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To help people facing a difficult winter because of soaring fuel bills and rising prices in the shops, Sefton Council and Sefton Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) have been developing a ‘Warm Places scheme.

Keep warm without fear

Sefton’s Warm Places will be a network of community venues that local people affected by the current cost of living crisis can visit to keep warm without the fear of what they are spending on gas and electricity.

Sefton Council and Sefton CVS have identified a number of local community organisations that responded to a recent Cost Of Living survey, to set up a network of Warm Spaces. At each location, hot drinks and snacks will be available and there will be access to books and games for people to enjoy while they are there. Some would also include social activities run by volunteers.,

Libraries across the Borough will be part of the Warm Places network but are already providing a warm, year-round welcome as well as free computer and Wi-Fi access for people who might struggle to get online.

Enormous pressure

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: “Recognising the enormous pressure that some households across Sefton would be facing under the growing cost of living crisis, which is, in reality, about the cost of surviving, the Council and Sefton Council for Voluntary Services began the process of establishing these Warm Places.

“We approached community groups and venues across the Borough because they are already geared up to meet the needs of local people. We asked them to propose suitable locations that are accessible, are on or close to public transport routes and that can cater for people of all ages including parents and young babies.

“We have had a number of proposals, which we now need to follow up so that Warm Places can start to open up for local people who have been left desperate, not knowing don’t where to turn, before winter really hits.”

Welcoming

Angel White, Chief Executive of Sefton CVS said: “During a time when our local communities are facing unprecedented pressures of the cost of living crisis, Sefton’s voluntary, community and faith sector have once again risen to the challenge to provide practical frontline support to Sefton residents.

“Sefton CVS are pleased to be working in partnership with Sefton Council to coordinate a network of community venues across the borough to offer warm, welcoming spaces to local residents who may be struggling with their household energy costs during the winter months”.

Participating organisations will have to show that providing a Warm Hub place will be over and above the existing services they provide. They will also need to prove they have measure such as health and safety, safeguarding and liability insurances in place. As well as covering the running of venues and providing warm meals and drinks, the funding will help with the additional costs for activities and volunteers to run them.

Stepped up

Cllr Hardy added: “As hard as it is to believe that in this day and age, we are having to take these measures to help people with a national crisis that is about the cost of people surviving, I am pleased that Seton’s local community groups and organisations have stepped up with some positive proposals, which we hope to see in place soon.”

Sefton Council has set up a special Cost of Living section on its website at www.sefton.gov.uk/costofliving . Areas it covers include Welfare Benefits, free school meals, 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.

People can also visit The Sefton Support Hub, a digital One Stop Shop for residents to find help, advice and guidance, as well as financial and social support.

And, because there are those who do not have easy access to digital information, the Council has also produced and distributed an easy-print factsheet. It contains advice about support available as well as a reminder that there is free computer and Wi-Fi access at all Sefton Council Libraries. People just need to visit their local branch to find out more.

You can download the factsheet here.

The Council’s Contact Centre can also be contacted on 0345 140 0845.

Decarbonisation works to improve the energy efficiency of Bootle and Southport town halls has been completed.

Specialist roof insulation as well as glazing upgrades have been installed at both the listed buildings as one part of Sefton Council’s ambitions to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve its goal of Net Zero Carbon by 2030.

The retrofit works follow the Council Energy Team’s successful bid to The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. The council was awarded £788,087 as part of the scheme, which is being delivered by Salix Finance.

The scheme aims to put the public sector at the forefront of decarbonising buildings in the UK.

Decarbonisation work, managed by Sefton Council’s Energy Team, began in February 2021 and was completed in September 2022.

A specialist heritage contractor was appointed to improve the glazing and roof insulation in both buildings, ensuring that key historic features were maintained and protected. Works were overseen by BTP Architects and carried out by Trinity Renovations.

As part of the project a large stained-glass window in Bootle Ballroom was repaired, re-leaded and framed, with secondary glazing added. It now means the window is safeguarded for future generations to enjoy as well as being fit for a more energy efficient future.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Chair of Member Reference Group on Climate Emergency said: “It is wonderful to see to buildings so integral to the Sefton community being made more energy efficient.

“Making our buildings environmentally friendly is a key part of our work towards Net Carbon Zero by 2030. The work by BTP Architects and Trinity Renovations has been excellent, and the town halls look wonderful.”

Programme Co-Ordinator from Salix Finance, Natalie Hobbs said: “We are very pleased to be joining the Council on its decarbonisation journey and support their challenging project, particularly when working with such amazing listed buildings. Salix are incredibly happy to support the Borough to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to celebrate the success of Bootle and Southport Town Hall Retrofit project being completed .”

Sefton Council Cabinet Member Cllr Paulette Lappin has expressed concern that households in the Borough may be missing out on a possible £150 energy rebate payment, because it is being overshadowed by people’s concerns about domestic fuel bills.

Apply online

Households in Sefton, in Council Tax bands A to D, that have not yet received a one-off £150 Energy Rebate can apply online for a payment through a discretionary scheme. Those who are eligible could include people who are directly responsible for energy costs but whose Council Tax is paid by someone else such as a housing provider, a charity or a non-resident owner.

People who became liable to pay Council Tax to Sefton Council on or after 2nd April 2022, perhaps because of a house move, could also qualify.

You can find out more and apply here.

Don’t miss out

Cllr Lappin, who is Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Compliance and Corporate Services, said: “We have finished making automatic payments to eligible properties and now we want to make sure that households in this last group who qualify don’t miss out by missing the end-of-October deadline.

“We don’t know exactly how many households will qualify for this discretionary £150 payment, but it could be between 200 and 300 across the Borough. But although we have been publicising the scheme since it opened, so far we have had relatively few applications.”

Concern and uncertainty

Cllr Lappin puts this down to the huge levels of concern and uncertainty people have been facing over sky-rocketing electricity and gas bills, and the subsequent announcement of the Government’s per-unit price cap scheme.

She said: “I think people have been so focused on whether they are going to be able to heat their homes and the long wait for the Prime Minister to eventually announce the Government would be providing households with a loan to keep bills down, they may have not noticed this scheme.

“It is open to those who were for whatever reason excluded from the initial payments, but the closing date for applications is Monday 31^st October.

“To find out more and put in an application, all people need to do is visit www.sefton.gov.uk/discretionary.”

Evidence

Completing the application requires applicants to provide evidence of occupation and direct payment of energy costs. This means having their Tenancy Agreement, Rent Statement or Completion Statement and their energy bills. They also need to provide their Bank Sort Code and their Bank Account name and number.

Sefton Council has already paid out in the region of £15 million to around 106,000 households in Sefton through the original scheme of automatic payments.

Cllr Lappin added:
“I would also like to remind anyone struggling to access the online application that there is free computer and Wi-Fi access at all Sefton Council Libraries. They just need to visit their local branch to find out more.”

You can find out more and apply here.