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Sefton Council

Sefton Celebrates Foster Care Fortnight

10 May 2021
Charlene Smith
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Sefton Council, Young People

It’s Foster Care Fortnight! Sefton Council is urging local people to ask themselves whether they could give a loving and stable home to a child by fostering for Sefton.

Running from Monday 10th to Sunday 23rd May, Foster Care Fortnight is the UK’s biggest fostering campaign. It also gives us the opportunity to say a big ‘Thank you’ to the whole of our fostering community for all their hard work and dedication during what has been such a difficult time.

In line with this year’s theme #WhyWeCare, we will be sharing video’s which include people from our fostering family, talking about “Why We Care”. The celebration will also include a virtual event for our fabulous carers to get together and win some brilliant prizes donated by local businesses.

On the 20th May, we’re on the move with our campaign as our carers, care leavers and staff climb on board the ‘Pride of Sefton’ canal boat, to take a journey along Liverpool’s waterways from Stanley Dock at the Titanic to the Mann Island, spreading our message as we go.

Sefton Council Chief Executive Dwayne Johnson says, “I would like to say a massive ‘Thank you’ to our dedicated foster carers who are doing an amazing job in making sure our children are supported emotionally and educationally and to our staff who are with our foster carers every step of the way.

“I have some personal experience as my mother grew up in care and said the turning point in her life was when she was fostered at 12 years old. She went on to have a fulfilled and successful life and says she owes a lot of that to her foster parents.”

Sue and Derek are a couple, but Sue has been fostering for 18 years and Derek is newly approved. Sue says. “I see the impact I’m having when children become happier and relaxed. They begin to see a future and develop ambitions and goals. It’s a great feeling when you know you’ve made a difference.”

Derek says, “I fell in love with Sue and with fostering and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. With guidance from the team, the recruitment process was straight forward. If you’re thinking about fostering please go for it, it’ll be the best thing you’ll ever do”

Sasha, now in her twenties, was fostered when she was 8 years old when her parents’ relationship broke down and they were unable to care for her.

She says, “I want to help raise awareness about fostering and let people know that being loved and having a sense of belonging can turn a child’s life around. I hope I am an inspiration to other children in care because with my determination and support I went on to get 3 degrees at University and see a great future for myself. Without this support I really don’t know where I would be.”

Statement: Formby Pool temporary closure

4 May 2021
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council

Formby Pool will be temporarily closed for 10 days (from Tuesday, May 4th) due to confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, which have been linked to the facility.

All individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, as well as their contacts, have been informed of self-isolation requirements.

David Kiernan, Head Of Operations at Formby Pool Trust, said: “We have taken the decision to temporarily close our site for a period of ten days while we work with Sefton Council and Public Health England over positive COVID-19 cases linked to the centre.

“The priority for everyone involved is to ensure centre users, staff and their close contacts are kept safe, and a temporary closure is just one of a number of extra measures we have put in place to limit any further transmission.

“We will reopen the centre as soon as it is safe to do so and would like to thank our members for their understanding at this time.”

***

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “Both our Public Health and Environmental Health teams are working closely with Formby Pool Trust Management over new positive COVID-19 cases linked to the facility.

“Our in house contact tracing team, using local knowledge and intelligence, have been put in place for situations such as this and took immediate action.

“All individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, as well as their contacts, have been informed of self-isolation requirements.

“We have also alerted neighbouring authorities.

“Furthermore we have supplied the facilities’ operators with guidance and advice on important health and safety measures, including a temporary closure, which will help to mediate and limit any further transmission of the virus.”

 

Last week to sign up for Sefton’s free Junior Membership offer, worth £80

26 April 2021
Martin Driver
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council, Uncategorized
Ninth green at Bootle Golf Course

Under-16s have until the end of the week to take advantage of Green Sefton’s free, one-year, Junior membership offer, worth £80.

Year’s free play

If they sign up before the end of Friday, Under-16s can take advantage of a year’s free play at Sefton Council’s Bootle and Southport courses.

To qualify, Under-16s must register at the Bootle Golf Club or Southport Golf Links shops. They need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian and must provide proof of age.

In addition to this offer, green fees at the two courses have been frozen or the second year running.

Prices frozen

This means adult prices start from just ÂŁ13 with Twilight Tickets from only ÂŁ8.50. Twilight green start at 4pm at Bootle and at Southport with a further reduction at Southport from 6pm. Over 60s can play for ÂŁ9 Monday to Friday.

A round for young people aged up to 16 is just ÂŁ8. Or nothing if they take advantage of the free membership offer this week.

Contracts

Costs for 12 months’ play with a contract also remain frozen and start from just £110. Unlike some other clubs, if a further national lockdown has to be implemented, contracts will, once again, frozen so that members do not lose out.

To protect players and staff, card payments are preferred at both courses.

Driving range

At Bootle, work is underway to build a new, 10-bay driving range, but it is not affecting play.

Due to open late this year, the new driving range will include practice facilities and a dedicated coaching bay. Floodlights will mean players can practise during the evening and during the winter months.

Find out more about Sefton Council’s golfing facilities. 

Players flocking back to Sefton’s re-opened golf courses where green fees have once again been frozen

19 April 2021
Martin Driver
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council
Ninth green at Bootle Golf Course

Since Sefton’s Bootle and Southport courses re-opened last week almost 5,000 people have taken the opportunity to play a round.

Since the national lockdown restrictions were eased in March and the courses were able to reopen, 2,500 have played at Bootle Golf Course, while 2,300 have played at Southport Links.

Green fees frozen

For the second year running, green fees have been held at the same price. This means adult prices start from just ÂŁ13 with Twilight Tickets from only ÂŁ8.50. Twilight green fees kick in from 4pm at Bootle and at Southport where they are reduced even further from 6pm.

Over 60s can play for ÂŁ9 Monday to Friday and a round for young people aged up to 16 is just ÂŁ8.

Contract prices, which provide 12 months’ play, also remain frozen and start from just £110. As before and unlike some other clubs, if a further national lockdown has to be implemented, contracts are frozen, so members do not lose out.

Free junior membership

And, until the end of April 2021, under-16s can sign up for a free junior golf membership.

Junior memberships are worth £80 and provide them a year’s no-cost play at Bootle and Southport courses. To qualify, under-16s need to register at the Bootle Golf Club or Southport Golf Links shops. They need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian and must provide proof of age.

To help protect players and staff, card payments are preferred at both courses.

Photograpsh showing machinery working on the driving range site
Preparatory work on the driving range site.

Driving range

Work that started in March to build a new, 10-bay driving range at Bootle Golf Course is not affecting play.

The new driving range will include practice facilities and a dedicated coaching bay. Floodlighting will mean golfers can take advantage of evenings to practise their swing and technique during the winter months when it’s too dark to play on course.

Find out more about Sefton Council’s Bootle and Southport Links courses and the offers available.

Council successfully prosecutes hotels group after guest sustains life-changing injuries in rusted railings fall

13 April 2021
Martin Driver
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Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News, Sefton Council
Image showing damaged railings
Damaged railings

Sefton Council has successfully prosecuted Britannia Hotels after a guest at its Prince of Wales Hotel in Southport sustained life-changing injuries due to falling through rusted iron railings.

Fiona Townsend, the Council’s Senior Lawyer told Sefton Magistrates Court that the railings to prevent people falling down the 6ft drop to the basement lightwells were missing in one location and badly corroded in numerous other areas. The Council had issued an improvement notice after the Company failed to make the area safe with suitable fencing over three weeks after the incident.

Hazard

She said: “Britannia Hotels could not demonstrate that a system was in place to check and maintain the iron railing regularly. Its risk assessments failed to address the hazard of a fall from height as happened to guest Deborah Henshall and did not refer to the iron railings.

“The company fell short of the appropriate safety and the systems it had in place were not sufficiently adhered to or implemented. It had failed to make appropriate changes following prior incident and had allowed breaches to continue over a long period.

“This led to the incident, which has had a substantial and long-term effect on the Ms Henshall’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities or on their ability to return to work.

Fractures

In a Victim Statement, Deborah Henshall told the court after a full body scan at Aintree Hospital she was told she had two spinal fractures, a broken left big toe and blood on her lungs due to the sternum and rib fractures. She had also sustained a head injury, concussion and trauma.

She said she was distressed over how her life has changed since the accident, before which she was working two jobs. In her statement she wrote that she had been off work since the accident had lost both jobs and is currently on Universal Credit and personal independent payments.

‘I am still suffering everyday with severe pain,’ she wrote. ‘I used to be a very outgoing and very social within my group of friends and family this accident has caused me so much pain and distress that I feel will never back to the person I was before this accident.’

Risk

Fining Britannia Hotels £80,000  and awarding costs of £6821.92, District Judge Wendy Lloyd said: “I take both Britannia’s previously good character and guilty plea into account, but others were exposed to risk of falling into the light-well, a number of people were potentially at risk.

“I extend great sympathy to Ms Henshall. This amount is in no way a representation of what I think her injury is worth. This is a fine on health and safety failings.”

Consequences

Afterwards, Fiona Townsend said: “Sefton Council is always keen to work with businesses to provide help and advice on how they can maintain health and safety.

“But, as this case shows, we will also take action where health and safety standards are not maintained, particularly when this failing has had serious consequences.”

 

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