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Advocacy groups merge to better help people in Sefton

30 January 2018
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News

Two groups designed to help a number of people across Sefton have merged to form a supergroup.

Sefton Pensioners’ Advocacy Centre and Sefton Advocacy are very pleased to announce that they are merging and that the new larger charity will be known as Sefton Advocacy.

Following a period of talks and consultation, the two charities decided that in order to keep providing high quality advocacy services to the people of Sefton it was in their best interests to merge and become a larger, single charity.

Sefton Pensioners’ Advocacy Centre is currently a leading force in the field of older peoples’ advocacy projects, as one of the largest independent charities with an exceptional local and national reputation.

They have over 20 years’ experience of supporting the voice of older people with specific focus on people living with Dementia, Older people affected by Cancer, Housing & Care Projects and facilitating five older peoples’ forums across Sefton.

Sefton Advocacy’s expertise lies in the fact that it continues to be the only generic service within the Borough that offers one-to-one advocacy, help, information and advice.

Alison Ayres, Service Manager of Sefton Advocacy, said

“We have seen a growth of referrals with many more residents turning to our volunteer led service for support throughout the year. As a charity, we offer a wide range of benefits to ‘Our Sefton Community’, ensuring that there is a long-established service for anyone with a problem to access.

“The merger has come about in order to ensure that all residents of Sefton can continue to have the support of Advocacy.

“In these times of austerity, the board’s of both organisations decided that to take advocacy forward in a sustainable way it was in everyone’s best interest to merge. The new charity will be a single place of contact for Advocacy across Sefton and has the potential to develop new and innovative projects and areas of support.

“Providing the most vulnerable with an independent voice can have a transforming effect upon the individual and the wider community. A merging of these two organisations will strengthen this service and voice for Sefton residents.”

Andrew Booth, Director of Sefton Pensioners’ Advocacy Centre and the new CEO of Sefton Advocacy, added:

“The support of Advocates and the strategic role for Advocacy Organisations are needed now more than ever.

“This merger will help us provide more one to one independent support for our communities, across all age groups and enable us to grow to meet the needs we, and our population, are identifying.”

Trees in Formby

29 January 2018
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council

Vital tree works will take place this week (commencing January 29) along Chapel Lane, Formby.

Chapel Lane will be temporarily closed to vehicles while the works take place each day. The road will reopen to traffic during the evenings.

The works will also allow for the planting of seven new trees before the end of March 2018, with replacement trees expected to be a mix of species including non-fruiting horse chestnut.

A study of the Chapel Lane trees by Sefton’s Parks and Greenspaces team has found that five existing trees are in need of pruning works, while five large and one small horse chestnut trees were found to have severely declined in recent years.

The 6 dying trees must be removed before they pose a significant health and safety risk.

Three large and one small tree are planned to be removed this week and the remaining two will be monitored and removed over a phased process.

Local residents and businesses nearby have been fully informed throughout this process.

Link Road Success

26 January 2018
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council

The A5758 Broom’s Cross Road (Thornton to Switch Island Link Road) has been praised through a top industry award.   

At the start of the Broom’s Cross Road contract, Sefton Council registered the scheme with CEEQUAL (Civil Engineering Environmental QUALity scheme).

CEEQUAL is the international evidence-based sustainability assessment, rating and awards scheme for civil engineering. It promotes and celebrates the achievement of high environmental and social performance in civil engineering, infrastructure, landscaping, and public realm projects.

The whole A5758 scheme was assessed, from original concept, through design, construction and completion. Following a detailed assessment against the CEEQUAL award criteria, the scheme was awarded the ‘excellent’ standard.

A certificate to celebrate ‘excellence’ was recently presented to Cllr Ian Maher, Labour leader at Sefton Council, at a Full Council meeting at Bootle Town Hall.

The 2.8 mile link road opened in the summer of 2015 and was constructed by main contractors Balfour Beatty. Broom’s Cross is the site of a medieval wayside cross near Thornton.

The road provides a faster, more direct link between the A565 in Thornton and the motorway network at Switch Island. It has also helped reduce ‘through traffic’ in the community of Netherton.

Cllr Ian Maher, Labour leader at Sefton Council, said: “It was a great honour to receive the award from CEEQUAL for a scheme that has made the whole of Sefton more accessible.

“It demonstrates the Council’s ability to deliver high quality infrastructure schemes across the borough.”

Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Locality Services, said: “The road took a number of years to develop and construct and the fact it has been recognised through a top industry award goes to show how the time was well spent in planning and building a wonderful link road.

“Thousands of vehicles use the road every single day because of the improved links to the national motorway system at Switch Island.

“Construction of the road particularly resulted in environmental improvements to the area, including the creation of four new wildlife ponds and the planting of 39,000 new trees and shrubs.”

The total cost for the road was ÂŁ20.4m – with ÂŁ14.5m from the Department for Transport and ÂŁ5.9m from Sefton Council.

Chris Broadbent, CEEQUAL Managing Director, said: “It is a great pleasure to be able to present a CEEQUAL Award to this project to recognise the significant environmental and sustainability achievements of the Thornton to Switch Island Link Road team.”

Paul Weaver, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s North & Midlands regional business West Delivery Unit, added: “We are delighted that the A5758 Broom’s Cross Road (Thornton to Switch Island Link Road) has achieved the ‘Excellent’ status from CEEQUAL.

“It recognises our on-going commitment to the environment throughout the construction of this new ‘link’ road. At Balfour Beatty we strive to leave a positive footprint on the local environment including the integration of environmental and sustainability initiatives throughout the project lifecycle from conception to construction.”

For more information about the scheme and the Sefton case study visit: www.ceequal.com/case-studies/a5758-brooms-cross-road-thornton-to-switch-island-link/

Ditch Those Stabilizers returns for 2018 Half term fun

24 January 2018
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Health, Latest News

Back by popular demand during the February 2018 half term, Sefton Council is delighted to offer a number of ‘Ditch Those Stabilisers’ cycling events.

Children aged four and above can learn to ride a bike unaided at sessions in Litherland and Southport.

The events have a very high success rate and staff from the Council’s highway safety team will offer a range of practical advice to young riders and their parents.

Sessions are free but pre-booking is essential. Join in the fun at Litherland Sports Park, Boundary Lane on Tuesday, February 13 between 9am-12pm or Shoreside Primary School, Westminster Drive on Thursday, February 16 from 9am to 12pm.

Parents of youngsters that have taken part in previous sessions have said: “Thank you to you and your team for this morning’s cycling session.

“It was brilliantly run and the positive attitude and enthusiasm of you and your team was evident from the start. Great tips, great advice, and great results.

“We have absolutely loved the session learning skills to carry this on and enjoy cycling together as a family!”

Pre booking is essential due to popularity. To register, call Sefton Council, on 0345 140 0845.’

New changes for Private Rented Landlords & Tenants

22 January 2018
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Business and Economy, Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News, Your Sefton

From March 1, 2018 landlords who privately rent out their properties will be required to obtain a new licence from Sefton Council if their properties are located within selected areas in the borough.

Sefton Council approved the implementation of two new housing licensing schemes in September, 2017 in separate areas of the borough. Both schemes will run until the end of February 2023.

Click here to find out more and apply

Sefton designated an area of Bootle as being subject to Selective licensing, (all privately rented properties) and has designated parts of Seaforth, Waterloo, Brighton-le-Sands and Southport as being subject to Additional licensing.

Additional licensing requires all houses defined as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) to apply for a housing licence.  Mandatory licensing for larger HMO properties is currently a national requirement.

A full list of all streets affected along with further details of the schemes, licensing conditions and fees are available on sefton.gov.uk.

Landlords will be required to meet a range of licence conditions, and show that they have appropriate management arrangements in place.

It is an offence, which can result in fines of any amount, if the landlord or person in control of the property:

•           fails to apply for a licence for a licensable property, or
•           allows a property to be occupied by more people than is permitted under the licence
•           breaches any of the licence conditions

If you are a landlord, a person managing a property within the areas of the designation you are advised to check whether your property will require a licence and ensure that you apply for one per property.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member Communities and Housing, said: “We have areas where many properties currently fail to meet the required homes standard, which can have a terrible impact on the health and welfare of their tenants and their wider communities.

“The schemes we have introduced aim to reduce that by making sure private landlords meet satisfactory standards of tenancy and property management.

“But it is also about tenants behaving in a way that does not blight or impact on their community and shows respect for their neighbours.

“If you are a landlord renting a property in any of the designated areas, you must check whether your property will need a licence from March 1, 2018.”

Landlords can apply for a reduced fee for either applying within the first 3 months of the scheme, being accredited or when a Sefton accredited managing agent is appointed by the landlord to be the licence holder. Further details of the reduced fees are available on the Council’s website.

Further details of Sefton’s property (and managing agent) accreditation schemes are available on www.sefton.gov.uk/housing. Early application for property accreditation is encouraged.

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