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.
Margaret Jones, Sefton Council’s Director of Public Health and Tricia Davies, Interim Head of Education, have written to parents and carers of pupils at the Borough’s schools to thank them again for their support during the pandemic.
The letter also includes an update on the lockdown changes which came into effect today and how they will affect school life.
Dear parents and carers
Firstly, a big thank you to all our parents and carers for the tremendous support given to the schools and settings over this last term. We have seen a fall in the number of cases in schools, though we are now seeing increasing rates, and some variants of concern in several areas of the North West, including Sefton.
For more information how to access testing if you have COVID symptoms and surge testing for families (without symptoms) who live, work or study in the Formby area, please click here www.sefton.gov.uk/COVID-testing.
As you are aware from 17th May we are moving to the next stage of the government’s road map which means that we will be able to undertake more activities socially. While this is great news for us all within our schools and settings we want to ensure that all our pupils and staff are kept safe.
Secondary school pupils from Monday do not have to wear face masks in school however all adults in all our schools – primary, secondary and special have been advised to continue to wear masks in the latest government guidance.
The continued use of face-coverings by adults in school settings is supported by Sefton’s Public Health team, and they will encourage schools to adopt a policy of pupil mask wearing, in senior schools, when there is an outbreak in an area. If this is required schools will be asking pupils to wear masks within school and when travelling to and from school. Please do support the schools when this is the case, as evidence suggests that face coverings continue to be an effective way of reducing transmission.
We appreciate how supportive you have been throughout the pandemic in helping your children with he remote learning, following the guidance with HANDS, SPACE, FACE. By doing this you have helped to keep the numbers and spread of coronavirus in schools down to a minimum.
One way that has helped greatly has been the following of the access into school buildings and the wearing of facemasks on school premises. Therefore, we would ask that you continue to wear facemasks on school premises in this way we can continue to protect yourselves, staff and children.
As we approach half-term, we would ask that you continue to follow the government guidance and remember HANDS, SPACE, FACE.
Stay safe and enjoy the half term with your families,
Margaret Jones Tricia Davies
Director of Public Health Interim Head of Education
Rapid COVID-19 testing kits now available from pharmacies in Sefton
People in Sefton can now access free rapid COVID-19 testing kits from ALL local pharmacies as part of a new service to help pandemic recovery.
The new ‘Pharmacy Collect’ service means that COVID-19 testing kits – known as lateral flow devices – are available from pharmacies free of charge. Anyone can request a box of test kits from the pharmacy counter for regular testing at home or elsewhere. The tests are intended for people who are asymptomatic and will be useful for those who need to undertake regular COVID-19 tests, such as those who need to leave the house to go to work.
Online checker
Pharmacy Finder
These testing kits are available in 9 out of 10 pharmacies in England and constituents can use a new online checkerto find their nearest pharmacy offering testing kits. ‘Pharmacy Collect’ offers a convenient option for people to access rapid COVID-19 testing, as many pharmacies are located in the heart of communities, on high-streets and within supermarkets.
It is hoped that widening the offer of tests will help to identify COVID-positive cases in the community and break the chain of transmission, avoiding the need for further lockdowns.
Simpler
Margaret Jones, Sefton’ Council’s Director of Public Health said: “Around third of people with the COVID-19 virus are not showing any symptoms, so it’s important that all of us who are out at work or just out and about take a rapid test twice a week and it couldn’t be simpler than popping into you local pharmacy to collect the test kits.”
Dr Lisa Manning CEO of community pharmacy Sefton said: “Community pharmacy provision of COVID testing means that people in Sefton will have greater access to this support. Many people may choose pharmacy for health services because they can visit pharmacies in a variety of locations and at a time that suits them.
“Community pharmacists are pleased to be able to do their bit as people return to work and education. This is just one of many examples of how pharmacy teams have helped support patients, the public and the nation during the pandemic.”
Results
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.
Rapid 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.
Kits
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.
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