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In a first for the North West, Sefton Council was delighted to launch the Caring Business Charter today alongside local businesses, partners and care experienced young people – with 48 potential employers already signed up.

The Charter aims to improve visibility and access for care experienced young people to employment, training, apprenticeship, work experience and mentoring opportunities. Local businesses and employers have committed to offering these opportunities and support, and to guarantee job interviews where candidates are suitably qualified for a vacancy.

At the launch event today, young people had the chance to meet some of the local businesses already signed up to the Caring Business Charter and discuss what opportunities these businesses could offer them in future.

The list of signatories to date stands at some 48 organisations from the public and private sectors, covering a range of industries from construction and project management to hospitality and healthcare.

Cllr. Marion Atkinson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills said:

“I have been blown away by the enthusiasm from our local business community in supporting and enhancing our offer for our care experienced young people.

“Not only does this provide an amazing opportunity for our young people but I am sure businesses will feel the benefit of working alongside some fantastic young people with bags of potential.

“Statistics show that young people with experience of the care system can be disadvantaged in the jobs market. However, we are determined to use our local connections and influence to buck the trend here in Sefton and give our young people all the tools they need to be a success in whatever they choose to do.

“This launch is just the start, we hope to have many more local businesses signed up by the end of the year!”

Cllr. Mhairi Doyle, M.B.E., Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care said:

“The launch of our Caring Business Charter is a North West first and is just the beginning of our drive and duty to support our young people into adulthood and help them to gain experience in whatever industry they choose to make their own.

“I have been so thrilled to see our young people chatting with businesses and showcasing their own huge potential. I know that our local business community will learn just as much from our young people as they will from businesses.

“I am so excited to follow the journeys of our young people as they make great connections with our local community and maybe find an opportunity that kickstarts their future.”

Mark Davies, Architect Director from K2 Architects said:

“Over the last 12 months K2 Architects have worked closely with Sefton Council on how to repurpose The Strand Shopping Centre and align this with the Council’s vision for people first, connected, resilient and green, reaching net-zero carbon for 2030. We have built strong interpersonal relationships with our partners at Sefton Council and wider stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of their aims and objectives, increasing the chances of delivering successful outcomes.

“We respect the enormous passion and commitment that the Council has put into this process to drive real change to Bootle Town centre, and now the launching of the Caring Business Charter. When Sefton Council approached us to join this Charter, it was a very easy decision for us to back this great initiative, as there was an alignment of a shared values between us.

“This is about inclusivity, and as a caring business, we are committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, ensuring opportunity is there for all and no one is left behind.”

The Make a Difference Care Experienced group said:

“When you have experience of the care system, it can feel like the odds are stacked against you but schemes like this open doors into industries that we might never have even considered.

“Meeting the businesses today at the launch event gave us so much confidence that people in Sefton want to make a difference and help people with our life experiences showcase our potential.”

If your business is interested in signing up to our Caring Business Charter, please go to our website https://www.sefton.gov.uk/business/caring-business-charter/

With the 2022 Cazoo Classic teeing off today at Hillside on Sefton’s celebrated Golf Coast, the Council is reminding people about the opportunities to play locally.

Anyone inspired by the arrival of the DP World Tour on our doorstep, can play at the historic Southport Golf Links nearby for just £16 and for as little as £12 for a twilight ticket. Juniors can play a round for £8.

World leading

Originally opened in 1912, the course was designed by Harry Shapland Colt, one of the world’s leading golf course architects of his generation.

Across Sefton, around at Bootle Golf Club costs from just £13 and £8 for Juniors. Adult twilight tickets are £8.50.

And, until the end of July Sefton Council is offering free one-year junior golf memberships worth £80 to under-16s. Junior membership provide a year’s no-cost play at the Bootle and Southport courses.

Details of both courses and how to sign up for the free Junior membership can be found at www.sefton.gov.uk/golf or by calling Southport Golf Links on 01704 535 286 or Bootle Golf Club on 0151 928 1371.

Driving range

Anyone wanting to polish up their game to classic standards can also just turn up and play at Sefton Council’s 10-bay, floodlit Bootle Driving Range. Prices are just £6 for 100 balls or £4 for 50 balls.

People can find out more about Bootle Driving Range at www.sefton.gov.uk/driving-range.

Boost

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member Health and Wellbeing said: “As well as providing a major boost to the local economy, hosting an event like the Cazoo Classic on our famous Golf Coast can help inspire local people to enjoy this fabulous sport, as can successes like Southport’s Tommy Fleetwood coming joint fourth in last week’s Open at St Andrews. Well done Tommy.

“In Southport Links and Bootle, we have two great courses with equally great prices and the Driving Range, which opened last year is an excellent facility where people can improve their game or just try it out.

“We are keen to ensure young people in Sefton can experience golf, which is why we have introduced the Junior Membership offer for under-16s, which offers great value for money.”

Find out more about golf in Sefton

At its meeting next week, Sefton Council’s Cabinet will consider a report detailing the outcomes of the recent peer review, commissioned through the Local Government Association (LGA).

Positive feedback

Cabinet members are expected to welcome the positive feedback from the review team, which comprised the Leader of Barnsley Council, the Chief Executive at London Councils, Cheshire East Council’s Executive Director for Place and a Programme Manager from the LGA.

Their findings included that Sefton Council ‘had managed its budget effectively’ and that the Council ‘had worked purposefully and had seen an improved approach across all the areas’.

The review team also found progress had been made against all the recommendations of a previous 2018 peer review, and that Sefton Council has ‘a clear sense of direction around commercialisation’.

Strong leadership

And it said that the Council has strong political and managerial leadership, a committed and passionate workforce and good partner relationships across the Borough.

Among their recommendations were that the Council should ensure the refresh of its Vision for Sefton reflect key priorities such as improving Children’s Services. The review team also said that given how much change the world has seen over the past two years, Sefton Council should work with its partners to review the localities model.

Response

In its response, the Council has pointed out a new Executive Director Children’s Social Care and Education and Assistant Director Safeguarding Review & Quality Assurance are now in post and that six new permanent Service Managers have been recruited in Children’s Social Care.  Additionally, the frequency of Corporate Parenting Board and Overview and Scrutiny of Children’s Services and Safeguarding onto which the two Leaders of the main Opposition parties have been invited, have increased to every six weeks.

Next week’s report to Cabinet also sets out a timeline to develop a Vision and Core Purpose 2035.

Welcome

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services said: “I welcome the positive feedback from the peer review teams and am pleased that after being forced to make over £230 million of savings over the past 10 years due to Government funding cuts and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the review team agreed the Council is managing its budget effectively.

“I am also glad that we are already carrying out work to meet the review team’s recommendations and look forward to developing our renewed Vision and Core Purpose 2035.”

You can find the agenda and papers for next week’s Sefton Council Cabinet meeting, which takes place at 10am on Thursday 28th July at Bootle Town Hall, here.