People on low incomes living in over 200 poorly-insulated Sefton homes will benefit from the Council securing almost £2 million of government funding.
At its Annual meeting today, Sefton Council gave the go-ahead for the scheme, which will see 215 homes retrofitted with improved insulation. This will have the effect of reducing fuel costs to keep these homes warm during cold weather and cool during heatwaves.
The £1.9 million Green Homes Grant Local Delivery Scheme funding has come from The Department of Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as part of the Government’s post COVID-19 response. At its meeting today, Sefton Council formally accepted the funding as well as approving procurement for the work.
Reduced bills
Sefton Council Leader, Cllr Ian Maher, said: “By securing this funding, we can help reduce fuel bills for these low-income residents while at the same time improving their homes, reducing local carbon emissions, supporting local jobs and enhancing the communities where these homes are located.”
Sefton Council’s Retrofit Section, which is part of its Energy & Environmental Management Team, will manage the scheme’s delivery. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will be the accountable body for the grant funding.
Substantial investment
Cllr Maher added: “We have identified properties in the Netherton, Litherland and Bootle areas to benefit from this work. They were all constructed in ways that make them hard to insulate without the substantial investment that this funding makes possible.
“Through our Invest Sefton service we will utilise local contractors where possible and the scheme will to contribute to our Regional carbon reduction commitments and Climate Emergency Strategy.”
The grant funding conditions mean the insulation programme must be complete by the 31 December 2021. Contractors will be required to be Trustmark Accredited.
The Council will explore more, similar funding opportunities to upgrade Sefton homes when they become available later in 2021.
Sefton Council has welcomed praise from Jenny Harries, the head of NHS Test and Trace and Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency for the way it is dealing with the COVID variant first identified in India.
During the Downing Street briefing today Ms Harries said, “Sefton for example has done a brilliant job recently with rising cases of this variant.”
Margaret Jones, Sefton Council’s Director of Public Health said:
“Jenny’s comments are very welcome and reflect Sefton people’s willingness to work with us by getting vaccinated when they are invited, getting tested including coming forward for the targeted testing for the variant in Formby and sticking with precautions.
“They also reflect all the hard work and dedication by Sefton Council staff and our partners but it doesn’t mean we can relax. As recent events have shown, coronavirus is still with us and we all need to remain vigilant, follow the guidelines and protect ourselves and each other.
“That’s the only way we are going to return to the levels of normal life that we all want to see.”
Local coronavirus testing was introduced last week in Sefton’s Formby area in response to recent COVID-19 outbreaks, which showed cases of the variant first identified in India. Sefton Council is encouraging everyone aged over 16 who lives, works or studies in Formby to attend one of these dedicated local test sites, and anyone who has visited any venue in Formby over the last two weeks is also welcome to be tested at these sites.
Drive-through test centres have been set up at Deansgate Lane Park in Formby (L37 3LF) and at Ainsdale Hope on Sandringham Road (PR8 2PJ), and there is a walk-through test centre at Sefton Professional Development Centre (PDC) on Park Road (L37 6EW).
The Deansgate drive-through test centre is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, and the PDC on Park Lane will be open between 9am and 4pm seven days a week.
The test centre at Ainsdale is open from 9am until 4pm on Friday 14th May, but from Saturday 15th May will be open 9am to 8pm seven days a week.
Appointments are not needed for tests at any of these centres.
There are also pop-up test sites at Formby and Freshfields rail stations.
Open 9am to 4pm until Friday 21 May, the two sites will be offering PCR tests to people without COVID-19 symptoms as part of efforts to find cases of the virus variant first identified in India. The teams at the pop-ups will also be handing out free home testing kits and will be joined by Community COVID Engagement Officers who can provide vaccination advice.
People across Sefton are being reminded of the need to continue taking every precaution, getting tested and registering the results. And it is important that people go along to get their first and second vaccination jabs when they are offered them. You can now get the COVID-19 vaccine if you’re aged 38 and over or if your 38th birthday is between now and 1st July. You can book your appointment online or by phone.
Anyone with the coronavirus symptoms of a new, persistent cough, a fever or loss of taste or smell to self-isolate and book a PCR test by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.
And, whether vaccinated or not, it’s still important that people going to work or out and about take rapid tests, which are free and widely available across the Borough, twice a week.
Rapid home test kits can be collected from Bootle Town Hall and Splash World in Southport from 8am-8pm seven days a week. No appointments are needed.
Rapid tests for people without coronavirus symptoms usually provide a result in around 30 minutes. Rapid testing involves taking a throat & nasal swab, dropping the sample into the container supplied and then checking the result after 20 to 30 minutes.
Kits can also be collected between 2.30pm and 8pm, seven days a week, from walk-through Local Test Centres opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Crosby Library Car Park, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall. No appointments are needed.
People can also choose to have assisted testing at one of Sefton’s Rapid test sites, which are also open 8am to 8pm seven days a week and located at Bootle Leisure Centre and at Splash World in Southport.
Anyone without symptoms can visit the asymptomatic test sites at Bootle Town Hall and Splash World in Southport from 8am-8pm seven days a week, no appointments are needed.
Home Testing Kits can also be collected between 2.30pm and 8pm, seven days a week, from walk-through Local Test Centres opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Crosby Library Car Park, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall. No appointments are needed.
Freedom of Borough for NHS trusts proposal to Sefton Council’s cabinet
Next week’s meeting of Sefton Council’s Cabinet will discuss a proposal to grant Aintree and Liverpool University NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust the Honorary Freedom of the Borough.
A report to the meeting proposes the Council place on record its high appreciation of, and the debt of gratitude to the Trusts in the light of their hard work and dedication during the ‘devastation of the Covid 19 Pandemic’.
If agreed, the report will go forward to a future Full Council meeting and suggests organising a civic reception at an appropriate time for the two Trusts’ officers who have, the report says, ‘served Sefton Council and its residents tirelessly throughout the pandemic with hard work and dedication putting themselves at risk in ensuring the safety of others.’
Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council said:
“There can be no doubt that throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the staff of the Aintree and Liverpool University and Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trusts have worked tirelessly. They have, selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to protect the people of Sefton.
“These two organisations illustrate perfectly why the National Health Service is seen by most as the jewel in Britain’s crown and it would seem appropriate to mark their steadfast service by conferring the Honorary Freedom of the Borough on them.”
Conferring of the Freedom of the Borough upon an individual or service is the highest honour the Council can bestow. It gives the receiving organisation ‘the right, privilege, honour and distinction of marching through the streets of the Borough on all ceremonial occasions with colours flying, bands playing, drums beating and bayonets fixed’.
Previous organisation to have been granted Freedom of the Borough include RAF Woodvale, in 2011, and No. 238 (Sefton) Squadron, 156 Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport, in 1982. Individuals who have had the honour bestowed upon them include Jamie Carragher, in 2004, and Donald “Ginger” McCain in 2006.
Scrolls of Honorary Freemen and organisations awarded Freedom of Entry to the Borough are displayed in the Mayor’s Parlour at Bootle and Southport Town Halls. Honorary Freemen can also attend and take part in civic receptions and functions to which all Members of the Council are invited.
The costs of the scroll and reception for Aintree and Liverpool University NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust would be financed from the Mayoral Hospitality budget provision.
Next week’s Cabinet meeting takes place at 10am on Thursday 27th May in The Ballroom at Bootle Town Hall.
Sefton Council are being asked to approve bids of up to £20m each for projects across Sefton as part of the government’s Levelling Up Fund.
If successful, the funding will help boost the regeneration and recovery in parts of the borough that have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing jobs and investment to areas that have received less government investment in recent years.
Projects to be submitted as part of the bid will support the ongoing regeneration and recovery as part of the wider transformation of Bootle, including the Bootle Area Action Plan and the wider regeneration of Bootle town centre.
The proposed bid for Bootle will include exploration of new visitor attraction in the town centre. A ‘Flying Cinema’ would be a unique and complementary part of the region’s visitor offer and will help diversify use and increase town centre footfall.
This interactive and immersive experience would complement plans already in place at Bootle Canalside for a food, drink and events space. Although work continues to progress the bid in advance of the submission date, such a leisure attraction could include a unique “Fly Over Britain” experience, along with immersive shows focused on the history of Bootle and the region.
Additionally, Everton Football Club are supportive of the Levelling Up Funding bid, given the site’s proximity to the new stadium location at Bramley Moore Dock, transport commitments made through the planning process to connect Bootle Town Centre, the proposed stadium development, and mutually beneficial community and regeneration opportunities for canalside and towpath links between the stadium site and Bootle Town Centre.
If Cabinet approval is granted at next Thursday’s meeting, a bid will also be submitted for funding to bring new uses into Crosby village, broadening the community services on offer, attracting investment and increasing footfall within the town centre.
Plans include a community hub centred around a new library, community healthcare services, a public café and new residential accommodation in the heart of the village centre.
This new state of the art facility will be perfectly placed to help create a vibrant new community hub which will serve local residents for many years to come in a modern energy efficient, attractive, landmark multi-purpose building. This will encourage significant numbers of local residents and visitors in to the town centre supporting the wider objectives of covid recovery and long term economic stability.
The development will involve significant improvements to town centre access arrangements and also bring with it improvements to public realm creating safer and more attractive gateways into Crosby centre particularly for pedestrians and cyclists.
Following submission of the Heads of Terms for the Southport Town Deal, options for a Southport bid will also be reviewed, exploring opportunities complementary to the exciting projects being progress via the Town Deal.
All bids will be community focused, drawing from local community consultation and engagement in the coming weeks and months, in particular from young people, schools and colleges.
Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council said:
“There are some fantastic opportunities for our communities as part of the Levelling Up Fund to bring jobs, investment and recovery to parts of our borough that have been hit hard by the pandemic.
“I am pleased that community remains at the heart of our plans for regeneration; we want to attract people to our town centres as well as improving them for the people who live there.
“The projects that will be submitted as part of our bid for funding are varied, ambitious and will shine a light on what Bootle and Crosby have to offer, bringing much needed footfall and focus to our town centres.”
Sefton is eligible to submit up to three bids to the £4.8billion fund, to be invested in local projects focused on town centre and high street regeneration, local transport, cultural and heritage projects.
The first bids would be submitted by 18th June 2021, with the timescales and criteria for future bidding rounds to be announced.
/ends
Behind the scenes images reveal amazing transformation of Southport Market
The brand new look Southport Market is on course to open its doors this summer, thanks to the hard work of Sefton Council and its partners.
Finishing touches are being applied to the iconic market space as it undergoes a major transformation into a leading food, drinks and events space that will boost the local economic and tourism sectors.
In the run up to Tourism Week 2021, the latest behind the scenes images have been revealed showing the incredible work by project contractors Medlock to change the interior of the building.
Work will soon commence on applying the finer details to the market’s aesthetic, combining key elements of Southport’s heritage with a modern and sleek events space.
External funding from The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Southport Town Deal acceleration fund has been secured making the scheme possible.
The £1.4m scheme, which is a key enabler and an early part of Sefton Council’s Covid-19 recovery plan for Southport, will see 10 new locally based food units and a feature bar installed. This will be supported by a flexible events area able to host high-quality markets along with other events.
Southport Market will also include a Changing Places space which is a fully accessible toilet and changing facility for people with disability needs.
Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “It is incredible to see all our hard work nearing completion and I cannot wait to see the Market open for everyone to enjoy.
“Southport Market is an iconic location and one of considerable historic importance to the resort, which is why we have ensured the space is brimming with local touches and influences.
“Our amazing tourism team have been hard at work with The Atkinson to source old images of Southport to be used throughout the market, as well as local sign writer Graham Booth to design some of the internal signage.
“Sefton’s tourism offer is incredibly diverse, exciting and vibrant and this Tourism Week is more important than ever before to showcase how vital a role tourism will play in our economic recovery following the pandemic.”
Once complete it is hoped the revitalised market will act as an enabler for Southport, and forms early plans of an ambitious regeneration programme for the town following the success of the £37.5 Southport Town Deal bid.
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