Please follow & like us

RSS
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
YouTube
Instagram

Latest News

‘Menopause and the workplace’ programme praised by University of Liverpool staff

21 February 2022
Amy Hitchmough
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News

Sefton Council has been leading the way in raising awareness on the menopause and its effects on the workplace.

The Local Authority’s dedicated, Active Workforce team works with local organisations across Sefton to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees.

Following the launch of Sefton’s new Menopause policy in 2020, Active Workforce set to help foster a more open and positive approach to the condition within workplaces across the Liverpool City Region.

Active Workforce have received praise from the University of Liverpool following the delivery of interactive and informative workshops around the menopause and its symptoms.

Joy Vogt, Executive Officer at University of Liverpool said, “I lead the University’s Menopause Support Network but believe it’s important that colleagues and managers from across the organisation are educated on this subject. The sessions delivered by Active Workforce have been informative and well received by all attendees.

“The sessions explain what menopause is, its symptoms, how it affects women and those around them, and importantly how to support colleagues in the workplace.

“There was a fantastic case study shared that really helped provide context and bring the information we’d learnt into reality. I was quite well informed about menopause due to my role in the support network, however this case study surprised me, and it was interesting to see how other colleagues responded.

“I feel the training has helped raise awareness of this topic within the organisation and I would love to see more sessions run over the course of the year, allowing more people to have the opportunity to attend. The sessions have given those who attended the tools and confidence to have conversations with colleagues, friends and relatives, which is a fantastic step forward.”

Active Workforce is Sefton Council’s award-winning health and wellbeing programme for businesses to help their staff to be active and healthy during working hours and reduce their absence through sickness and poor health.

The menopause workshops are delivered online and are available to employees of all organisations across Merseyside. The half-hour sessions focus on educating men, supporting managers, and preparing younger employees to recognise the symptoms. In addition, there is a monthly, hour-long menopause group, offering employees the chance to discuss their experiences with others in the same situation, and listen to topical speakers from the local area.

Orgainisations can find out more about the seminars and how Active Workforce can help them by contacting the Active Workforce team at active.workforce@sefton.gov.uk

Have YOUR say on improvements to Southport Eastern Access routes

21 February 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Essential Sefton, Featured Friendship News, Front Page, Latest News

Sefton Council is seeking views from Southport residents and visitors over potential improvements to the town’s key eastern access routes.

The proposed Southport Eastern Access Improvements scheme seeks to improve the road and pedestrian network between the town centre and the Southport Road border in Kew.

Improvements would look to ease congestion issues for motorists, while also seeking to revamp cycling and pedestrian infrastructure at the eastern approach to the town.

The areas within the Southport Eastern Access Improvements scheme include:

Kew Roundabout
Southport Road
Foul Lane
Scarisbrick New Road
Norwood Road

Improvements to Southport’s eastern travel routes have been the subject of discussion since the 1960s and now Sefton Council’s Transport Planning team are working on a business case to make these changes a reality.

Cllr John Fairclough, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Locality Services, said: “To make any potential changes and improvements we need the vital knowledge and views of those who live near and use these routes every single day.

“We want to make sure any plans will best capture the views of residents, businesses, schools and visitors to Southport. That insight will help us deliver and develop our proposals and subsequent designs.

“Southport is a key cornerstone in the borough’s economic growth plans and an improved streetscene and transport network in the East will contribute massively towards this.”

The main benefits of the proposed scheme would:

Ease congestion on key routes including Scarisbrick New Road
Ease instances of ‘rat running’ around areas such as Norwood Road, Meols Cop Road & Butts Lane
Improving access to Kew Retail Park
Improving walking and cycling links to the town centre.

Cll Fairclough continued: “We remain committed to improving our streets and transport network across Sefton to support our Sefton 2030 Vision and address the climate change emergency.

“I would encourage everyone to take part and give us your views.”

To give your views on this scheme visit  https://yourseftonyoursay.sefton.gov.uk/investment-programmes-and-infrastructure/southport-eastern-access-improvements

Community groups urged to bid for new SeftonCrowd funding

21 February 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Essential Sefton, Featured Friendship News, Front Page, Latest News

An incredible community led scheme which funds ideas that create more vibrant, resilient and connected communities is set to return for 2022.

The community project funding opportunity is part of Sefton Crowd, a council initiative that aims to give anyone who lives locally with ideas about how to improve their area the opportunity to gain funding via the UK’s leading civic crowdfunding platform Spacehive.

The aim is simple – to fund and deliver exciting and innovative ideas to improve Sefton put forward by the local community, for the local community.

The council has an allocated a dedicated fund of £50,000 for projects taking part in the programme, where there is an opportunity for local projects to get a pledge from the Council of up to £5,000

Now groups are being invited to submit their ideas for new projects by April 27, 2022. Successful projects will support Sefton Council’s 2030 Vision, but this year we are also looking to support projects that look to help residents and communities in tackling the climate change crisis in Sefton.

From wildflower meadows to virtual music festivals, Sefton Crowd is helping people bring their ideas to life.

A spokesperson for Everton Volleyball, who benefited hugely from Sefton Crowd, said “”The support from the council is a real boost for the team that has been working so hard on the campaign!

“We will be able to do amazing things for the community and all the members will be super grateful”.

The deadline to put forward your idea for this Round is Wednesday 27th April.

Spacehive will also lead a programme of events for anyone who is interested in learning a little bit more or might want to test or discuss ideas that they would like to put forward first.

A special Project Creator Workshop to learn more about the initiative will be held on Wednesday 8th March, 12.00 noon – 1.00pm and you can book a place here.

Sefton Crowd forms part of a new approach to civic planning by Sefton Council which sees crowdfunding as a key channel to involve communities and local organisations in regeneration.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “This will be the seventh round that we are supporting and we have already seen some incredible schemes and ideas brought to fruition.

“We will be looking to support projects that answer our call for ideas which benefit local people and communities.

“I’m also calling on companies and foundations to join us in offering support – whether funding or in-kind – to the ideas people post on the platform so we can work together to make them a real success. The more people that get involved in Sefton Crowd the more amazing places we can create together.”

If you are interested in taking part in the next funding round of Sefton Crowd, as a funder or to fund your own project, please visit www.spacehive.com/movement/seftoncrowd or email info@spacehive.com.

<ENDS>

Sefton’s Derek praised for tackling mental health issue among town planners

18 February 2022
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Borough Of Culture, Business and Economy, Essential Sefton, Featured Friendship News, Front Page, Latest News

A Sefton Council officer has been recognised for his work to raise awareness of mental health support for town planners with a top industry award.

Derek McKenzie, Sefton Council’s Chief Planning Officer has received an Outstanding Contribution Award by the outgoing president of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) for leading on a project to create a mental health and wellbeing hub for people who work within the high pressure sector.

The ‘President’s Special Award’ for 2021 was bestowed upon Derek after he championed the need for a platform to support his colleagues across the UK and further afield after recognising that more needed to be done.

Derek said: “We all have a duty of care to ourselves, but sometimes our focus in this area can be distracted by the many events that can impact on us in life. Sometimes we just might want some help, advice and support from someone else when all that is in our brain is a fog that inhibits our thought processes.

“Our profession covers a diverse area with public, private and third sector organisations and businesses of varying size and complexity. In my experience, members who work in the public sector or for large private businesses generally have more access to mental health support when feeling under pressure, while smaller private sector business, sole traders, retired members and some students generally have access to none or very little.

“In my own capacity as a Chief Planning Officer at Sefton Council, I am all too aware of the significant and sustained increases in the number of planning applications that have been submitted, which can quickly cause additional pressures on staff so it is vital that efforts are made to keep staff morale and wellbeing high.”

Derek is a well known figure in the Planning sector, having worked across local government organisations for a number of years, as well as playing a key role in delivering the iconic Dubai Palm island projects.

Sefton Council Chief Executive Dwayne Johnson welcomed Derek’s award, saying: “Derek is a fantastic member of our Planning & Building control service and he really appreciates the importance of maintaining good mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

“It is a testament to Derek’s commitment to his position that he has worked on a wider mental health provision for his contemporaries elsewhere in the UK and abroad. Well done Derek!”

For more information about planning processes in Sefton, visit www.sefton.gov.uk/planning

Sefton Council says Direct Debit Council Tax payment may speed up £150 rebate

18 February 2022
Martin Driver
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council

Bank notesSefton Council’s finance team is reminding the Borough’s residents that it’s not too late to sign up to pay their Council Tax bills by direct debit.

Sooner

As well as making it easier to pay their bills, the team thinks it will mean people will receive the Government’s £150 energy rebate payment sooner and directly to their bank accounts.

Earlier this month, the Government announced support to help households with rising energy bills including a one-off £150 energy rebate payment to Council Tax-payers in bands A-D.

Payments first

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Compliance and Corporate Services said: “Although the Government has not yet provided us with detailed guidance for the scheme, we understand that eligible households in bands A to D that pay their council tax by Direct Debit may receive their payments first, directly into their bank accounts.

“To sign up for Direct Debit payments, all people need to do is visit https://forms.sefton.gov.uk/ddcounciltax and fill in the form. They just need their Council Tax account reference to hand.”

Council Tax-payers in Sefton can also opt to receive their bill electronically, which is easier, and it saves paper, which is in line with Council’s commitment to protecting the environment and combating climate change.

Paperless billing

Cllr Lappin added: “People can sign up for paperless e-billing at https://forms.sefton.gov.uk/ebill. Once again, they will need their Council Tax account reference to hand.”

When the Government’s full guidance for the Council tax energy rebate scheme is released, the Council will be providing an update on its website at www.sefton.gov.uk/council-tax .

Search Box