclough, deputy leader of Sefton Council, said:

“I will remember Gordon as always smiling.”

“A respected councillor Gordon was first elected in May 1994 and faithfully represented Linacre ward for the last 28 years.

“Gordon was a former union convener (rep) at the Jacobs factory in Aintree and stood on behalf of Sefton residents on boards and in many other roles during his time as an elected member.

“He will be sadly missed by both colleagues officers and those who knew him and we hope the Living Wall will serve as a poignant tribute to the work Gordon did for his community.

“Our thoughts remain with his family at this time.”

Cllr Christine Maher added:

“Gordon gave me tremendous support, help and advice after I was elected and I will miss him dearly.”

Sefton Council once again provide vital half term support

13 February 2023
Bridie Finnan
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News

Children and families in Sefton will once again be supported over half term as the Council provides vouchers to over 9,000 families who are eligible for free school meals. The vouchers worth ÂŁ15 per child per week will provide a valuable resource for families who may be worrying about the cost of the upcoming half term.

Vouchers can be used to buy food from local supermarkets, either in-store or online by eligible families who qualify for free school meals. The half-term meals vouchers can only be spent on food and essentials and can’t be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, phone top-ups or stamps and is intended to provide vital support to families who may be struggling.

 

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

“Sadly, for a lot of families across Sefton people are worried about fuel bills, inflation, interest rates and prices in the shops all of which have rocketed and had a real impact on our communities.

“By providing around 9,000 Sefton families with these meal vouches for the school holiday period, we can hopefully help to ease some of their concerns and remove the worry for this half term break.

“It is important that we support those who may be struggling this winter and ensure kids in Sefton don’t go hungry over half term.”

 

Free school meals and how to apply for them is one of the areas covered in the special Cost of Living section that Sefton Council has set up on its website at www.sefton.gov.uk/costofliving.

Other areas include Welfare Benefits, help with rent and Council Tax, debt advice, health and wellbeing, foodbanks & food pantries and a link to the Sefton Support Hub.

Additionally, there are details of the Emergency Limited Assistance (ELAS) scheme, which can provide a one-off payment to Sefton residents experiencing severe hardship, a disaster or emergency.

Sefton Council release revised Orrell Mount Park master plan

10 February 2023
Amy Hitchmough
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Categories: Front Page, Green Sefton, Latest News

Sefton Council has today published a revised Orrell Mount Park master plan.

The revised master plan sets a vision for the park in the future, for which funding will now be sought.

Improvement plans

Renovations to the Park’s pavilion building, new and improved play and recreation facilities and the creation of a ‘Nature Trail’ are among the proposals. Benches, bins, and signage in the park will be upgraded and the Park’s biodiversity broadened by the planting of additional trees and shrub.

In 2022, Sefton Council undertook a two-month consultation on the master plan to find out what local people wanted for the Park’s future.

Seventy per-cent of the respondents supported improving the pavilion building and bringing the building back into use for the community and over sixty per-cent supported the work to improve benches, bins, and signage.

Cllr Maher, Sefton Council Leader and local ward councillor said:
“This master plan for Orrell Mount Park shows that we have taken account of people’s views and put together a set of proposals that reflect what people told us they want to see.

“It will bring considerable improvements to this space for communities and future generations, and I look forward to seeing it progressed, should funding become available.”

3G Football Pitch Proposal

Almost 1,000 people provided feedback on the proposals which included the creation of a 3G football pitch for use by local groups and clubs. Because there was no clear majority for the pitch proposals – forty-nine per-cent voted for it, forty-nine per-cent voted against it and the remaining two per-cent neither supported nor opposed it, the Council decided it would not go ahead and brought forward the revised master plan.

Cllr Maher added:
“At each stage we have taken every opportunity to engage and liaise with the local community, and this will continue as proposals develop.”

Illustrative map of revised plans for Orrell Mount Park

Living Well’ bus service returning to Sefton on 10th, 14th & 22nd February offering COVID-19 vaccinations and free health checks

9 February 2023
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News, Uncategorized

Decorative graphicThe ‘Living Well’ bus service is returning to Bootle and Southport to offer residents COVID-19 vaccines and free physical health checks.

No appointment needed

The bus will be at the following locations from 10:30am-4pm, with no appointment needed:

  • Friday 10th February – Former H Samuel Unit, Strand Shopping Centre, 73 The Hexagon, Bootle, L20 4SZ
  • Tuesday 14th February – Park Hotel, 36 Weld Road, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 2ED
  • Wednesday 22nd February – Shopping area on Chapel Street, Southport, PR8 1BZ

Decorative graphicWhen the service visits Bootle on Friday 10th February, those eligible will be able to get their autumn booster before the programme ends on Sunday 12th February.

In Southport on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 22nd February, first, second and third doses for those who are immunosuppressed of the COVID-19 vaccine will be on offer for anyone who has missed them.

Free health checks

Free holistic health checks will also be available to residents aged 18 and over. These include a pulse check and blood pressure check, cholesterol and blood glucose check and a BMI check. NHS health checks are designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia.

Decorative graphicJan Leonard, primary care lead for Sefton at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside said: “I would urge anyone who is eligible for the autumn booster and hasn’t yet taken up the offer to visit the ‘Living Well’ service in Bootle on Friday 10 February to get protected. The booster offers the best protection against serious illness from COVID-19.

“I would also urge people to take up the offer of a free health check from the Living Well service – what better time than Valentines Day to look after your heart and take steps to protect your health and wellbeing.”

You can find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine, who is eligible, and to book an appointment online or find other walk-in vaccination sites on the NHS website.

 

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