You’ll likely have heard at some point of Natural England’s role in preventing action being taken to tackle growth on Southport’s beach. The public body believes that interfering with natural processes here is inappropriate and ineffective and that nature should be allowed to take its course.

The approach in Ainsdale’s sand dunes is different however as it seeks to ensure that one of the country’s rarest species can thrive and has suitable breeding sites to do so. Today’s main story focuses on those efforts and a new project which will support that work.

Southport briefing

💮 A living legacy to Elsie Dot Stancombe has been opened in Ainsdale. Named ‘Elsie’s place at St John’s’, the garden is located adjacent to Ainsdale St John’s Church – a place that held deep significance for Elsie who attended the nursery which uses its church hall. Designed as a peaceful space, the garden will provide a private space where Elsie’s friends and family can reflect and remember her. It will also be open to the wider community on special occasions, as well as being utilised by the church, school, nursery, guiding groups and the local community, allowing others to pay their respects and share in her memory. For more than 30 years, the church garden had been a barren, unusable space, impacted by antisocial behaviour and in need of regeneration but an extraordinary community effort involving volunteers, individuals completing court-ordered unpaid work, and local businesses. The garden also includes a community vegetable patch. Fresh produce grown in the garden will be sold through the church and within the village, with all proceeds donated to Compassion Acts to support the local food bank. Reverend Jackie Vasquez, Vicar at Ainsdale St John’s Church, said: “Elsie’s place at St John’s’ is a place of love, hope and remembrance. It has been created not only to honour Elsie’s life, but also a reflection of the extraordinary kindness and generosity shown by our community. We pray that it will be a peaceful sanctuary where Elsie’s family and friends can remember her and where, on special occasions, others can come together to reflect and celebrate her life.”

🎭 Ambitious plans to transform the Garrick building into the UK’s first spa theatre hotel will now include more hotel rooms instead of apartments. The building, which most recently housed Mecca Bingo, is being converted into a unique venue which will also include a fourth floor terrace and pool, commercial units and a bar and restaurant. The scheme would also involve the refurbishment of the existing event auditorium and rooftop extensions including three additional floors and fears had grown over the future of the project as development appeared to have stalled. However, owners Garrick Southport Ltd have now requested permission to modify the plans to increase the number of hotel rooms from 109 to 133, with the extra rooms replacing apartments which were originally to be included.

☕ A home in Tarleton village will be partially turned into a coffee shop after highways officials withdrew their objections over parking issues. The venture, to be known as Nestled Coffee, will revolve around a menu of drinks and (literally) homemade cakes, will operate from a house on Church Road with no more than 20 seats available across the interior and exterior. Planning permission for the change of use has now been approved and the business will trade between 7am and 5pm on weekdays and 9am and 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Planning documents submitted on behalf of the applicant, Katherine Moen, stressed that the venue was designed to encourage visits on foot, as well as “linked” trips from people already coming into the village for other reasons. As a result, it was claimed the outlet would generate “a limited number of additional vehicle movements” each day, which could be accommodated by existing unrestricted parking spaces “within very close walking distance of the site”. Amongst the letters of support received by West Lancashire Borough Council in relation to the venture, it was suggested that it would be “a positive community asset, providing a social meeting space and enhancing village life”.

💷 Sefton Council is set to write off debts totalling more than £2.5m from unpaid council tax and business rates. The authority’s Audit and Governance Committee will soon be asked to agree the move which relates to debts stretching back more than a decade and will not affect the current budget. According to a report prepared for the committee, the vast majority of that debt is from unpaid business rates and all has been subject to extensive recovery efforts. It adds that Sefton’s collection rates for the council tax and business rates “consistently compare favourably to all metropolitan local authorities nationally and neighbouring Liverpool City Region authorities”.

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£35k plan to excavate Ainsdale sand dunes and improve habitats for natterjack toads

By Jamie Lopez

Excavators will be used to manage Ainsdale Sand Dunes as part of a £35k plan from Natural England to improve habitats for the natterjack toad.

In contrast to the public body’s approach to Southport beach, it is the lookout for a company or social enterprise which can alter the natural landscape. This will involve enhancing existing dune slacks to create new breeding opportunities for the rare species.

Natterjack toads are very rare and found in just a handful of coastal locations across the country, making Ainsdale of particular importance for the species. They breed in warm, shallow pools on sand dunes and sandy heaths and typically grow to be a maximum of 8cm long.

Natural England is currently tendering for what it describes as a species recovery project at Ainsdale sand dunes and is targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) or voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE) to award a total of £35k available.

Documents seen by The Southport Lead state: “This project aims to enhance existing dune slacks, providing new breeding opportunities for Natterjack toad. This essential habitat creation and enhancement is considered key to achieving favourable condition for the species and the project will help restore this site to conditions that support natterjack toads and encourage thriving populations within the Sefton Coast area.”

It goes on to explain that the winning bidder will need to use an excavator in multiple locations to remove surface vegetation such as scrub, roots, topsoil and creeping willow to create shallow sandy pools.

In total, around 8,000sqm of land across up to eight locations are included in the project. Once the contract is awarded, work is expected to last five months starting from October 2027.

The tender states: “This project aims to enhance existing dune slacks at Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve (Ainsdale NNR), providing new breeding opportunities for Natterjack toad.

“This essential habitat creation and enhancement is considered key to achieving favourable condition for the species and the project will help restore this site to conditions that support natterjack toads and encourage thriving populations within the Sefton Coast area.

“Whilst this is a locally focussed project, it will benefit the national population by building future resilience through improved habitat quality and connectivity to adjacent sites, contributing significantly to overall national population numbers.

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The Methodist Church had a central role in Southport from the very formation of the town and its buildings can be seen across it.

Among the first of those is Cornerstone Methodist Church, a grand and imposing building in Churchtown Village - but one which is in need of significant structural repairs.

It is no longer thought to be cost effective or even feasible to repair it and the site has listed for sale for a long time.

Now, plans for its demolition have been formally submitted. Today’s main story looks at that issue.

Southport briefing

💳 A woman and a man have been arrested after credit cards from a stolen purse were used around Southport. On the night of July 25th, it was reported that a purse had been taken from a taxi on Cross Street which had the victim’s credit cards and driving license inside. Shortly after the purse was stolen three transactions totalling over £64 were made from the victim’s credit cards. Officers investigating the incident gathered CCTV footage from supermarkets in the area which showed a man and a woman using the card. Officers arrested a 37-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man from Southport on suspicion of theft. They were taken to a police station in Merseyside for questioning and have since been bailed with conditions. Sefton Neighbourhoods Chief Inspector Dave Uren said: “To fraudulently use someone’s credit cards is a serious offence and can have lasting consequences, with criminals able to make money transfers and steal personal information. Our officers contacted several supermarkets in the area and successfully reviewed CCTV footage from each store to make these arrests in Southport. If you have been a victim of fraud, theft or a similar crime please contact police so we can continue to take action.”

📷 The Southport Photographic Society has opened its Annual Members Photography Exhibition in Wayfarers Arcade in Southport town centre, showcasing a fantastic collection of images captured by its talented members. The exhibition opened on Thursday and runs until Thursday, September 3rd and admission is free with the group raising funds for Queenscourt Hospice. Southport Photographic Society Exhibition Co-ordinator Bill Gray said: “We are delighted to be hosting our exhibition at Wayfarers Arcade in Southport. We’d love to invite people to come and take a look. There are over 100 photographs on display, all taken by our members. We’re looking forward to a busy August Bank Holiday Weekend, while we’ll also be here into next week. We have people from Southport Photographic Society present throughout the event, who will be happy to chat with anyone interested in joining our group, or who is interested in learning more about photography.”

🔍 Police have launched an appeal after a £2,000 e-bike was stolen at Ainsdale railway station. The vehicle was taken from a platform at the station, with the owner assaulted as he attempted to confront the man who stole it from one of the platforms. British Transport Police has shared images of a man they wish to speak to and officers say they believe he could have information that may assist their enquiries. Anyone who recognises him is asked to text BTP on 61016, or call 0800 40 50 40, using the reference 265 of 13 August. Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Demolition plans moves forward for Cornerstone Methodist Church

By Jamie Lopez

One of Southport’s oldest churches is facing demolition amid significant structural problems.

An application has been submitted to knock down Cornerstone Methodist Church - but church leaders say it is only an option at this stage.

The church is located on Marshside Road near Churchtown Lights and is used for a range of community activities as well as being home to Cornerstone Library. While some sections of the current buildings are more modern, the original place of worship was first used in 1876.

Back then, the church could host 700 people but such was the dominance of Methodism in emerging Southport the building was expanded to house an increased capacity 18 years later.

The site has been listed for sale for more than a year-and-a-half with hopes it could be bought by a developer who would include religious space as part of a new housing estate. Given the church includes unusually large grounds, this was considered a plausible prospect with suggested drawings included with marketing materials showing 10 houses on the plot.

No buyer has yet been found however and the property and land remains available for sale with the church in ever worsening condition. With that in mind, the church’s trustees have requested permission to demolish the buildings.

Citing a structural investigation carried out in 2018, they argue it is technically possible to repair and refurbish the building but not financially or logistically viable. That investigation found structural defects affecting in particular the front gable and roof structure together with a programme of substantial structural intervention required to stabilise the entire building.

The report proposed solving the wide-ranging issues with the introduction of an entirely new structural support system involving new structural steel beams, new reinforced beam supports, new structural beam-to-beam connection, new concrete padstones and rebuilding of the masonry panels among other issues.

In its planning application, the trustees’ group argues that attempting these repairs would not be the best option. It states: “Whilst Keskin’s Report demonstrates that repair is theoretically achievable, it moreover demonstrates that such a repair would require major structural reconstruction.

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For those not fully familiar with it, it can come as a surprise to know just how extensive the history of the Smedley Hydro is. Once a school and then a major Victorian-era attraction, it was taken over by the government during World War II for use in birth and death registrations.

Almost 80 years on, it is home to some 1,200 jobs and is Southport’s second biggest employer. But that is under threat and staff there face years of uncertainty over a potential closure and what may come next.

Southport Briefing

🚓 A Merseyside Police officer who accessed computer records to snoop on criminal friends has been banned from policing for life. Christopher Hughes was given a suspended jail sentence earlier this month after being found guilty of unauthorised access to computer material and knowingly disclosing personal data without consent. The trial at Manchester Crown Court heard he maintained friendships with serious criminal gang members involved in drugs and guns offences for a decade while serving in the police and failed to disclose any such relationships. This included WhatsApp groups, social activities and trips abroad. After sentencing, Olivia Travis, a Specialist Prosecutor with CPS Mersey-Cheshire’s Complex Casework Unit, said: “Daniel Hughes is a former police officer who is now a convicted criminal. He abused his position to access sensitive information. He maintained longstanding relationships with offenders involved in drugs and firearms, which he deliberately concealed despite a clear duty to declare them. Hughes received training on the proper handling of police information but chose to ignore it. His actions demonstrate a complete disregard for the trust placed in him and for the integrity of the criminal justice system.” He was suspended by Merseyside Police after being arrested and after being found guilty he was sacked and added to the College of Policing Barred list.

👷 A café with remote control diggers in a specially made sandpit will open in the town centre next week. Named Digz’n Lidz, the new venture is having its finishing touches applied within the former Debenhams unit on Lord Street and has already attracted plenty of interest. Lorry drivers Danny Melia and Mark Gaudie, who are long-term friends and both dads-of-two, are behind the venture and have completed most of the renovation work inside the building. They said: “We’ve had no financial support, no grants. This is our own investment, plus a business loan, and our own time invested. We have real belief in what we’re creating here as somewhere that’s going to be very special. We’ve both been carrying on with our full-time jobs driving HGV wagons and then coming in here to work on building this place. Our families have been really supportive.” Digz’n Lidz is due to open on Wednesday 2nd September and talks are understood to be ongoing for potential tenants to move into other units within the building.

🌊 A restaurant has been forced to close by flooding for the second time in three years. Nellie’s was among the properties affected when a water main burst at Southport Road in Scarisbrick in the early hours of Tuesday. Fire crews joined United Utilities in responding to the incident and the road has to be closed off during while repairs and draining took place. In a post of Facebook, the restaurant’s owners said: “We honestly don’t know what to say. Following the devastating flooding last night, we are heartbroken to find ourselves facing this situation once again. After everything we have already been through, seeing our restaurant flooded again because of another burst pipe has been incredibly difficult. Nellie means so much to us, and the thought of everything we have built being affected like this is truly heartbreaking.” Thanking people for their messages of the support they ey added that they are still assessing the damage and their other restaurant in Much Hoole remains open and would welcome the extra customers during the closure. Nellie’s was forced to close when a burst main caused significant flooding in the summer of 2023 and it took almost a full year before it reopened.

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Smedley closure could force staff into redundancy or retirement

By Jamie Lopez

Workers from Smedley Hydro will hold a rally amid fears for the closure of one of the town’s biggest employers.

Around 1,200 employees are based at the historic Birkdale building but face being relocated out of town under cost-saving proposals. It is feared that hundreds of staff with childcare or other commitments would be forced to give up their jobs and the town left without a pathway for skilled workers.

Having previously been both an educational facility and a hotel, Smedley was requisitioned by the government in 1939 and has remained in use by the civil service ever since. Having first been earmarked for closure in the 1950s, it was kept in use for the rollout of NHS numbers and is now home to employees from departments including General Register Office, HM Passport Office, the Home Office and NHS Digital.

On Sunday, September 6 the PCS Union will hold a rally in Birkdale Village to raise awareness of the situation and seek support from the local community. Although the Cabinet Office says no changes will take place until at least 2030, the uncertainty is causing alarm and distress among those working there.

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Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a PCS rep told The Southport Lead that members feared for their futures and had doubts over the merits of the plan.

They said: “Our members’ primary concern is the impact any relocation could have on staff, particularly those with disabilities, health conditions, or caring responsibilities. Many employees rely on the site’s accessibility features, including disabled parking, onsite parking, and local transport arrangements, to enable them to work.

“We are concerned that reasonable adjustments may not be fully considered in any relocation plans and that increased travel times could make it difficult for some colleagues to continue working their contracted hours.

“There are also concerns about the wider personal and financial impact on employees. Some staff accepted Southport-based roles specifically because of the location and made career decisions based on working close to home. Others left previous employment to join the organisation without any indication that the site’s future was uncertain.

“For many, longer commutes would create significant challenges around childcare, caring responsibilities, transport costs, and work-life balance. Some members have indicated they may have no option but to leave employment, seek voluntary redundancy, or take early retirement if work is moved away from Southport.”

Staff at Smedley argue that despite its age it remains a “suitable, well-maintained building” where recent investment has included a new roof, new heating system and double glazing. They also pointed to its ability to provide an accessible environment for disabled employees.

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The rep added: “While many members believe the proposal may be driven by the value of the land, we do not believe the full costs of relocation have been adequately assessed. These costs could include excess fares, redundancy payments, recruitment and training of replacement staff, reasonable adjustments for employees unable to use public transport, and the loss of experienced and specialist colleagues. Any business case should fully recognise these financial and operational impacts.

“There are also serious practical questions about relocating specialist equipment, services, and secure records from a site that has supported this work for decades. The potential loss of skilled and experienced staff presents a significant risk to business continuity and service delivery.

“Beyond the direct impact on employees, closure of the site would have a significant effect on the local economy. Southport has already experienced the loss of major public sector employers, including jobs from the Town Hall and the Tax Office.

“Many residents feel the town has been in decline for a number of years, and the loss of Smedley Hydro would represent another significant blow to local employment, local businesses, and the wider community. Staff contribute to the local economy every day by using shops, cafés, and services in Southport and Birkdale, and that spending would be at risk if jobs were relocated elsewhere.

“Members remain hopeful that the site can remain open in the long term. The building is fit for purpose, the workforce is highly skilled and experienced, and the site plays an important role within both the organisation and the local economy. We believe all options should be thoroughly explored, with meaningful consultation and transparency throughout the process, before any final decision is made.”

Built as Birkdale College, the building was extended to accommodate 140 visitors when John Smefley formed the Birkdale Park Smedley Hydropathic Company in 1876. It reopened as a spa the following year with Dr Barnado as the resident physician.

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When a deal for a developer to demolish the former Sands pub by Ainsdale beach and build a hotel in its place the reaction was largely positive. The contrast between the glory of the beach and its miserable surroundings is quite stark and redevelopment of those buildings is to be welcomed.

However, concerns were raised over key details of the agreement and, as always seems to be the case, frustrations were raised over the level of detail made available to councillors or the public.

The deal was given more scrutiny this week in an hour long meeting during questions were raised and previously unheard details were made shared - I watched that so that you don’t have to.

Southport briefing

⚰️ A funeral director who has supported thousands of families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives has celebrated 40 years in the profession. Michael Rushton, of M Rushton Funeral Directors, has spent all his life in the Southport area, growing up in Banks and beginning his career as a trainee in 1986 at a small family business. Shortly after, he joined Tony Jolly, the original owner of Moisters Funeral Directors in Southport, who he credits for much of his own professional work ethics, before opening his own business. He was this week presented with a commemorative plaque to mark his extraordinary landmark. Reflecting on his 40 years, Michael said: “It means everything to me that I am still caring for families, visiting families and conducting funerals regularly after all these years. I’m looking forward to seeing my 50th year in the profession that I care so much about.” Now part of the Funeral Partners network of family funeral homes, Michael has been able to spend more time supporting his family. He said: “I have gone from being on call 24/7 to working more part-time hours, which allows me to help care for my disabled children who need me, while still being able to work with my team and care for my community. That means so much to me.” There was another surprise waiting outside the funeral home to mark his anniversary – a specially created knitted postbox topper from Southport Hookers. Michael has personally thanked the group and is making a donation in recognition of their gesture.

🍻 A pub whose landlords left after 11 years will see new management take over next week. Seb Lang and Lesley Curtin left Blue Anchor, on Tithebarn Road, earlier this year in what they described was not an easy decision.. Owners Star Pubs have since recruited new landlords and are planning to refurbish the exterior of the building. As part of this, it has submitted a planning application for new signage. A spokesperson said: “We are redecorating the exterior of The Anchor, which includes new signage, to give the pub a smarter, fresher look. A new landlord will be taking on the lease of the pub on Monday and intends to continue to run it as a popular community focused local. The darts, pool and the children’s play facilities will all be kept with plans to introduce quiz and bingo nights.”

🎙️ People are invited to shout about all the things they love about Southport with the launch of the new ‘Speak Up For Southport’ campaign. The initiative is led by SoPodio, the new podcast studio which was officially opened at Eastbank enterprise arcade by former world champion boxer Tony Bellew in June, and by Stand Up For Southport. They are asking those living or working in Southport, or who love visiting, to share your videos letting the world know ‘Why I Love Southport’. Geoff White, of SoPodio, and Stand Up For Southport’s Andrew Brown said: “We want Southport to be seen for the amazing place it is and through the launch of ‘Speak Up For Southport’ you can join us in doing just that! We’d love to hear from people sharing what is great in this town. This campaign aims to promote pride, positivity and potential for Southport, which is seeing impactful changes happening in many different areas. It’s time to negate negativity and nebulise the nay-sayers!” You can read more on how to get involved here.

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The Sands deal defended as council concedes it doesn’t know if developer can afford it

By Jamie Lopez

Sefton Council leaders conceded they have no way of knowing if the developer chosen to redevelop The Sands pub can finance its plan - but it insisted the deal is a good one.

Earlier this summer, the council agreed a contract which would see GSL Developments given an initial five year lease during which it must get planning permission and complete a development which involves demolishing the pub and building a hotel and leisure offering in its place.

If this is achieved within the agreed timeframe, the company will then be awarded a 250 year lease for the site. It is hoped that building on The Sands site will play a part in the regeneration of the Ainsdale beach gateway, which also includes replacing Toad Hall and redeveloping the Pontins site.

The agreement raised eyebrows over not just the length of the contract - which is double what Pontins has for the neighbouring site which remains disused - but also because of concerns over whether the developer is actually capable of delivering the project.

The company, under this name and a previous one, has twice been given exclusivity deals for Southport land to build a surf-based attraction but on both occasions no development ever occurred.

Sefton’s Liberal Democrats have regularly clashed with the council’s administration over what it perceives to be a lack of willingness to share information and the group was again unhappy about little information being shared with councillors over this deal. They called in the decision to award the lease, meaning it was reviewed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday evening.

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At that meeting, Lib Dem leader Cllr John Pugh introduced the call in request by stating he welcomed the redevelopment of the site but said questions needed to be answered about the structure of the deal and the developer’s track record.

Referencing the previous agreements for the surfing projects, he said: “I accept that The Sands is a less demanding project and I actually applaud the ambition of developers and their forbearance and tolerance of the council. Development’s tough and finance is hard to find.

“But I put it to the committee that there must be at least a fair question to be asked as to whether finance can be found by GSL or anyone to accomplish this particular project. It seems to me that the council needs to know that.”

Cllr Pugh cited a press release from the council in 2022 when the site was marketed in which Cllr Marian Atkinson, then cabinet member for regeneration and skills and now council leader, stated: “The site is ripe for regeneration and has incredible potential and we know from stringent market testing over the past year that there is wide scale interest from local and national organisations, keen to invest in it.”

However, the meeting heard that while discussions with GSL have been ongoing for four years, no other developer has come forward with a viable proposal. Stephen Watson, the council Executive Director for Place who advised that the deal be approved, explained that marketing of the site has continued throughout the last four years and that he regularly raised it when talking with developers.

The meeting also heard that no premium will be paid by the developer during the initial five year lease, though Mr Watson said there would be savings instead as GSL would take over liability and therefore be responsible for insurance and maintenance which is currently paid for by the council.

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Visitors to Ainsdale beach were this week greeted with a very unpleasant surprise as piles of faeces were found along the shore. Initially feared to be a sewage spill, the truth was somewhat different… but not significantly less unpleasant. And apparently not enough to warrant a clean up operation.

Today’s main story looks at that incident where, unusually, it was dry weather which contributed to a contamination issue.

Southport briefing

🚧 Work to upgrade Kew Roundabout and open Foul Lane to traffic has begun. Roadworks are expected to last up to nine months and will include traffic lights and new crossings which are designed to make the busy area safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Access to the retail park for motorists is also being improved. Sefton Council said the project, which is Phase two of work on the Southport Eastern Access scheme, will make the roundabout easier to enter and use, improving traffic flow and enhancing the safety and appearance of a key route into the town. The safety and overall appearance of this key route into Southport will also be enhanced. The first part of the works are along Foul Lane and Meols Cop Park, where preloading will take place involving adding a stone base to where the future pavement will be. Due to the ground condition, the stones will be given time to settle before being surfaced later in the scheme, to even out the surface. After the preloading works, the installation of new crossings and remaining works is anticipated to take around 9 months to complete. Cllr Phil Hart, Cabinet Member for Housing and Highways said: “There are schools, shopping and leisure opportunities located near to the Kew Roundabout and these improvements will make it easier for everyone who uses it. Young people especially will benefit from a safer way to cross the roundabout, whether by walking, wheeling or cycling. This area is a key route for Southport and currently has limited active travel links. The scheme aims to make safe walking and cycling routes for those who want to leave the car at home for short journeys and help more people to choose sustainable modes of travel.”

🏏 The president of Fleetwood Hesketh Cricket Club has died after decades of service to his beloved club. Dave Rimmer, known to generations as Mr Cricket, served as first team captain, committee member and club president as well as giving his time as a coach, supporter and proud representative. He was remembered as not just a part of the club, but as being the club himself and someone who inspired countless others to love the sport. Paying tribute, Fleetwood Hesketh said: “There are people who play for a club, people who serve a club and people who come to embody everything that club stands for. Dave was one of those very special people.His loss will be felt enormously throughout Fleetwood Hesketh and across the wider local cricket community. However, his influence will live on in the generations he coached, the players he inspired and the club he dedicated so much of his life to.”

📺 A documentary telling the story of the three girls who died in the Southport attack and their families’ experiences after the tragedy has been nominated for a National Television Award. Produced by the BBC, Our Girls: The Southport Families allowed the three sets of parents to tell their stories in their own words and is nominated for best authored documentary. A post on Elsie’s Story Instagram page said: “Making this programme was so important to us. We wanted to tell our girls’ story in the way we wanted them to be known and remembered, and we will always be so grateful to the amazing team at @bbcbreakfast for giving us the opportunity to do that. Thank you so much to every single person who has voted already. Your votes have got Our Girls to the shortlist and that means so much to all of us. We now have one final round of voting. If you would like to vote for Our Girls, we would be so grateful for your support. 🩷” Voting is now open and the event will take place at London’s O2 arena and will be broadcast live on ITV1 from 8pm on September 8.Fleetwood Hesketh CC

🤬 Southport MP Patrick Hurley has urged residents not to veer into abuse during their campaign to keep the Botanic Gardens Aviary open. The Labour MP warned that online abuse directed at councillors and council staff risks making it harder to find a constructive solution and said such behaviour was unacceptable. Hurley has so far hosted two public meetings on the issue and says he is continuing to work with various stakeholders in an attempt to find a resolution. He said: “The vast majority of people who want to see the aviary remain open have been completely civil and reasonable. They care deeply about its future and have every right to challenge the council’s decision. But there is a clear line between robust criticism and personal abuse. Online abuse is unacceptable, and it risks making it harder for residents, councillors and the council to work together constructively to find a way forward. I will continue to work with residents, councillors and the Council to explore every possible option for the aviary. I would encourage everyone who cares about its future to continue making their voices heard.”

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Public warned to stay out of sea after manure washes up at Ainsdale

By Jamie Lopez

Faeces found washed up at Ainsdale Beach and feared to be a sewage leak was actually from nearby sheep.

Visitors to the coast this week were greeted by the deeply unpleasant site of manure and suggestions were made online that it may have been released by United Utilities.

However, discharge records showed no sewage has been released in the area recently. Instead, the waste has washed up from the nearby salt marshes where sheep are currently grazing, with the extended dry weather making the conditions for such an occurrence more favourable.

After investigating the matter Green Sefton, the service which manages Sefton’s coast, has concluded the waste does not need to be removed. Instead, signs have been displayed warning against swimming in the water.

Cllr Lynne Thompson, who represents Ainsdale ward, said she was alerted by the matter on Monday and, like many others, feared it was sewage which had been washed up.

She said: “Someone sent me a video, they were absolutely horrified. Someone else phoned me and I sent all the details to the coastal rangers and lifeguards and to Environmental Health.

“I was advised it was actually sheep droppings from the salt marshes. The high tides bring debris and it washes up on the beach.”

To Cllr Thompson’s surprise, that outcome meant that no clean-up operation would be carried out.

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The decision to close down the aviary at Botanic Gardens has sparked a level of public reaction which in recent years is second only to the plight of Southport Pier.

Packed public meetings and online opprobrium have been the backdrop to petitions attracting some 15,000 signatures. Volunteers feel betrayed, visitors disappointed and residents angered.

Today’s newsletter takes a different format as I instead share an opinion piece of how a difficult situation has been compounded to become much, much worse thanks to its handling by Sefton Council.

Southport briefing

⛔ The law firm which represented an adult survivor of the Southport attack has become the first legal business to sign up to her safety campaign. Leanne Lucas launched her Let’s Be Blunt campaign after the attack and wants to see kitchen knives across the country with round-tip blades to prevent harm and spark a national conversation. Leanne has been represented by Broudie Jackson Canter during the public inquiry and, as first reported by Law Gazette, visited the firm to give a seminar about the evidence behind safer knife design and practical steps that can be taken to help reduce knife crime. The group which manages the firm has now replaced knives across its 15 offices. It says it hopes the move will create a ripple effect across the legal sector by encouraging other firms to follow suit. Esther Leach, managing director of Jackson Lees Group, said: ‘Through our work representing the three adult survivors of the Southport attack at the independent Inquiry chaired by Adrian Fulford, as well as other victims of knife crime, we know first-hand the importance of prevention and education and hope other firms will follow our lead. Leanne is an inspiration, taking her horrendous experience and turning it into something that can help countless others.’ Leanne added: ‘Law firms understand better than most businesses the truly devastating impact of knife crime and the ripple effect it has on the many innocent victims across the country. We need to change the way we view our pointed kitchen knives as just another harmless kitchen tool and embrace this simple safety measure to protect communities.’

🔥 Fresh warnings have been issued to the public after a huge fire broke out on sand dunes at Formby. Fire crews from Merseyside and Lancashire battled the flames as a fire broke out on Wednesday evening and initially was estimated to cover a space 300m by 300m before spreading as wide as 500m. It caused extensive damage, though rangers from the National Trust site so it is too early to understand the full extent of its impact on what it an ecologically significant habitat and the species which live there. A spokesperson for the NT said: “While the fire is now out, the scorched ground will remain hot for several days, so we ask visitors to avoid the area for their own safety. We can all help to reduce further fire risk during this period of hot, dry weather by ensuring cigarettes are fully extinguished and barbeques and fires are never lit, not just at National Trust Formby, but anywhere along the Sefton Coast. We’d like to thank Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service for their quick response and hard work in containing and extinguishing the fire.”

🔨 The historic conservatory at Hesketh Park is to undergo major repair, restoration and conservation works. The conservatory was bought and moved to the park almost 150 years ago and has stood there ever since but now needs extensive work to address structural deterioration, corrosion, drainage failures and building fabric defects that currently threaten the long-term survival. A planning application has been submitted for the works and say it provide benefits by securing the long-term future and continued public use of the listed building, providing a safe and well-maintained heritage asset, improving the quality of the visitor environment, and supporting continued public enjoyment of Hesketh Park. The restoration project, along with other improvements at the park, is being funded through an £850,000 legacy gifted by Louis and Anita Marks.

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Council communication has turned aviary closure into political catastrophe

Analysis by Jamie Lopez

Sefton Council’s efforts to gain support from animal rights groups served only to fan the flames as it faces huge backlash over its decision to close the Botanic Gardens Aviary.

The council either underestimated or simply did not understand the public reaction when it quietly made the decision to close the historic facility earlier this year and its efforts to counter that mood have so far proved deeply unsuccessful.

On Wednesday, a public meeting led by Southport MP Patrick Hurley and long-serving Botanic Gardens volunteers David and Ann Cobham was attended by around 250 people and heard that a paper petition circulated by Botanic Gardens Community Association has attracted more than 11,000 signatures in addition to a few thousand more online.

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The meeting heard plenty of anger directed at the council and once again it was a reminder of how ill-conceived it was that this decision might ever pass quietly. Amid an awful lot of frustration - and not inconsiderable misunderstanding of how local democracy operates - there were shoots of optimism from the meeting, with Hurley suggesting he had cause to believe there could be a positive outcome, even if he was unable to give more detail.

Many of those present were on board with his suggestion that a lot of people making a small financial contribution would add up to a total which could be used to unlock significantly more funding. Ann Cobham also requested that people willing to commit their time do so to help the aviary and the wider park - one hopes both of these suggestions will be heeded by a good number of those who have variously expressed support and outrage.

Those willing to read between the lines could see Hurley had genuine hopes of a route for the aviary remaining open even if he wasn’t willing to disclose every element of the discussions he has had so with council officers and other organisations.

What followed just a day later was a new press release from the council doubling down on its belief that the aviary could not accord with animal welfare needs. Comments from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Born Free Foundation, the International Animal Protection Organisation In Defence of Animals and the Freedom for Animals organisation - all sought directly by the council once the backlash had started - supported its decision.

Among those, Dr Carys Bennett, Senior Corporate Projects Manager, said: “PETA applauds Sefton Council for its decision to close the Botanic Gardens aviary and rehome the animals to facilities better able to meet their needs.

“Birds are not ornaments to be displayed. The aviary’s parrots, for example, are highly social animals who, in nature, live in flocks, fly long distances, forage for food, and make their own choices.

“Confining them with little stimulation does not respect animals’ best interests, or meet their social, psychological or physical needs. In the 80 years since the aviary was set up, our understanding of animals as individuals has advanced tremendously, and the urgency to protect wildlife, in the wild, has never been greater.”

Chris Lewis, Captivity Research and Policy Manager at international wildlife charity Born Free, added: “While we recognise the nostalgia and fond memories that local residents may have about the aviary, Born Free feels strongly that tradition should never be used as justification or a barrier for improving animal welfare or ending poor welfare practices which may once have been considered socially acceptable.”

It was indicative that the supportive letters only arrived this late and it is worth noting that it followed an FOI request from a member of the public which revealed that no investigations, analysis or enquiries were carried out into the financial or welfare aspects before the decision was made.

Through just a few short questions, the council’s limited authority on the matter was further diminished and its leaders, who had previously spoken so confidently on the matter, looked completely inept.

The council forced itself into a defensive position and remains stuck on the back foot entirely through its own poor handling of the decision. The fact it only now sought out this information has added to the frustration of opponents of the decision.

Communication from the authority, notably its senior councillors, has been bewilderingly poor from the start and has only served to undermine its own decision making. The fact it did not even announce the decision itself but instead allowed volunteers to do so - having not even informed them for several months after it was decided - meant it lost control of the narrative and it has never come close to winning anyone back over.

The claim that the lack of public consultation was due to it being a budget decision simply cannot sit alongside its insistence that the decision is being made out of animal welfare concerns. The inconsistent answers treat the public as fools and it is extremely naive to think the dual-narrative would ever be tolerated.

For those unaware, the decision to close the aviary had actually been passed as part of the budget setting in March - a single line in a long document which I’ve no doubt at all the opposition Lib Dem councillors are kicking themselves for missing.

The manner in which the decision was first not announced and then brushed aside with such churlish responses strikes of a leadership which chooses to hide behind process and avoid scrutiny - a criticism which is frequently aimed at the cabinet in relation to a wide range of issues.

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This newsletter has previously focused on the difficulties for children in care which can be seen when residents oppose homes near them being used by care companies. Today’s editions looks at issues facing child social care, namely that a shortage of suitable places means that children are being either moved away to another borough or into unregistered homes.

In Sunday’s newsletter, we reported that Sefton Council is considering the introduction of dynamic pricing for its public toilets, allowing it to increase the cost during major events. Not unusually, this was picked up by nationals titles with no reference or credit to where the story originally came from. It is only with your support that we can continue breaking news so please consider taking a paid subscription - and as always, thank you to those who have already done so.

Southport briefing

👏 Sefton Council’s free employment, training and recruitment service, Sefton@Work, has retained its full Customer Service Excellence rating and achieved five new Compliance Plus ratings. The service offers confidential and impartial information, advice and guidance to Sefton residents over 16 years on all aspects of jobs, education and training including self-employment and having first achieved Customer Service Excellence in 2010 has shown year on year improvements ever since. In the most recent assessment, the team gained a further five Compliance Plus ratings, something which can only be achieved when an organisation exceeds the standard required in a particular area. Sefton@Work now has 33 Compliance Plus ratings overall putting them among the top performing organisations in the country for Customer Service. Cllr Paulette Lappin, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills said: “The Sefton@Work team work tirelessly across the Borough to ensure there are opportunities for everyone and help our companies grow. Congratulations to them on another year of top quality service and improvements that have led to them retaining their Customer Service Excellence status and achieving new Compliance Plus ratings.”

🗑️ New rules for Southport Household Waste and Recycling Centre could see residents required to use a booking system and face an annual limit on the number of visits. The changes, which would affect all tips across Merseyside, would also limit their use to those living in the county - potentially meaning those living closest to Southport’s tip but past the Lancashire border would no longer be admitted. Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) has launched a consultation on the plans which runs until September 22nd. Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of MRWA, said: “Our Recycling Centres are used more than three million times each year and provide an important service for households across Merseyside. As we plan for the future, we want to understand what people think about the proposals, what benefits they see and what concerns they may have. This is an opportunity for residents to inform decision making, and the feedback we receive will help inform the next stage of our review.”

🚓 A man has been charged after several attempts were made to break into cars on Falkland Road. Police were called at around 1.20am on Friday when a man was seen looking in car windows and trying to open doors. Officers searched the area and found and detained a man wearing a balaclava and gloves on the driveway of a property along the street. Michael Edwardson, aged 61, of Balfour Road in Southport was later charged with going equipped for theft and three counts of vehicle interference. He was remanded to court and bailed to appear at Sefton Magistrates Court on Wednesday 30 September.

🗼 Southport MP Patrick Hurley has given his backing to Blackpool’s attempt to become UK City of Culture 2029. Blackpool’s bid was formally submitted to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) this week and Hurley joined every other Lancashire MP in supporting the effort. Blackpool was longlisted for the title earlier this year alongside eight other places from across the UK and submission follows four months of bid development. The winning bid will receive £10 million in guaranteed government funding to deliver its programme, with £125,000 resource grants awarded to each of the three runners-up. A letter jointly signed by Hurley and the 15 other Lancashire MPs states: “With tourism on the rise and world-class infrastructure in place, City of Culture status would provide the prestige to boost Blackpool’s visitor economy, create new jobs, and strengthen its identity across the town and the wider region for years to come. The benefits would ripple outward, drawing visitors who will explore further – along Lancashire’s coastline, into its towns and countryside, and giving our whole county a platform to showcase its culture, heritage and talent to the world. Blackpool has the ambition and creativity to make the most of this opportunity, and this recognition would allow the town and wider county to unlock its full potential.” The bid now goes before DCMS’s independent expert advisory panel, which will assess all nine longlisted applications against the competition’s criteria. The panel will recommend a shortlist of up to four places to DCMS ministers, who will make the final decision on which places progress.

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Out of town, over-budget and unregistered homes: The challenges facing children’s social care

By Emma Morgan

Around £120m was spent by local authorities across Merseyside in the last year on private children’s homes with some of that money being paid to house children in unregistered, illegal settings.

The expenditure was revealed after Ofsted announced in July that councils that place children in unregistered homes could see their children’s services performance ratings downgraded, and after the inspectorate carried out its first successful prosecution against this type of provider.

Collectively, Sefton, Liverpool, Knowsley and Wirral Councils spent £119.6m on funding private services in 2025/6, according to responses to Freedom of Information requests. St Helens Council did not respond, but as of 2024 had 34 private homes across the borough.

Costs have risen significantly over the past couple of years, with Sefton for example spending £35.6m in the past year, compared to £23.4 in 2023/4.

Private care homes make up over 80% of the mix in England, with the remainder being run by local authorities and charities. The number of this type of home has skyrocketed in recent years, nearly doubling from 2,209 to over 4,000 since 2018, according to Ofsted.

In that same period, the number of children in care only increased by 9%. It is thought that the rise in the number of homes is the result of new providers including private equity and property investors who do not require prior experience or qualifications to set up services, according to charity Become.

Ofsted warned last year that firms were increasingly putting profit over the needs of children, partly by setting up homes in areas of the country where housing is cheaper.

The sharp rise in the number of children’s homes has also resulted in an increase in the number of unregistered providers.

All services are legally obliged to register with Ofsted, which is required to inspect them twice a year. However, when councils with a shortage of homes in their area cannot find any other way to place children in care, they sometimes have to resort to using these settings, sometimes costing up to £2m per year per child, the BBC has reported.

Firms lodging applications with Merseyside councils’ planning departments often do not show up on Ofsted records. These settings may be waiting to register with the inspectorate, or they may not have submitted an application at all.

Ofsted’s successful prosecution of an unregistered provider related to Catalyst Care Limited, whose directors were fined £92,400 after pleading guilty to managing illegal homes in Kent. The directors had been sent repeated warnings by Ofsted that they were breaking the law, while receiving over £1.7m from local authorities.

Ofsted said that children placed in unregistered homes have no assurance of safe or suitable care, adding: “There are no guaranteed checks on staff or living conditions, or accountability when things go wrong. Worryingly, many children placed in illegal homes are often those with the most complex needs.”

Sefton Council said that it knows of 65 unregistered homes within its boundaries, but none of its young people are housed in one. It added that it does interact with the providers for safeguarding processes and due diligence measures, as well as to clarify whether the home is pursuing Ofsted registration.

Sefton Cabinet member for children, schools, and families Diane Roscoe said: “It is a trend we are aware of but our position in Sefton is that children who need to come into our care are best placed within their home communities and our priority is to recruit foster carers so children live in stable, loving homes.”

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Dynamic pricing - when costs are increased during times of high demand - has become a hot issue in recent years, most notably when tickets went on sale for the Oasis reunion tour and fans had no idea the cost would soar during queues which lasted several hours.

There are a few other areas it has been implemented but even the more cynical among did not expect it to be considered at public toilets - and yet here we are. Sefton Council says it has no plans to introduce dynamic pricing “at this time” - but a report seen by The Southport Lead suggests it will become a possibility.

That is the focus of the main story in today’s newsletter… and who says local journalism isn’t glamorous?

Southport briefing

🏥 A fresh investigation is being launched into the issue of NHS staff inappropriately looking up records of Southport attack victims. Dozens of workers were found to have searched records of those injured in the attack despite having no legitimate reason to have done so. The HSJ, which previously broke the news that staff at Aintree Hospital and North West Ambulance Service had been investigated for such actions, has now reported that NHS England is looking into the matter amid serious concerns about the duty of candour to those affected. The adult survivors and families of the children whose records were improperly searched were only told about the breaches when details were accidentally published on the website of the NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group and seen by journalists.

🦜 A second public meeting will be held to discuss efforts to save the Botanic Gardens Aviary. Southport MP Patrick Hurley has called the meeting to take place at 5pm on Wednesday in collaboration with the Botanic Gardens Community Association. He said it will allow people to share ideas on how to maintain the aviary - which Sefton Council says is closing for welfare reasons and will result in a saving of £60k a year - and to create a sustainable future for the park. The meeting will take place at a new location of St Cuthbert’s Church in Churchtown after demand for the previous one far exceeded capacity. Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport and the Northern Parishes, said: “The aviary is one of Southport’s most cherished local treasures, and the support to keep it open has been overwhelming. I’ve been working to ensure that we took on board your ideas, feedback and offers for support to develop a clear plan alongside our excellent volunteers, and we now feel in a position to ask for your support to help make the Botanic Gardens the best it can be, and work to keep the aviary open. If you can’t attend Wednesday’s meeting, we’ll be sharing details soon about how you can get involved with supporting the park, as well as showing your support for our aviary”

⛪ The former Banks Methodist Church could finally be brought back to use as a children’s day nursery. The church closed in 2021, after around 150 years, with the decline in worshipper numbers having been accelerated by the pandemic. Five years on, plans to reuse the building have finally been brought forward with a planning application submitted to West Lancashire Borough Council. If approved, the nursery will operate from 7.30am-6pm for children aged three months to five years and will also offer an after-school provision for up to 10 children. The application states: “The proposed nursery and after-school use represents a positive community use of Banks Methodist Church. It would provide an important local service while making effective use of an existing building. The revised after-school capacity of 10 children provides a modest and proportionate additional element to the main nursery operation. Subject to detailed design and the relevant statutory approvals, the proposal would provide a valuable facility for children and families in Banks and the surrounding area.

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Dynamic pricing considered for Southport’s public toilets

By Jamie Lopez

Sefton Council has considered introducing dynamic pricing at its public toilets in Southport - but says it has no plans to do so “at this time”.

The authority is planning to introduce cardless payments at facilities such as those on the Promenade, the town centre and Hesketh Park and sees this as an opportunity to create variable pricing which would mean it can charge more during major events.

Dynamic pricing has become commonplace in recent years but remains a deeply controversial practice. It involves increasing costs when demand is higher and is more typically seen in ticket prices at music gigs and sporting events. It is also a key part of business models of companies such as Uber which use “surge pricing” at times of increased demand.

However, documents seen by The Southport Lead show the council is planning to introduce contactless payments at its toilets when it awards a new contract for maintenance and cleaning. The facilities covered in the new contract include those at the three Southport sites as well as three others across the borough.

A report due to go before the cabinet next week recommends that a new contract for cleaning and maintenance be awarded to Danfo UK, the company which installed the toilets and is currently responsible for its maintenance.

The report notes that “the services have been delivered over the years to a good standard” and that the new duties will include cleaning the toilets twice a day. It also states it will involve the introduction of contactless payments and, while the council says it has no plans to introduce dynamic pricing currently, the officer’s report makes it clear that this is an attractive prospect.

It states: “Under a new contract, the plan is to introduce contactless payment machines through capital funding, this will allow scope for future generation of income for services provided, for example, during events held across the borough, increased demand for public conveniences would allow the council the ability to adjust charges during peak periods, helping to cover the costs for the service maintenance.

“This would also give the council full access to live data by using a cloud-based platform, enhancing service monitoring and decision making.”

Cllr Mike Sammon represents Cambridge Ward which includes Hesketh Park and he has previously lobbied for improvements to the toilet facilities there as well as consulting with disability campaign group Southport Access For Everyone (SAFE) on needed improvements.

Alongside his fellow ward councillors, he convinced the council to extend the opening hours until 9pm earlier this year and has previously raised issues including broken taps and hand-dryers and missing toilets seats. While he has praised the council for responding to such issues, Cllr Sammon was left baffled by the prospect of it increasing fares at busier times.

He told The Southport Lead: “I actually couldn’t believe what I was reading when I saw that Sefton Council is considering surge pricing for public toilets. The council’s own report says the new system would allow prices to be increased at busy times, such as during public events.

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When new funding formulas from NHS England come into effect, it will mean more goes to directly to GP practices. However, the trade off is that less money will then go to organisations like Southport and Formby Primary Care Network (PCN) which brings together more than a dozen practices and other services under one organisation.

As such, the PCN is looking at how to make cuts and a vital service which helps cancer patients and their family is to lose its funding. Suffice to say, that decision has proved deeply unpopular and prompted serious concerns. That is the focus of today’s main story.

Southport briefing

🎨 A famous painting linked to one of the most remarkable stories of the First World War is now on display at The Atkinson, helping visitors discover a special connection between Sefton and the Belgian city of Mons. The Angels of Mons, painted by artist Marcel Gillis, is part of the Atkinson Art Gallery Collection and is featured in a new exhibition that explores the legend of the “Angels of Mons”. The legend began during the Battle of Mons in Belgium when stories spread that British soldiers, facing great danger, were protected by mysterious angelic figures or ghostly archers led by Saint George. The tale gave hope to many people during the dark early days of the war. Although the story was inspired by a fictional short story called The Bowmen by writer Arthur Machen, many people came to believe the events were real. The legend quickly became one of the best-known wartime stories in Britain. Cllr Liz Dowd, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Culture and Libraries, said: “This painting is significant because it captures the power of belief, hope and imagination during wartime. And for local residents, the exhibition has an extra meaning as Sefton has been twinned with Mons since 1964, creating a long-standing friendship between the two communities”. The exhibition has been created in partnership with the Mons Memorial Museum and celebrates the shared history between the two places. The Angels of Mons exhibition runs until October 17th and is free to visit.

🧑‍⚖️ A woman who stole £50,000 from employer to fund holidays, clothes, bills and home improvements has been jailed for 38 months. Donna Pope, 47, used the company credit card to pay for trips to Amsterdam and Malaga and pay for a personal trainer while her employer battled cancer. She later claimed she hadn’t realised the money hadn’t come out of her personal account. Giving a victim impact statement, employer Eddie Tucker, from Southport, said: “When I first began to suspect irregularities, Donna repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. She gave excuses, including claiming she had accidentally connected her personal PayPal account to the business and that she would ‘sort it out’. “These explanations were lies. She continued to deny the fraud for many months and left the company, citing she was offered another job that offered more flexibility.” He added: “Her actions have devastated my business, my finances, and my family’s sense of security. The emotional impact is ongoing. We are still dealing with the consequences every day, and the road to recovery, financially, physically, and emotionally remains uncertain.” Pope, of Liverpool Road, Ormskirk, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position.

🔍 The Liberal Democrats have called in Sefton Council’s proposed deal to allow GSL Developments to demolish the Sands pub in Ainsdale and rebuild a hotel in its place. The council announced the agreement last week, after which The Southport Lead revealed it involved a five-year agreement in which it must achieve certain goals to allow the progression of a 250-year lease. The Lib Dems say such a move requires greater scrutiny and the call-in would mean a public meeting with questioning on issues such as timescales and deadlines, financing, assurances from the developer, and how the interests of the council and residents are protected. Lib Dem leader Cllr John Pugh said: “There is no-one who would not welcome the replacement of the current eyesore with a new hotel and leisure facilities and no-one doubts the good intentions on both sides. However, this is a big step for the council, especially with the handing over of a 250 year lease, and Sefton Council has a tendency to be incautiously optimistic, rather than sensibly realistic. A lot more gets announced by the council’s press department than actually delivered on the ground. The proposed developer for the Sands has already been offered at times both Kings Gardens and the Esplanade Park and Ride site by Sefton to build a surfing lagoon (the Cove - first announced in 2020 ), and no-one seems to be ordering their surf board currently. Sefton are now giving the same developer five years to build out a development on the Sands. Although it is obviously a less challenging scheme, there is the natural need for councillors to be assured that there is the investment in place or in prospect to complete in time as planned.”

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Cancer support service facing the axe as GP funding changes

By Jamie Lopez

A service which provides emotional, practical and financial support to cancer patients is at risk of being closed after losing its funding.

The Cancer Navigator Service is run by Southport Macmillan Centre and offers a combination of emotional and practical support, factoring in counselling, group sessions and signposting patients and families to other services. The centre, based on Wright Street, hopes to continue operating the service but no longer has the resources to do so.

However, it has been told by Southport and Formby Primary Care Network (PCN) that its funding will be cut and will no longer cover the service after March 2027.

The PCN is a collection of 14 GP practices and other local providers and has had its own funding formula altered by NHS England. This has meant around £400,000 less goes to the PCN, with the money instead going directly to individual practices specifically for the purpose of creating more appointments.

As the navigator service is not among the legal and contractual obligations of the PCN, it is in line to be cut in the next financial year. The network, which has large offices at Southport Business Park, says it has also made redundancies and other cost-cutting measures but is facing criticism for a decision which is being described as short-sighted and misguided.

Among those lobbying to reverse it is Southport MP Patrick Hurley, who believes that losing the service will prove to be a false economy as more people instead look to make GP appointments.

He told The Southport Lead that the PCN had analysed its expenditure and found the navigator service to be among the least efficient, though he believes it provides good value for money helping around 800 people each year.

Hurley said: “This is a false economy because they will end up having to provide an alternative to the navigator service through their own GP budgets on an ad hoc and almost random basis without the efficiencies that are currently provided by Macmillan.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Macmillan are a hugely efficient charity that basically provide unknown social through the senior management putting a shift in when they shouldn’t, doing more than they’re actually paid for. This is what small charities are like and it’s just not accounted for sufficiently.”

He added: “If a cancer navigator interacts with someone that’s been referred to them, they don’t just do the very minimum that’s required of them under the service contract. What they also do is that informal mediation therapy support or they signpost to other services and they’re a bit of a shoulder to cry on when people are vulnerable.

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The demise of Brewers Fayre has been widely reported - including in this newsletter. Thanks to changes from owner Whitbread, more than 200 restaurants under the Brewers Fayre and Beefeater brands are closing down later this year as the company essentially argues it has better ways to make money.

A lot of those changes will lead to the creation of more bedrooms in the attached hotels but not in Southport - today’s newsletter looks at the alternative plan for the Ocean Plaza site.

Southport briefing

🧑‍⚖️ The son of an elderly farmer who was shot dead has denied murdering him. Adam Olverson, appeared at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday morning and issued not guilty pleas to murder, manslaughter, and possessing a shotgun without a licence. His father, 75-year-old Thomas Olverson, was killed while working in the fields of the family farm in Scarisbrick on July 25, 2024. Adam Olverson, 31, was arrested but released on bail and not charged until almost two years later. At the plea hearing, he was granted bail with conditions to attend a police station three days a week, hand his passport in and observe an overnight curfew at his home on Pinfold Lane.

🔎 Opposition Sefton councils have promised to keep pushing for answers on the spiralling cost of building the Marine Lake Events Centre (MLEC). The development is the key part of Southport’s regeneration plan which was made possible by the awarding of £37.5m of Town Deal funding from the previous government and will result in a modern replacement for Southport Theatre and Convention Centre. However, it has been plagued by delays and rising costs and is now forecast to cost more than £100m having previously been estimated at £72m. Other than cabinet members, councillors have been unable to see a 280 page report detailing the latest contract award and the Lib Dems are now attempting to use Freedom of Information Act in a bid to force the council to share more details. Opposition leader Cllr John Pugh said: “There are key details about what has happened and is happening with this development which all councillors ought to know, have a right to know but which the current Labour cabinet does not want us to see. It may not be that this is to hide their blushes, but ordinary councillors ought not to be expected simply to believe that the Sefton Cabinet knows best, particularly as they seem to have got their sums so spectacularly wrong in the past. We need to understand whether the cabinet’s chopping and changing builders and the delay that that has caused has added significant cost to the process. The snail-like pace of this development has certainly bumped up the cost.” The council has repeatedly rejected any claims of secrecy and said it must keep commercially sensitive information private.

🏪 The former Mercedes-Benz car showroom in Birkdale could be replaced by a new convenience store, plus two new shops and a fitness studio. The firm behind the scheme says it has a national retailer lined up to run the store and that there has been no interest in reopening the site in its previous form. The application states: “The Mercedes garage ceased trading in April 2025, following an extended period of trading difficulties and a change in strategy by Mercedes. The site was put on the market at that point, with no evidence of demand for another motor trade use. The proposed convenience store and other commercial uses provide the opportunity to deliver more employment and a broader range of goods and services for the local area.” There is currently a Spar, Tesco Express and Aldi supermarket on the same road within a few hundred metres in either direction.

📆 Southport Heritage Open Days will host an expanded number of events as it returns for 2026. Each September, thousands of volunteers across England organise free events to celebrate the history and culture of where they live, offering a chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are free to explore. This year’s theme is Everyday Histories and among the venues opening their doors are the former Southport Magistrates’ Court building on Albert Road and St Cuthbert’s Church in Churchtown - the oldest in the town. There will also be a series of talks, including one by Dr Julia Paul called ‘Behind The Headlines Of Southport’s Newspapers’ at The Atkinson. More than 20 events are available on the Heritage Open Days website and more will be confirmed online soon.

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Sale plan to keep Brewers Fayre open to public

By Jamie Lopez

The Brewers Fayre restaurant at Ocean Plaza will stay open to the public - if a buyer is found.

Whitbread, which owns the Brewers Fayre brand among a huge portfolio, confirmed this week that it will close all of the restaurants in the coming month as it switches to a more profitable business model which involves more bedrooms and a smaller, guest-only dining option.

In most cases, that means the restaurants are being converted but a spokesperson for Whitbread confirmed to The Southport Lead that the Ocean Plaza site is instead being sold and the guest dining facility will be created within the existing footprint of the hotel.

The restaurant is popular with families due its low prices and play area and also enjoys strong trade from locals and tourists with its beer garden in good use throughout the summer and during events like the Southport Air Show.

Whitbread plans to close the restaurant on September 7 but work is already under way to find a new owner for the venue. It is currently listed for sale with Christie and Co with a price tag of £750,000 and the option to include all existing fixtures and fittings.

The property comes with central area with space for 108 covers, a function room which can house another 30, outdoor seating at the front and rear of the building, and three residential units - a three-bedroom flat, a one-bedroom flat and a studio apartment - which could be staff accommodation or rental units.

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Like me, you’ll likely have had a leaflet through your door explaining that Sefton Council has begun the process of creating it’s next Local Plan (or at least you will do when the post eventually catches up).

As the leaflet explains, this Local Plan will guide how the borough grows and changes over the next two decades. It is a very bureaucratic process which involves a lot of confusing terminology - not least when you realise that ‘safeguarded’ land is that which is going to be built on - but it’s also very important. In today’s newsletter we explain what you need to know about the process and how to get involved.

Today of course falls two years since the dreadful attack on Hart Street but, in line with the wishes of the bereaved and survivors, we will not be giving it great focus. Instead, we will join people across the town in observing a three minutes silence at 3pm. We also encourage anyone who would like to access support to do so here.

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Southport briefing

🍽️ The Brewers Fayre restaurant at Ocean Plaza will close on September 10. It is one of more than 100 sites being closed by the chain’s owner Whitbread as it continues with a strategy to replace its restaurants with additional bedrooms and smaller dining facilities for guests rather than the wider public. The Morris Dancers, in Scarisbrick, will also close down as Beefeater sites are also affected by the plan. Dominic Paul, Whitbread’s chief executive, previously: ‘We plan to convert all our remaining branded restaurants to an integrated food and beverage offer that is preferred by our hotel guests and will unlock the addition of more highly profitable extension rooms. Our continued efforts to drive our commercial plan and efficiencies will extend our market-leading position and allow us to take share from our competitors, many of which are struggling to grow.”

🗑️ A Southport restaurant has unexpectedly found itself drawn into the Clacton by-election in which Nigel Farage is standing against 33 candidates including novelty character Count Binface. The Reform UK leader called the by-election after facing scrutiny over his financial affairs which include multi-million pounds gifts from a Thai-based billionaire and he has argued he should be judged by the public rather than dedicated watchdogs. On Monday, Count Binface published a manifesto which included policies such as ‘cutting your taxes and raising everyone else’s’ and capping the price of 99 ice creams at 99p. An surprising local connection appeared in number 17 on the list, which states: “The hand-dryer in the gents’ toilet at the Great Himalayas restaurant, Southport to be moved to a more sensible position.”

🧥 A family Uniform & Coat Swap will be the first in a series of six free community clothes swaps at Southport Market. Organised by the non-profit Hearth Network CIC, the initiative is designed to both provide access to clothing for those struggling financially and to reduce textile waste. According to Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, Sefton households throw away more than 11 kilos of clothing per household per year, much of which could be reused rather than sent to landfill or incineration. The uniform and coat swap takes place from 10.30am to 2pm on August 9th, with families invited to bring outgrown school uniforms and coats to swap for others their children need. It is free to attend and open to anyone, whether or not they have items to bring. Rebecca Armstrong, Project Lead at The Hearth Network, said: “This event is about community as much as clothes. It’s a chance for Southport parents to help each other back to school, to keep clothing out of landfill, and to have a warm Sunday morning at the market together — with a coffee, a chat, and a shared purpose. Every uniform donated is one less family worrying about September.” Swish & Stitch is delivered in partnership with Southport Market, Enhance Events, and the Uniform Hub (Compassion Acts) at the Victoria Centre in Southport. Any items not taken on the day will go to the Uniform Hub to support Sefton families year-round. Full details and the full calendar of events are available here.

🧑‍⚖️ Five men have been jailed for their roles in a plot to steal expensive vehicles from Southport and West Lancashire. Within less than a year, around 40 cars, vans and motorbikes were taken in keyless thefts where relay devices were used to bypass the vehicles’ security systems. The stolen vehicles were then either hidden in remote locations or had their tracking devices removed. They were stolen in Southport, Ormskirk, Skelmersdale, Burscough, Wrightington, Liverpool and between January and November last year and evidence of the gang’s activity was found in the phone of one of the criminals who had been chased while driving a stolen Jaguar. The five men appeared at Preston Crown Court last week (23rd July) for sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal. James Miller, 23, of Langtree, Skelmersdale, who also admitted supplying cannabis and ketamine, was jailed for three years and eight months. James McKeown, 23, of Snowdrop Street, Liverpool, was jailed for three years and eight months. He further pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and handling stolen goods. Ryan McNair, 39, of Willow Hey, Skelmersdale, was jailed for three years and two months. Thomas Fleming, 26, of Moorgate, Ormskirk, was jailed for two years and two months. He also pleaded guilty to supplying cannabis. Jason Miller, 24, of Inglewhite, Skelmersdale, was jailed for 22 months. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

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What to know as Sefton begins new Local Plan

By Jamie Lopez

Sefton Council has begun the process of creating a new local plan which will shape how the borough develops over the next two decades.

Councils are obliged to adopt a local plan and they are hugely important in the planning permission process and an authority’s ability to block inappropriate developments. If a council is unable to prove it has enough housing planned to meet demand, it has less power to block applications on sites it does not wish to be developed.

Each local plan identifies the number of new homes and other developments needed to meet local needs over the designated period and where development should take place to accommodate growth. It also identifies areas which should not be developed, those which need improving, and the factors which will be taken into account when determining planning applications for development.

The next local plan will cover from 2029 to 2044 and a consultation process has now officially begun with leaflets being delivered to homes across the borough. These state that “the new plan will help make sure development is planned thoughtfully, fairly, and with the long term interests of Sefton’s residents, businesses and visitors at its heart”.

As part of this stage, a series of public events and online consultations will run to allow feedback from residents and businesses. It has also published a scoping report outlining the broad purposes of the local plan and what the authority hopes to learn during the initial consultation phase.

It states: “This report is the first step. It sets out the topics the Plan must address, the issues we already know about, and the questions we want to ask residents, businesses, and stakeholders at this early stage. This will help shape the direction and content of the new Local Plan before we begin drafting policies or identifying sites for development.”

As outlined in the scoping report, the local plan must identify the overall number of new homes required over the plan period, provide a sufficient supply of land for new homes in the right places, and ensure a suitable mix of homes is provided.

While local plans are of great importance in the legal side of the planning process, they are also notoriously difficult to engage with and generate interest in. The inaccessible nature of them is not helped by terminology which can either be inaccessible or downright confusing. As an example, ‘safeguarded’ land is often assumed to mean sites which are protected from development when in fact it refers to those which will be developed - just not yet and only for a designated purpose such as housing or employment space.

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Once again, there is a new Prime Minister and with the change comes lots of promises. In his first speech outside 10 Downing Street, Andy Burnham made clear that a key priority is to end rough sleeping.

It’s a promise he’s made before in Greater Manchester and it is hoped it can be more successful on a much bigger scale when it is being driven from the heart of government. It is also an undeniably complex problem which requires long-term solutions as well as short-term ones.

In today’s main story, we look at how the promise has been received in Southport.

Southport briefing

🩷 People are being asked not to leave flowers at schools or Hart Street when it reaches two years since the Southport Attack. Instead, people are asked to consider making a charitable donation and are urged to reach out for support if needed. Sefton Council issued the request for no flowers in accordance with the wishes of the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie. A spokesperson said: “We know this will be an incredibly difficult time and many of you will be wondering how best to mark the date. Your compassion and support continues to be a source of comfort to all affected and unwavering acts of kindness have meant more than words can express. This period is incredibly difficult for everyone whose lives were affected by the events of the day, including those who rushed to support and our emergency responders. They remain always in our thoughts. It is the solidarity you continue to show as a community which will again shine bright in the coming weeks and we want everyone to know there has been an incredible amount of consideration, thought and planning given to how we all mark the date of July 29th going forward.” On Wednesday, flags will be raised at half mast and a three minutes silence will be held across the town at 3pm. The spokesperson added: “Our colleagues have been working with faith and community leaders to once again identify local spaces where you can go, within your own neighbourhoods, to say a prayer, light a candle, speak to someone or spend a quiet moment reflecting in whatever way feels right for you. We fully understand that many of us still need to grieve and to acknowledge the day and there is no right or wrong way to do this. Whether you choose to attend a reflective space, observe the silence, spend time with loved ones, or simply take a quiet moment to yourself, we encourage everyone to do whatever feels most appropriate to you.”

📝 The developer behind the stalled Southport Cove Resort has been awarded a contract to transform the site of The Sands pub by Ainsdale beach. GSL Developments has agreed terms with Sefton Council to redevelop the site by demolishing the old pub and building a replacement. The deal involves a five year period during which it must secure planning permission, demolish The Sands and build the new development and if all of this is achieved satisfactorily it will be given a 250-year lease. Tamyln Stone, GSL director, said: “We are delighted to be working with Sefton Council to transform such a high profile building, and to deliver a first-class hospitality offer that aligns with the council’s ambitious vision for the Ainsdale Gateway. We can now invest in the significant resources required to develop our designs, seek and secure planning approval, and to commence works at the earliest opportunity. We share Sefton Council’s ambitions for Ainsdale and its future and are delighted to play a part in achieving them.” The council declined to give any more details on what is proposed for the site, though documents seen by The Southport Lead describe it as being redeveloped for hotel and leisure use and says it includes an optional arrangement relating to the adjacent lake land. Councillor Paulette Lappin, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, said: “This proposal will help address a long-standing vacant site while supporting our wider ambitions for sustainable growth, environmental enhancement and an improved visitor experience along the Sefton Coast.”

✅ Plans to turn a semi-detached house on Bath Street into an HMO for 10 people have been approved. The property sits within the Promenade Conservation Area, already has a licence to become an HMO and will involve no external work. The applicant, Premium Living, said it intends to offer “high quality, affordable shared accommodation to working professional people” and is committed to making sure it does not adversely impact on its neighbours. It said: “In many areas there is great concern about the effect HMOs have on the local community, this can be caused by density of that type of housing, noise and anti-social behaviour from tenants. The applicant believes that this is caused by the choice and standard of property. By providing a high-quality residence aimed at working professionals this problem simply does not exist.” Premium Living has promised to send a gardener and cleaner to the property weekly, and to visit communal areas just as often, carrying out quarterly inspections of all bedrooms. Sefton Council has a policy in place seeking to prevent an over-concentration of HMOs and flats by restricting conversions to no more than 10% of properties within a 100-metre radius but this does not include town centres. Granting planning permission, it concluded that the proposals would “be beneficial to the vitality and viability of the area, plus the overall regeneration aims for the town centre”.

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Cautious hope greets plan to end rough sleeping

By Jamie Lopez

Andy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping has been cautiously welcomed in Southport - with more information wanted to fully understand the plan.

The new Prime Minister made the promise outside 10 Downing Street in his first speech in the role. He said: “For too long, we’ve been told that ending rough sleeping will take decades or even that it’s impossible. I’m not having that. This is something a government can fix if it chooses to. Today, I’m choosing to.

“On my first day as Prime Minister, I’m announcing this government’s commitment to finally end long-term rough sleeping across the UK at the earliest opportunity.

“We’ll get to work immediately, bringing together national and local government with the investment needed to get it done. This is the kind of Britain I want us to be – a country where everyone has the security of a roof over their head, and where no one is left behind or written off. Let’s bring back hope.”

While Southport sees less rough sleeping than nearby cities, a big factor in that is the work done by local charities and outreach services. Life for Life, based on Eastbank Street, has operated for 36 years and provides help with homelessness prevention, outreach to rough sleepers, and referrals to emergency accommodation.

The charity’s CEO, Greta Fenney, said she was delighted to see the issue placed as such a high priority while noting the issue of homelessness goes beyond rough sleeping.

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She told The Southport Lead: “We are keen to hear how the announcement translates into funding and or activity and how that could support the work of organisations like ours in helping to reduce the numbers of people who are street homeless whilst not forgetting the many more who are the ‘hidden homeless’ of the Borough, sofa surfing or living in crowded and inappropriate circumstances.

“We look forward to learning more of the detail in national and regional meetings over the next few months.”

Each year, councils across the country are asked to compile data on the number of people sleeping rough on a single night in Autumn. This snapshot does not provide a comprehensive analysis of homelessness - in part because it people who are in temporary accommodation or staying temporarily with friends or family - but is used as an indicator of the extent of the problem.

The snapshot showed that in 2025, 14 people were sleeping rough across Sefton. Not only is this the highest total since records were first taken in 2010, it is almost double the previous year.

In the government’s presentation of this data, it notes: “Rough sleeping is the most visible and dangerous form of homelessness and is caused by a mixture of interrelated structural (eg poverty, affordable housing), individual (eg relationship breakdown, mental health and substance misuse) and interpersonal factors (eg people leaving institutions, people with no recourse to public funds).”

Cllr Danny Howard was elected to Sefton Council in May’s local elections and had been working to improve the town centre long before then. Living in the area, he has championed the work done by Light for Life, often speaking with those who appear homeless, and says he hopes the support goes far beyond creating more shelters and factors in long-term solutions.

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He said: “When I stayed in Manchester there’s tents all outside McDonald’s. When I say tents, you’re at maybe 10 or 15 and in Southport we’ve got little issue of homeless people but I’d like to learn more about the HMO issue and the vulnerable adults in Southport whether it’s drink related or drugs.

“The likes of Greta and Light for Life are a great team. I worked alongside them on Christmas Day last year at the Christmas Shelter. I got to meet a lot of people who are homed but are either drink or drug-dependent. It’s very complex and people like Greta have their work cut out with all the complex issues we’ve got inside Southport and Dukes ward.”

Cllr Howard pointed to good work done by groups such as Andy’s Man Cave in helping men with mental health problems and to a separate issue he has seen in which people staying in hostels are asked to leave during daytime hours. As such, he hopes the efforts to tackle rough sleeping will involve wider measures to support people long-term and look at why they become homeless in the first place.

“With Andy Burnham coming in and saying he’s gonna sort it out, I’d like to see how he’s gonna sort it out. I’d like to know the module of that and what are they gonna do after they’ve sorted it out. How are they gonna help these people back into society? Are they gonna get the adult care they need? Are they gonna get the skills they need to pay the rent or mortgage?”

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In April, Sefton Council passed its 2026/27 budget only with the help of special government approval to allow the inclusion of property and land sales to cover a £12m shortfall. Just three months later, it is now forecast that it will still overspend on that budget millions of pounds amid ballooning expenditure.

As the authority faces strong opposition to the section of that budget which saved £60k by closing Botanic Gardens aviary, as well as renewed calls to be more transparent over the costings of the Marine Lake Events Centre development, the council’s leadership is now faced with finding millions more in savings.

As is often the case in such things, the biggest overspend is in social care which continues to far and away the greatest financial burden - and the most difficult to control. Today’s main story focuses on how another budget appears to be getting out of control.

Southport briefing

🏌️ The official attendance for The Open has been confirmed as 306,000, a new record in for the championship. The figure compares to last year’s record-setting 278,000 fans at Royal Portrush in Norther Ireland and significant increase from the last time the Open was held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in 2017 when the total attendance was 235,000. Businesses nearby have reported significant increases in turnover, while Sefton Council handed out more than 40,000 tourist information leaflets as it sought to capitalise on the influx of visitors. Southport golfer Tommy Fleetwood enjoyed rapturous support throughout and ultimately finished three shots behind winner Ricky Fox. Afterwards, he said: “This week has given me and my family moments and memories that will last forever. I am forever grateful for the support everyone has given me and the love that you all showed and I’m so proud of my hometown for The Open that you delivered! What an honour and a privilege to have played in that atmosphere in front of you all, thank you! I hope we get to do it again!”

🍻 Southport MP Patrick Hurley issued a rallying call to the community as he talked up the role of pubs in fighting both social isolation and the rise of the far right. Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate on isolation and hidden deprivation in coastal communities, he said: “I represent the lovely seaside town of Southport, and like many coastal MPs, I know that our lovely towns can be deceptive because behind the frontage there are lower wages, poor health, seasonal work and young people leaving. That is why I welcome how this debate has been framed, because as well as being economic, the challenge facing our coastal areas is social.” Citing various research which pointed to the impact of the loss of shared spaces, he highlighted Diane Bolet’s academic paper “Drinking Alone” which charts a correlation between the loss of the local pub and the likelihood of the local population to vote for the radical right. He added: “When the general public hear about infrastructure, they tend to think about roads, but social infrastructure matters too. Youth clubs, sports clubs, libraries, community centres, parks and gardens, faith groups - all of that. I say to anybody watching this debate back in Southport: please get involved. Please help to make our town the town it can be in whatever way you can.”

🏥 A senior Lancashire County Councillor has promised the authority will continue to challenging the decision to close the Children A&E Department at Ormskirk and relocate it to Southport but says it will not reconvene a dedicated scrutiny group. The decision was reacted to with anger in West Lancashire and concerns was raised over whether the feedback from the consultation process was properly listened to before the Shaping Care Together programme concluded that Southport was the best location. County Cllr Graham Dalton said the matter has been referred to Government for a review and said “we as a Reform council remain firmly opposed to the poor decision making and will continue in the scrutinising of the implementation of this programme”. He added: “Further scrutiny has already been built into our work programme and we will continue to hold the NHS to account on behalf of the residents of Lancashire.”

🚧 Plans to knock down the former Oldfield car showroom and replace it with a block of flats have been rejected. The business closed down in 2022 after more than 100 years of trading when the owners decided to retire. The building, on Queens Road, has since been used for the likes of martial arts training and plans were approved last year to split it into three units which would have included fitness uses such as that. However, new plans were submitted in April which would have seen it demolished and replace by a four-storey building housing 12 flats. Sefton Council has yet to publish a decision notice explaining its reasoning and did not respond to a request from The Southport Lead.

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£4m overspend warning just three months after Sefton Council sets budget

By Jamie Lopez

Sefton Council is already forecast to overspend its annual budget by £4.2m - just three months after setting it.

Councils are legally obliged to set a balanced budget each year and Sefton’s was set in April only thanks to special Government approval to include £12m of asset sales to achieve that.

However, new forecasts show that millions of pounds will need to be saved, with the cost of Children’s Social Care proving a particular issue and departments across the council ordered to find savings.

A report going before the council’s cabinet tomorrow outlines the first review of the budget and finds a forecast overspend of £4.2m. However, Children’s Social Care alone is forecast to overspend by £11.8m in that final total includes £1m of savings and a fall of £9m which was built in to account for additional pressure seen last year which had the potential to reduce.

Last year, Sefton oversaw a £20m overspend on Children’s Social Care which resulted in depleted reserves and Cllr John Pugh, the opposition Liberal Democrat leader, said the latest news was unsurprising.

In the report, a council officer says the £11.8m overspend includes a “number of significant assumptions and uncertainties that could impact on this position before the year-end” and that further work will continue to be undertaken to understand the pressures and refine forecasts.

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Back in May, when the local elections saw Labour’s majority on Sefton Council dramatically reduced and the Liberal Democrats win 17 out of 21 Southport seats, I wondered whether a new era of better working relations could begin for the parties.

The early signs were not good when Labour declined to give the Lib Dems any roles chairing scrutiny committees and the tension between the two has been clear to see ever since. Accusations, and denials, of a lack of openness regarding issues such as the MLEC expenditure have again become commonplace.

Matters came to a head at a full council meeting on Thursday in discussions over Southport beach and what has become a very hot topic of the Botanic Gardens Aviary. Read our main story below to see exactly what happened, along with one separate point of agreement on an important but lesser discussed issue.

And if you haven’t quite had your fill of council arguments, I’d direct you to today’s edition of The Lancashire Lead for a report of a meeting which made this one look an entirely wholesome encounter and which contained the most the extraordinary outburst I’ve seen in a decade of covering of local politics.

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Southport briefing

💐 Tributes have been paid to a Ken Porter, a well known volunteer who gave decades of service to improving Ainsdale. After retiring in 1992 from the Ford Motor Company, where he held various managerial positions, Ken dedicated years of his life to helping the village alongside wife and fellow community champion Brenda. Ken one of the founding members of the Ainsdale Civic Society and served as its first honorary secretary as well as giving long service as secretary of Ainsdale in Bloom. In 2023, he and Brenda were given the Chairman’s Award at North West in Bloom for their hard work. After the news of his death was announced by his wife, Ainsdale Civic Society said: “His dedication, commitment, and vision helped establish the strong foundations on which the Society continues to build today. We remain deeply grateful for the lasting contribution he made to both our organisation and the wider community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Brenda and all of Ken’s family. They have lost a kind, honest, and devoted man whose love for his community touched so many. He will be remembered with great respect and affection.”

🍔 The prospect of Wendy’s opening a drive-thru restaurant in Southport has moved closer after planning permission was approved. The US fast food chain, which specialises in burgers, is earmarked to replace the car wash facility at Kew Retail Park, opposite the Old Duke pub and near to McDonald’s. The application was submitted last year and did not state the new facility would be operated by Wendy’s but an eagle-eyed member of the public spotted the reference in a technical report submitted with it. It is stated that the new venture will create between 30-40 jobs. The application stated: “The proposed drive-thru will deliver a valuable and convenient facility for nearby commercial uses and the surrounding working population. Locating the development within Kew Retail Park, an established retail destination, avoids the sporadic siting of traffic-generating development, promotes linked trips and helps to minimise the generation of additional vehicle journeys.”

🏠 Sefton Council’s cabinet is expected to vote to allow the beginning of work to develop housing on the former Ainsdale Hope High School site. The school has been closed since 2007 and is one of three sites across Sefton which are being considered as part of the Sefton 2030 initiative which involves a collaboration between the council and its partner The Sovini Group to build 1,000 new affordable homes across the borough by 2030. At the meeting, cabinet members will be asked to approve proposals which will allow Sovini Group to begin early feasibility work on the three proposed development sites. If approved, Sovini will be permitted to carry out surveys and investigate initial design ideas to look at how the sites can best meet local needs. Cllr Phil Hart, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for housing, said:  “Everyone deserves a safe, good-quality home. It’s key to a safe, happy and fulfilling life. Sefton 2030 is about making that a reality in our borough. By working in collaboration with The Sovini Group, we can bring forward currently unused sites that have been earmarked for disposal and turn them into the right mix of over 200 new homes for local people. This is an important step; we are still at an early stage, and nothing will happen at these sites without further approval of detailed plans by the council.”

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Southport-Sefton divide reignited in rows over beach and aviary

Sefton Council was accused of not listening to Southport as it faced more pressure over its decision to close the aviary at Botanic Gardens and its management of the beach.

Cabinet members faced multiple questions about the lack of consultation on the closure plan but insisted it was entirely appropriate as it was an “operational decision” made as part of the budget.

As reported by The Southport Lead last week, the council expects to save £60k by closing the facility, which acts as a rescue centre and houses exotic birds including parrots, but has cited animal welfare issues as the main factor.

At a fractious full council meeting at Southport Town Hall on Thursday, council leader Cllr Marion Atkinson described aviaries as “unnatural” and “inhumane” environments, sparking anger from those in the public gallery.

The decision was described as “crazy” by community volunteers last week as the furious reaction to the news continued at a public meeting attended by around 200 people.

David Cobham, who runs the Botanic Gardens Community Association of volunteers with his wife Ann, told the LDRS: “This park, and especially the aviary, people go back years and years when they brought their children here, when they came here themselves as children with their grandmas.

“It’s really awful.” He described the decision as “crazy”.

Sefton has said the aviary is not keeping up with modern animal welfare standards expected for birds in its care and the costs associated with maintaining its infrastructure are too great, adding that it is one of the last councils in the country to manage a facility that houses animals but has no statutory duty to do so and must focus its limited funding elsewhere.

The council also said the nature of the challenges the aviary faces in terms of infrastructural improvements and meeting welfare needs would make it difficult for any voluntary organisation to take over running the attraction.

An online petition set up by the Botanic Gardens Community Association has been signed by nearly 3,000 people, while activists collecting signatures in the Botanic Gardens ahead of a public meeting last Friday say their paper petition had also secured around 5,000 signatures.

Meols ward Liberal Democrat councillor Daniel Lewis submitted a motion to Sefton Council ahead of its meeting on Thursday, noting the Botanic Gardens Community Association is bidding for Heritage Lottery match-funding for up to £5m. Under the scheme, every £1 the community raised for the Botanic Gardens would be matched with an additional £9 from the National Lottery.

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Cllr Lewis was calling for the £176,000 raised from the sale of a lodge at the edge of the gardens to be allocated towards the bid so that the aviary could stay open.

David Rawsthorne, who founded the Make a Change for Botanic campaign group which raises funds for repairs and maintenance at the gardens, previously described the aviary as “the heartbeat of the park” and said the group wanted answers on the progress of the match funding bid.

While it was unlikely the motion would ever be agreed when government approval was needed to factor that property sale into the general budget, the response did little to ease tensions.

At the meeting, Lib Dem councillor for Birkdale Simon Shaw asked why the council didn’t carry out a public consultation on the decision to close the aviary when such an exercise could have uncovered considerations that hadn’t occurred to the council before.

Cabinet member for health and wellbeing Joanne Williams responded: “There was a great deal of thought given to the decision. It wasn’t taken lightly.

“With regards to consultation […] it had to go through the budget process as well, therefore it’s an operational decision, so we wouldn’t consult.”

This was met with mutters of “outrageous” and “rubbish” from the public gallery, where a group of volunteers from the Botanic Gardens Community Association were sitting.

Cllr Lewis then put forward his motion, saying: “The work done by the Botanic Gardens Community Association is often underestimated. People don’t know just how much those guys do to keep the jewel of the north of the town alive and going. It is a fantastic asset. I’ve been going there since I was a kid, since I was a toddler.”

He said the match-funding is an “incredible opportunity. If we can get that, that’s so much money into Southport.”

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He said he is “disappointed” the proceeds from the sale of the lodge did not go to support the Botanic Gardens, adding: “However much it was sold for, that could have been leveraged 10 times. That would be a massive amount of money. [Botanic Gardens community groups have] already raised tens of thousands of pounds, we can’t ask them to do it alone.”

He asked if the decision was based on funding pressures or on animal welfare. “This isn’t difficult to do. If we want to save the aviary we can save the aviary. It requires a tiny amount of political will, tiny.”

Responding, council leader Marion Atkinson thanked Botanic Gardens volunteers for their work. She said funds from the sale of assets are shared across the borough.

Cllr Atkinson added: “This closure is not about money. […] This is all about the welfare of the birds,” to shouts of “load of rubbish” from the public gallery.

“The animals are currently held in captivity in cages that are far too small. On average, each bird has the equivalent space to fly of four washing machines stacked two by two. The aviary is an unnatural habitat. Aviaries are a legacy of an era that did not care about birds.

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“None of these animals were put on earth for the pleasure of human beings to look at them,” she said, to a shout of “it’s a sanctuary” from the public gallery.

“We should not encourage future generations of birds to be confined to those kinds of facilities. It’s simply inhumane.

“Sometimes nostalgia gets the best of us and we forget what the right thing is.”

Lib Dem councillor Simon Shaw queried why Cllr Atkinson was saying the move was not about money when earlier Cllr Williams had said it was a budgetary decision.

His colleague Iain Brodie-Browne said: “If it was an animal welfare decision we could have had a report to us about the animal welfare decisions. If we are to rehome them, are we to fly them to Africa? It is nothing other than a smokescreen […] You sneaked it in the back door.”

Green councillor Neil Doolin said he has read research suggesting that: “If animals have been born into captivity, sudden freedom or change is not the correct approach.

“Birds – parrots in particular – are as intelligent as five-year-old humans […] that is their home and everything they know.”

Concluding, Cllr Lewis said that if it is not about money: “Give them £60,000 a year. Anyone going to do it? No, because it is about the £60,000.

“You just called the people who work for the aviary animal abusers […] it’s an animal rescue centre. They are saving birds.

“We can do the right thing here, but I’ve given up on the Labour-run Cabinet. […] The Labour council will not listen to people in Southport.”

In the end his motion was rejected by 32 votes to 27.

Southport beach

Differences between the council administration and opposition were again highlighted in a subsequent motion which called for the saviour of a section of Southport Beach. This motion, put forward by Cllr Doolin, called for action to keep part of the beach plant and mud-free for the community and visitors.

Debate over the fate of Southport Beach has continued for several years, as local people and politicians consider how to balance the need to conserve habitats with a desire to support the town’s seaside tourist attractions. While Ainsdale, Formby and Crosby are known for their golden sands, the Southport stretch is subject to accretion, the natural build-up of land along a shoreline as more and more sand and sediment is deposited.

That means that as more sediment and silt settles on the beach, the more it begins to resemble a mudflat, with vegetation growing inwards and the council has resisted several calls to take action on this front, insisting that Natural England has limitations on what can be done to affect those changes.

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When The Open came to the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in 2017, I attended on behalf of The Southport Visiter and nine years later I’m back in the media centre, one of a staggering number of large scale temporary structures which have been erected for the eight-day competition.

One change this time around is that among the hundreds of reporters, photographers and other media workers, I appear to be the only accredited reporter here from a Southport title. Rather than being in a section of local press, I instead have a station surrounded by specialist golf magazines and titles from the likes of Spain, France and Norway.

It says a lot about the decline of local news in that time period and if a major event like this does not have journalists from the town in attendance, then what of the much lesser known happenings? This absence is part of what The Southport Lead hopes to address and if you appreciate out work, please do consider taking a paid subscription to help enable it (and, as always, a huge thanks to those who already do so).

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Southport briefing

🚑 North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) is investigating concerns that staff inappropriately accessed the medical records of victims of The Southport Attack. According to the HSJ, which also broke news that staff at that dozens of workers at Aintree Hospital had snooped on records without legitimate reasons, reported yesterday that NWAS is investigating its own brief and that family members of the affected victims are aware. NWAS chief executive Salman Desai said: “We have identified concerns about potential inappropriate access to patient records and are formally investigating the matter. We will contact families and patients who may have been affected as our enquiries progress. Any inappropriate access to patient information will be treated extremely seriously. We are deeply sorry for the concern and distress this may cause.” The dad of one of the surviving girls described it as an appalling breach of trust.

📞 BT has again been defeated in an attempt to install tall advertising screens on Lord Street. The telecoms company has seen a second planning application seeking to replace a phone box with its more modern replacement which features a 72” illuminated screen on each side. Named BT Street Hubs, the installations have become common on high streets across the country as the company seeks to capitalise on falling usage of phone boxes. However, Sefton Council ruled that installation one outside of Westminster Tea Rooms would constitute an inappropriate development in the Lord Street Conservation Area. A planning officer’s report stated: “The hub would be an obtrusive, overly large structure which would be entirely out of character with the immediate townscape, with the finally detailed cast iron verandahs and the 19th century listed buildings. It is noted that two redundant phone kiosks are to be removed to the north outside of 219 Lord Street, whilst decluttering of the streetscape is welcomed, this benefit is then undermined by the installation of a further item of street furniture in the form of the large hub. While there are public benefits to the proposal, as indicated within the removal of the existing phone kiosks, the benefits do not outweigh the harm caused and as a result the proposal fails to overcome the reason for refusal.”

🚗 Multiple cars got stuck on Ainsdale beach after sustained dry weather left the surface unsuitable. Sefton Council announced on Monday it had temporarily closed the beach car park in order to carry out work to make the area more suitable for vehicles ahead of what is predicted to be another hot and busy week. The council said: “The recent spell of hot, dry weather has left areas of sand on the beach extremely soft, making it unsafe for vehicles. Over the weekend, a number of cars became stuck, so we’ve taken the decision to temporarily close beach parking while work is carried out to improve conditions. Contractors will be moving the top layer of loose sand to expose a firmer surface underneath, helping us get the beach ready for the rest of the week when visitor numbers are expected to increase. Due to this, there is currently no beach parking available at Ainsdale. Limited parking is available inland near Ainsdale Beach, and visitors may also wish to consider Crosby or Southport if visiting the Sefton Coast today. The beach remains accessible by public transport, including Merseyrail and local bus services. We apologise for any inconvenience.”

🗣️ Calls for action to support Queenscourt Hospice, Botanic Gardens’ aviary, Southport beach, and Smedley Hydro will be made at a full Sefton Council meeting on Thursday. Motions from councillors due to be heard at the Southport Town Hall meeting include a request from Liberal Democrat Mike Sammon for the council’s chief executive to lobby the Health Secretary and local MPs to support the hospice’s fairer funding campaign and from fellow Lib Dem John Pugh to seek to protect both jobs and the historic Smedley building when the Government stops using it for functions such as processing passport applications. Another Lib Dem, Cllr Dan Lewis, is behind calls to divert funding to save the aviary - as covered in our previous edition. Meanwhile, Green group leader Cllr Neil Doolin will ask for action to preserve the remaining sandy section of the beach either side of the pier and for support in seeking in bringing Merseyrail into public ownership.

⛔ A serial criminal has been banned from locations in Southport, Birkdale, Ainsdale and further afield in Sefton after his latest conviction. Steven King, of no fixed abode, was handed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) at Wirral Magistrates Court last week which includes restrictions on entering Lord Street, Chapel Street, Ocean Plaza, Sainsbury’s Local in Birkdale and Tesco Express in Ainsdale. The 42-year-old faces prison or a fine if he breaches the order which was issued as part of a new Pan-Merseyside Antisocial Behaviour Partnership (MASP) which was launched by Merseyside Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner. Chief Superintendent Karl Baldwin, chair of the MASP, said: “We understand the impact on businesses of anti-social behaviour and crime on our communities, especially those businesses who suffer loss, stress and inconvenience when they fall victim to theft. We know that the causes of antisocial behaviour are complex, and that it takes the right agency, at the right time, with the right approach to stop it. To achieve this, the golden thread is agencies coordinating their efforts, sharing information and tackling the problem together. When partners share information and use all the tools at our disposal, we can proactively take early, coordination action like this. When the public rightly asks ‘who is responsible for dealing with antisocial behaviour’, we are striving for the answer to be ‘we all are: together’. Keep reporting issues to us and we will take action.”

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Inside The Open as opportunity and big money come to Southport

By Jamie Lopez

“Wow, this is some town you got.” Staying in a rented house around a 10 minute drive from the Royal Birkdale Golf Club, American tourist Justin is among the estimated 300,000 visitors to this year’s Open Championship.

Wearing merchandise he bought on a visit to the official Liverpool FC shop at the start of this trip to England, the 41-year-old spoke to The Southport Lead in the spectator zone at Royal Birkdale on one of the practice days which still attract big numbers.

While bemoaning the lack of air conditioning as Southport basks in a heatwave, Justin is very positive about his visit to the North West of England, from the scenic coastline to the friendly welcome and much more.

The international spotlight is back on Southport as one of sport’s biggest events returns to the town for the first time since 2017. Since then, economic troubles, the covid pandemic, and an unimaginable tragedy have affected the town and hit visitor numbers. There are high hopes that The Open can reverse some of those effects.

Within the spectator zone are bars, hot food, corporate-sponsored activities, and a 24,000sqft official shop. Inside there, the offering ranges from a £6 ball to £45 umbrellas, 70cl bottles of the official gin for £57, into three figures for clothing - including a £305 cashmere jumper - and much more for equipment such as a £400 golf bag. It is packed with a queue outside and, suffice to say, The Open is big money.

Ahead of the championship, Mark Darbon, chief executive of the golf governing body R&A, said the benefits to the wider region would be “really significant” with increased spend on “local goods and services, accommodation, bars and restaurants from visitors to the championship” as well as through marketing the area for future visits and direct employment on-site.

According to independent research commissioned by The R&A and Tourism Northern Ireland, last year’s championship resulted in an economic impact of more than £280m, well up from previous years. According to research by YouGov, it produced £191 million in destination marketing benefits thanks to global exposure in TV and online coverage.

Sefton Council’s tourism department has been keen to support residents and businesses through the championship, knowing how crucial an opportunity it is to have this many visitors to a town which depends on tourism. Among its information to business owners, it said: “The Open is one of the world’s largest sporting events and brings significant economic benefit to host communities. Its return to Royal Birkdale represents a major opportunity for Sefton’s businesses across hospitality, retail, accommodation, food and drink, visitor services and the wider local economy.”

At Birkdale, Jamie Kennedy, Director of Digital Content at Golf Digest, was among those singing the praises of the host club and town, also describing the wider area as “underrated” and eulogising about an evening playing golf in Formby during sunset. He said: “Birkdale is a great venue. It ticks a lot of boxes. Course, setting, area, visuals, layout, routing etc. It’s going to surprise and impress a lot of fans this week.”

From Churchtown to Ainsdale and beyond, businesses have been preparing for the influx of visitors. Windows in the town centre and villages have been decorated for the occasion and opening hours extended in a bid to capitalise on the heavy footfall and a long-overdue efforts to tackle weeds and clean up the surrounding area have been carried out by the council.

While most are golf themed as they look to attract, Sally Bee, from the Sally Bee Lifestyle shop in Birkdale Village, has dedicated one of her shop windows to the Elsie’s Story charity.

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It’s safe to say the decision to close Botanic Gardens’ aviary has been received incredibly badly.

The decision was actually taken earlier this year when the council passed its budget, with only a small line on a very long spreadsheet giving indication of the plans.

I suspect that the opposition Lib Dem councillors are, like me, kicking themselves for not noticing the inclusion, which gave a £60k saving from the Green Sefton budget.

Any lack of scrutiny is being made up for now though, with thousands of people signing petitions against the closure and a public meeting held on Friday.

Southport briefing

🏌️Drones will be forbidden from flying over the Royal Birkdale Golf Club while it hosts The Open Golf Championship. A temporary flight restriction zone has been implemented as part of the policing operation during the major event and is now in place until July 21 which means that from 6am-10pm each day no unmanned aircraft is permitted to fly above the course. The Civil Aviation Authority and the Secretary of State for Transport agree that it is necessary and in the public interest to introduce Restriction of Flying Regulations under Article 239 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 for unmanned aircraft for reasons of public safety and security. Merseyside Police Matrix Inspector Carl McNulty said: “This is a standard measure which has been in place in previous years for large scale public events. Specialist resources, made up of Merseyside Police officers and officers from regional and national teams, including air support, will be in place for the duration of the event and we are also working with partners including the local authority, other emergency services, and businesses in the community to ensure this is a safe and secure event.” Anyone who wishes to seek consideration for the safe and appropriate flight of a drone in these areas must obtain permission through the Merseyside Police Counter Drone Team on 07971688873 or via email: drone.exemptions@merseyside.police.uk

🪧 Sefton Council workers could go on strike after a row over pay. Workers at the authority are among thousands across the country represented by Unite the Union which is balloting for strike action after rejecting this year’s pay offer. They have turned down a pay offer of 3.3% from the national employers, who set council workers pay, as they believe this fails to address years of below inflation pay offers and pay freezes. Employees hree other Merseyside councils and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority are also being consulted. Workers being balloted work in various council roles including waste and bin collections, street cleaners, street lighting, teaching assistants and home care staff. In a statement, Unite the Union said the latest pay offer represents what it described as a “real-terms pay cut” and claimed it was not involved in any negotiations. Sharon Graham, Unite the Union general secretary, said: “Council workers are struggling to keep their heads above water after over a decade of pathetic pay deals. Employers are again trying to cut the real terms pay of workers instead of investing in our members, who do vital jobs in our communities. Unite will not stand by and allow our members to have another paltry pay deal inflicted on them. They have our full backing in their fight for fair pay.”

🚆 Trains will not run between Southport and Wigan over five days at the end of the month. Network Rail is replacing ageing tracks near Parbold from Monday 27 until Friday 31 July and will instead run rail replacement buses between the town and Wigan Wallgate, with trains from Manchester terminating at Wigan. Network Rail described it as vital engineering work and said it involves teams replacing sections of track, as well as sleepers and ballast. Once completed, it says, it will lead to better ride quality and a reduction in delays and speed restrictions in the area. Derek Davies, project manager for Network Rail, said: “Our teams will be replacing nearly a kilometre of track, sleepers and the ‘formation’ below the railway, as the current track is nearing the end of its life. Once renewed the track will benefit from improved drainage and offer a more resilient, smoother, and more reliable railway. We know there is never an ideal time to close the railway and we are using this closure to complete multiple pieces of work, avoiding the need for two or three weekends of disruption. The work has been planned into the school holiday period when passenger demand is lower. We would like to thank passengers for their patience during the closure.” During the disruption, Northern customers will be able to use their tickets to travel on Merseyrail’s Southport-Liverpool services, and Northern’s Liverpool-Manchester, Preston-Ormskirk and Preston-Manchester services.

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Scale of public outcry makes up for lack of scrutiny in decision to close Botanic Gardens aviary

By Jamie Lopez

A public meeting to discuss how to save Botanic Gardens’ aviary had to be postponed after a woman collapsed.

A huge turnout left dozens unable to even enter the building as Patrick Hurley MP led a meeting in response to a fierce backlash at Sefton Council’s decision to close the aviary. The local authority has cited both budgetary and welfare reasons as to why it can no longer support the long-running attraction beyond next March.

The decision to close the aviary, which has been in use for more than 85 years, is set to save £60k annually and was agreed in the council’s budget in March but had seemingly gone unnoticed until the decision was passed onto the team which maintains the aviary earlier this month. The news sparked a furious response and Sefton Council only confirmed it publicly after the news was shared online by volunteers.

It has since published a FAQ list on its website to answer many of the concerns about the decision and Cllr Joanne Williams, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “We are proud to have continued running the aviary long after most other councils across the country stopped operating facilities housing animals entirely.

“It is no longer possible for it to operate to the high welfare standards that are rightly expected of a modern site. For that reason, the decision has been taken to oversee the aviary’s closure.

“While many will be saddened by this decision, I’d like to assure everyone that the animals’ welfare will continue to be our top priority. I’d like to personally thank everyone who has supported the aviary over the years, including the wonderful staff and volunteers who have cared for the animals on a daily basis.”

Labour MP Hurley called and hosted the meeting which also heard from David Cobham, Chair of the Botanic Gardens Community Association which is responsible for much of the upkeep and maintenance across the park and is responsible for some 8,000 hours of voluntary work annually.

Addressing the assembled crowd at the Settle Inn, the cafebar situated inside the park, Hurley said he had been given no prior indication of the plans but that his office has been working to understand the problems and how to address them since it was made public, including by speaking with the RSPB and other aviaries.

He said: “It’s easy to criticise the council but it’s much more difficult and much more productive to see what we can do to either change their mind or find a way forward rather than just saying ‘its them people over there and they don’t know what they’re doing and if I was in their shoes I wouldn’t make this decision.

“Having said that, if I was in their shoes I wouldn’t make this decision.”

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It may seem impossible to imagine a time when West End shows would transfer to Southport but that’s exactly what happened in the heyday of The Garrick Theatre.

With a capacity of 1,600, the Lord Street venue replaced the Opera House which had been burned down and was of huge importance to the town. Like so many theatres of its kind, it would go on to become a bingo hall and that is how most currently in Southport will have known it. Mecca Bingo never reopened after lockdown and while, there are big promises for the site, a lack of activity has raised cynicism about what comes next - where have we heard that before?

This week, the Theatres Trust named it among its ‘at risk’ theatres - we take a look at what that means and what it actually happening there.

Southport briefing

🧑‍⚖️ Phase Two of the Southport Inquiry will open today, exactly one year after the first day of Phase One. While the first phase sat at Liverpool Town Hall, the Phase Two opening will take place at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in St Paul’s, London. It is expected to last for around a year and its focuses have been informed by the findings so far, with including to examine the adequacy of how people fixated by violence are managed and what is stopping the various agencies from working more effectively together. As part of this, it will also consider the role of internet and social media in influencing and such people to prepare and carry out violent attacks; the sale of bladed weapons online (the killer was easily able to order from Amazon and hunting stores); and the harm caused by online spaces which promote extreme violence. Today’s hearing will comprise of the chair’s opening and an introductory opening statement by counsel to the inquiry. The main hearings will start in September.

📚 Plans to convert the former Broadhursts Bookshop into housing have been approved. The much-loved shop operated on Market Street for more than 100 years and as well as generations of Sandgrounders, famous visitors in its history included HG Wells, Rudyard Kipling and Johnny Cash. It closed down in August 2024 following the death of owner Laurie Hardman who had worked there for 55 years and his stepson Harvery Brown later told The Southport Lead the building had extensive safety issues which were too expensive to address. Earlier this year, proposals were submitted to convert the the first, second and third floors into accommodation and planning permission has now been approved. The change will see the ground floor retained for commercial use.

🚗 The future of the Esplanade Car Park in Southport is back on the agenda again as Sefton Council prepare to discuss it at their September Cabinet meeting. Councillors will consider options and recommendations for proposed third-party development on the site on September 3, although the meeting will at least partially be held in private on the grounds that confidential information relating to financial or business affairs is likely to be discussed. There had been an exclusivity agreement in place with GSL Developments to create a new £75m Cove Resort, but this expired in October. This resort would have offered multiple leisure activities including an outdoor lagoon, thermal spa and four-star hotel but its owner has stayed silent on the plans throughout, while Sefton Council now says it “continues to explore all options” for the future of the site. The fate of the Esplanade had been on the agenda for discussion at December’s Cabinet meeting, but was subsequently removed. The same happened in February and June. An update in a report published in June by Cabinet member for housing and regeneration Paulette Lappin stated that there was still an exclusivity agreement in place with GSL Developments and that matters were progressing but during a during a regeneration and skills overview and scrutiny committee meeting at the end of last month, executive director Stephen Watson said that this was published in “error”. He said: “The exclusivity agreement it refers to expired late last year, and options are under review for the future of that site.” Before the Cove resort plan came into being at the Esplanade site, Southport Community Energy Ltd had been working with Sefton Council on the planned replacement of an out-of-operation wind turbine with a much larger device which could have contributed to a community benefit fund worth over £1m. However, plans for the Cove resort then emerged, and GSL Developments was granted the exclusivity agreement for the site.

🎺 Live music will return to Lord’s Street Bandstand over the next two weekends. The free events will be held from 1pm-4pm on consecutive Sundays and are scheduled to coincide with the huge influx of visitors coming to town for The Open Golf Championship. Named Bandstand Revival, the event will also celebrate the huge amount of ongoing work being done by the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers working with the support of Green Sefton and local businesses to transform the historic Bandstand Gardens in recent months. Richard Owens from Southport Matters said: “Bandstand Revival comes from an idea from local residents. We worked with the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers and other local partners to showcase what can be done at the Lord Street Bandstand. Back in 2025, at a listening exercise run by Southport MP Patrick Hurley, residents told us that they would like to see the bandstand on Lord Street brought back into use. Since then, the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers have worked tirelessly to improve the area with lots of new planting restoring the flowerbeds to their former glory.” The volunteers are aiming to raise £10,000 to carry out the work and to buy new plants and flowers. You can donate here and see the full lineups here.

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What next for ‘at risk’ Garrick Theatre?

By Jamie Lopez

Southport’s historic Garrick Theatre has been included on the Theatres at Risk Register for the fifth year running.

The Lord Street venue, which was built in 1932, has a storied history and has played host to West End shows and stars such as Julie Andrews and Laurel and Hardy but currently sits as a building site amid ambitious but slow-moving plans to redevelop it.

There are plans to transform it into a first-of-its-kind theatre spa hotel in a move which is hoped to be a catalyst for greater investment and regeneration in the southern end of Lord Street as well as creating a new major attraction.

Planning permission has been approved for the project in 2024 but so far construction has been limited to remedial repairs and preparatory work. The Southport Lead understands that the main building work had been planned to start much earlier had it not been for the slow nature of the planning process.

While broadly supportive of the proposal to secure its future, the Theatres Trust has expressed concerns over how feasible the plans are and what impact it will have on historic features within the building. As such, it has included the Garrick in its Theatres at Risk Register for 2026.

Announcing the publication of its annual register this week, which saw the nearby Preston Guild Hall added for the first time, the advocacy body said: “The 2026 Theatres at Risk Register comprises of 39 theatres across the UK under threat of closure, redevelopment or severe decay, which all have the potential to be revived for their local communities with the right support.”

History of the building

Built in 1932, the Garrick was a replacement for the Opera House which stood on the same site but was ravaged by fire. Designed by Lancashire born Southport resident George Edward Tonge, its original colour scheme was yellow and gold with green and black highlights and was considered the finest of his works. At the time of its opening, it was advertised as the most beautiful building in Europe.

Designed to accommodate touring drama, musicals, opera, and ballet, it was built with a full flying facility and had dressing rooms to enable the hosting of large touring productions. Its opening performance ‘Firebird’, had transferred directly from the West End’s Playhouse Theatre and such a move signified Southport’s status as one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country at the time.

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Regular readers will be familiar with the findings of Phase One of the Southport Inquiry - the judge-led investigation into how the attack was able to happen.

With the second phase set to begin, the government has this week responded to the first findings by saying it intends to implement all of the recommendations from Sir Adrian Fulford.

Once again, we look to focus on the victims and their families as they send a clear message - warm words are welcome but only if it’s met with definitive action.

We have also decided, given the subject matter, to make today’s edition free to read.

Southport briefing

🦚 Sefton Council is facing a backlash over plans to close the aviary at Botanic Gardens. The council says the facility, which was first opened in 1939, is no longer fit for purpose to meet modern welfare standards and that it plans to rehome rather than euthanise all of its birds. Among widespread opposition to the plans, which are forecast to save £60k, Southport’s Liberal Democrats urged the council to rethink its decision and is encouraging the public to sign a petition against it. Meols ward councillor Lauren Keith said: “I live round the corner and take my daughter to the aviary frequently. It’s such an important place for families and for children to learn about animals and a real draw to the park and Churchtown Village. It is a short sighted decision and I am hoping the strength of local opinion will mean that the council will back down on this. My ward colleagues Daniel Lewis and John Dodd will be fighting for a change of mind on this.” MP Patrick Hurley has called a public meeting to discuss the decision which will take place at Botanic Gardens Cafe at 10.30am on Friday, July 10. Cllr Williams, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “It is no longer possible for it to operate to the high welfare standards that are rightly expected of a modern site. For that reason, the decision has been taken to oversee the aviary’s closure.I’d like to personally thank everyone who has supported the aviary over the years, including the wonderful staff and volunteers who have cared for the animals on a daily basis.”

🚓 A Preston man has been charged with theft after expensive fragrances were stolen from a Boots in Southport town centre. Officers from Merseyside Police carried out a joint investigation with Lancashire Police after reports of the theft in May, with a car involved in the crime traced to a house in Preston. Andrei Duduianu, of Dundonald Street, has now been charged with four counts of theft from a shop. The 25-year-old appeared at Wirral Magistrates Court on Friday 3 July and has been released on conditional bail. Sefton Area Commander Karl Baldwin Said: “We are keenly aware of the impact that shop thefts can have on our businesses in Sefton. They are not victimless crimes and can have a devastating ripple effect that could lead to people losing their jobs, prices rising as businesses seek to make up for the lost revenue and more. Our local policing officers remain committed to tackling such offences by working with businesses, the security industry and other partners to disrupt and deter offenders and bring them to justice when these thefts do occur.”

🙅 A restaurant in Churchtown has lost a bid to keep an extension it built without planning permission. Suzie’s transformed the unit at the corner of Botanic Road and Manor Road but did so by building a far larger area than had been allowed and against what is considered acceptable in the conservation area. The business then applied for retrospective planning permission and tried to rally public support, describing the structure as an “awning” and insisting it played a community role. When a first retrospective application was rejected, it submitted modified plans which would have made changes to the boundary wall but that has was been rejected at a planning committee on Wednesday evening. A report prepared for the meeting stated: “Permission was given in 2024 for a single-storey extension to the side fronting Manor Road with the outdoor area between the extension and Manor Road proposed to be used as outdoor seating. The side extension as constructed creates extended dining area and associated staff facilities and storage, aligns with the side boundary with Manor Road and the rear boundary with 1 Manor Road and entirely covers the outdoor space to the west of the site with an attached/covered storage area extending to the boundary with 1 Manor Road. The extension increases the floorspace of the site by nearly double over that approved in 2024 and as a result also increases the number of ‘covers’ that can be accommodated.” It also noted that the increased use had led to more issues for neighbours. General Manager Cara Quinn had previously said the business may be lose two-thirds of its staff if forced to lose the extension. A petition to retain the awning now has over 3,000 signatures and Suzie’s is appealing against the decision.

🏢 Southport’s MP believes the town centre could be transformed through a ‘renovation zone’ which would support the repair and renewal of vacant buildings, along with ‘robust enforcement against unlawful storefronts’. Patrick Hurley spoke in Parliament about how the high street can be revived through combining “retail with culture, hospitality, housing, leisure, health services and other aspects of community activity”. He hailed the opening of the new Warehouse Arts Centre on West Street at the weekend, and called for more vacant upper floors in the town centre to be converted into homes for families. Hurley said: “Our local high streets are the beating heart of our towns and our country, but they have faced profound challenges in recent years. We have seen the rise of online retail, changing consumer habits and years of under-investment in our town centres, and the tax system and business rates have not kept pace with that. The answer to all that is not simply to recreate the high streets of 30 or 40 years ago. The successful town centre or high street of the future will look different. We need to work to combine retail with culture, hospitality, housing, leisure, health services and other aspects of community activity. However, as well as good intentions, we need the confidence and determination to enforce our will. “Across the country, our constituents are increasingly raising concerns that premises appear to be operating outside the law. Legitimate businesses, which employ local people and contribute positively to their communities, should not have to compete with enterprises involved in illicit tobacco, counterfeit goods, money laundering or other criminal activity [...] If we combine robust enforcement against unlawful storefronts with a bold programme of renewal and reinvestment, our high streets can once again become thriving civic centres at the heart of community life.”

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Words alone not enough as Southport Attack families demand action

By Jamie Lopez

The families of the girls who died in the Southport Attack said words alone will not be enough as they demanded personal accountability for the missed opportunities to stop the killer.

Chris Walker, the lawyer representing the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie, reiterated the families’ desire for action as he welcomed the government’s response to Phase One of the Southport Inquiry.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood published the response this week which crucially said it would accept and follow all of the recommendations given by inquiry chair Sir Adrian Fulford. The retired judge spent a year conducting Phase One, a process which involved hearing heartbreaking testimonies from victims and family members as well as damning evidence about missed opportunities to stop the killer.

Mahmood said reforms were already taking place at Prevent - the anti-terror organisation which three times dismissed referrals relating to Axel Rudakubana - and that a taskforce has been set up to improve the ways in which people with non-ideological fixations on extreme violence are dealt with as well as new legislation being planned to close a clear gap in the current law by criminalising the planning of a mass casualty attack.

She said: “The findings of the report were, rightly, unsparing. The perpetrator came into contact with the state on countless occasions in the years leading up to the attack. Failures in both systems and culture meant multiple opportunities were missed to stop this atrocity.

“That is unacceptable. I am clear that the Inquiry must act as a turning point. In honour of the victims, their families and all affected, meaningful change must now follow.”

Mahmood continued: “We do all of this and more because there is no greater duty than that which we bear, as a government, to keep this country and all who live in it safe.

“Responsibility for what happened in Southport in the summer of 2024 rests with the perpetrator. But there is also an onus on the state to honour the victims, their families and all those affected by working relentlessly to prevent anything like this ever happening again. That is what we will do.”

In his damning 700 page report, Sir Adrian found that from schools and social services to police, Prevent and the killer’s parents, almost everyone who dealt with Rudakubana missed opportunities to identify, address or intervene in his escalating and terrifying behaviour. Both systemic and individual failures were listed and dozens of recommendations for change were given.

Chris Walker, Director of Serious Injury at Bond Turner, speaking on behalf of the three bereaved families said the government’s response “reflects significant progress against the families’ key asks”, particularly in criminalising the planning of mass attacks and the focus on the emerging threat of non-ideological extreme violence. But, he said, key questions remain over how duties to report known threats - such as Rudakubana’s parents hiding his previous actions from authorities - and how accountability for institutional and individual failings will be secured.”

Mr Walker also revealed that Gary Poland - the taxi driver who took the killer to the scene - has since lost his licence. Despite hearing the screams of the children and them being visible in his dashcam footage, Mr Poland waited some 50 minutes before calling 999, instead calling a friend first and even accepting and completing another fare before contacting the emergency services.

Although it said the reasons behind any such decision are private, Sefton Council confirmed that he no longer holds a taxi driver licence following a review into his fitness to hold it which concluded he did not meet the appropriate standards.

Mr Walker said: “The Government has been clear that the ‘missed opportunities’ identified were unacceptable. The families and I firmly believe that, alongside action and legal reform to prevent this kind of attack from ever happening again, there must also be accountability for those who failed to act appropriately. We are engaged with some of these bodies but our demand for disciplinary action remains the same.

“Public statements of regret are hollow if there is no individual accountability, if those people who remain in their position continue to make the same basic mistakes, then this risks similar atrocities from happening. Those individuals who failed the most, must lose their jobs. Otherwise the public will have no confidence that an atrocity like this will be prevented from occurring again.

“We note the Home Secretary’s response to Sir Adrian Fulford’s recommendation to review the ‘duty to warn’ and are keen to engage with the Government on this issue. The Terrorism Act already places legal obligations on individuals to report potential acts of terrorism, and we believe consideration should be given to extending similar duties to known threats involving extreme violence. In addition to a Parental Responsibility law.”

Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, of Fletchers Solicitors, which represents the families of 22 survivors, similarly welcomed the government’s acceptance of the recommendations while making clear that words alone will not be enough.

She said: “Our clients are pleased that the government have accepted all the recommendations outlined by the Inquiry chair, but the parents of these girls are yet to see hard evidence of any real change.

“Much of today’s report outlines consultations and desires to amend policies or guidance across multiple agencies, but until the work is done these are just promises.

“It’s almost two years since the Southport attack devastated this community – but only days ago, another depraved teenager was sentenced for possessing numerous weapons and explosives to carry out a mass killing.

“The families affected by this tragedy need to see firm timelines and detailed plans around how changes will be implemented, and how their impact will be measured. They want to be involved in conversations with these agencies to inform changes. And finally this must not get lost when our new Prime Minister is decided – delivering on these promises must remain a priority for whoever comes into power.”

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There are lots of factors which can cause health inequality and some are far easier to explain than others. One of the more difficult is the reason why the North West has the highest rate of premature stroke deaths in England - by some margin.

In June, clinicians and researchers gathered at the University of Lancashire for a Transforming Stroke Care conference which heard of exactly this issue.

Among those to tell their story was the wife of a Southport man whose quick response helped to save his life. She has shared their story in the hope others will also have the confidence to act quickly.

Southport briefing

🚓 The son of a farmer who was shot dead on his Scarisbrick farm has been charged with manslaughter almost two years later. Thomas Olverson was shot while riding a tractor on Marsh Hey Farm, off Pinfold Lane, in July 2024 and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police confirmed arrested on suspicion of murder at the time and his bail was repeatedly extended as investigations continued and in July 2025 Lancashire Constabulary told The Southport Lead that it had submitted a file to the CPS to consider whether charges could be made. Eleven months on, Adam Olverson was this week re-arrested this week and charged with manslaughter, possession of a firearm without a certificate, and possession of ammunition without a certificate. The 31-year-old, of Pinfold Lane, is due to appear at Preston Magistrates Court today.

🪖 Southport has been chosen as the host of the 2027 Armed Forces Day national event. The town already hosts a large-scale event each year and thanks to a successful bid will be given £50k of event funding from the Ministry of Defence along with access to military assets such as flypasts, equipment and bands, and planning and communications support. The decision was announced by the Defence Secretary at Sunday’s event in Aldershot which attracted tens of thousands of attendees. Major Nick McEntee, Director of Southport Armed Forces Community Hub described the awarding as a “fantastic achievement” and said volunteers were ready to begin work alongside Sefton Council for next year’s event. Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Jennifer Corcoran said: “Sefton has a proud and longstanding connection with our Armed Forces, and it is a tremendous honour for Southport to host the national Armed Forces Day next year. This announcement recognises the dedication and sacrifice of our service personnel, veterans and their families and also the strong sense of community we have here in Southport. We look forward to welcoming visitors from across the country to celebrate, reflect and show our collective support for those who serve.”

🏖️ Britannia Hotels has reiterated its commitment to redeveloping and reopening its Pontins sites. The Ainsdale attraction has been closed since January 2024 and although Sefton Council wants to see it replaced with a “world class” visitor attraction, the hotel company maintains a long-term lease for the site and has no intention of surrendering that. After the latest round of false rumours claiming the site would be used to house asylum seekers, the company issued a statement saying that it is progressing plans for all three of its closed attractions. A spokesperson said: “We continue to undertake surveys, assessments and site management activities at our three vacant Pontins sites. This forms part of our work with an appointed planning consultancy to develop pre-application proposals. These have now been submitted to planning officers at the respective local authorities and we are awaiting dates to discuss their feedback. This will enable us to progress the proposals and secure positive long-term outcomes for all sites.”

🐟 Chippy T has been named as the best in the region. The family-run takeaway, on Ovington Road in Kew, was named winner in the ‘Best Fish & Chips in the North West’ category at the English Fish & Chip Awards as well as being highly recommended in the ‘Best Fish Fryer’ category. Fylde Fish Bar, in Marshside, was highly recommended in the North West category, in Best Dine-In Fish & Chips, and Best Family-Run Business. A spokesperson for the awards said: “Huge congratulations to Chippy T (Southport) for their incredible achievement in Best Fish & Chips in the North West at the English Fish & Chip Awards. This well-deserved recognition celebrates excellence, quality, and dedication to serving some of the finest fish and chips. A fantastic accomplishment for the entire team!”

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‘Don’t delay’ warning from wife of stroke victim who nearly died

By Jamie Lopez

The wife of a former aircraft engineer who suffered a stroke believes he would’ve died if he hadn’t received such quick care as she urged others to be aware of the symptoms.

In August 2025, Mike Andrew suffered a stroke caused by a large clot at the back of his brain having previously shown no signs of illness. His wife Ailsa recognised what was happening and called an ambulance, leading to emergency medication and surgery.

Mike, now 60, still lives with the consequences today, no longer being able to work or drive but Ailsa believes he would be dead without the quick treatment.

She said: “We woke up as usual and Mike was fine but within minutes, I knew something was wrong. He had the textbook symptoms of speech loss, his face was drooping and he couldn’t move properly. I rang the ambulance immediately and made sure to say I think it’s a stroke.

“The paramedics took Mike to Aintree Hospital instead of our nearest A&E as they have a rapid access stroke unit and were able to give him clot busting medication, followed by a thrombectomy at the Walton Centre.

“Mike didn’t have high blood pressure or cholesterol and his heart was fine so we’ll never really know the cause of his stroke. He was very stressed at work and that may have been a contributory factor.

“Mike’s stroke has been life changing as he can no longer work as an aircraft engineer or drive but physically, he’s quite well considering. He does have some cognitive delay and struggles with some decision making but we’re very aware things could have been much worse. I know without my immediate action and the decisions made by the paramedics to take him to Aintree, we’re pretty sure he would’ve died.”

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For several years I have been writing about the Burscough Curves - a stretch of railway that was ripped out thanks to the Beeching cuts. Various attempts have been made to convince the government to fund its reopening - with widespread support and just two miles of undeveloped land to reinstate it is often seen an easy win to massively improve Southport’s rail links.

I’ve wrote about the curves many times but only recently actually managed to see stretches of what remains - mounds alongside farmlands and bridges with trees growing out of them - and doing so only makes the prospect seem all the more feasible. No dramatic land changes, no expensive bat tunnels.

And yet, still nothing has been done - Southport continues to have no direct train to Preston or Ormskirk.

Perhaps that will finally change though. A new Lancashire council has been created and it has listed the curves among its potential infrastructure improvements. Combined with an incoming Prime Minister who loves devolution, hopes are set to rise again.

Southport briefing

🔨 Work dismantling parts of Southport Pier will finally begin in the coming weeks. The historic structure has been closed since 2022 and is set to be fully refurbished thanks to £20m of government funding, with work due to take place over more than a year. Sefton council leader Cllr Marion Atkinson said: “You will see some contractor movement in the next couple of weeks. You will also see, coming in July, some dismantling of parts of the pier. A E Yates are on site now, starting work. We promised, we said we would bring our fantastic, beautiful pier back, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.” The pier will remain closed throughout the works, and is due to reopen in the second half of 2027.

🍗 The former owner of a popular takeaway has been hit with a six-figure fine after failing to pay £235,000 worth of tax. Sahara. Southport Ltd, which previously operated Sahara on Manchester Road, was fined £127,000 for failing to pay money owed to HMRC and has now been named a list of deliberate tax defaulters published by the government. The company had just one director -Ahmed Ikhlaq - and the unpaid tax related to a period from July 2020 to June 2023. The takeaway is now run by a different company. Kevin Hubbard, HMRC’s director of individuals and small business compliance, said: “We are actively tackling tax non-compliance among high street businesses across the UK, and today’s namings show we will act wherever we find it. Everyone on this list had the opportunity to come forward to make a full disclosure – and didn’t. HMRC will always pursue those who deliberately refuse to pay what they owe.”

🩸 An electrician who was inspired by his mum’s treatment has been celebrated after completing his 75th blood donation. Mark Askie, who works for SeftonArc, made his 75th donation at the Liverpool Blood Centre earlier this month, donating platelets which are a vital component used in lifesaving treatments across the NHS. During his mum’s illness, she relied on platelet infusions as part of her treatment which led to Mark deciding to move from whole blood donation to platelet donation, with 59 of his 75 donations now being platelets. Mark said: “Seeing first-hand how important platelet transfusions were for my mum really stayed with me. If taking a bit of time out to donate can help someone else through a difficult time, then it’s absolutely worth it. I’d encourage anyone who can to consider donating, it really does make a difference.” Platelets are tiny, gold-coloured cells in the blood that help it clot and prevent bleeding. They play a crucial role in medicine, supporting patients in a wide range of situations, with around two-thirds helping people undergoing cancer treatment, but have a shelf life of just seven days which means there is a constant and ongoing need for donations. In recognition of this achievement, Mark will receive an Emerald Donor Card, badge and certificate, marking his outstanding dedication to blood donation.

🏗️ An “historic moment” was hailed as the Sefton Council’s cabinet agreed to enter into a construction contract for Marine Lake Events Centre. As reported in last weekend’s edition of The Southport Lead, the council has agreed to fund an additional £33m towards the flagship project after lengthy delays saw construction costs soar. The new venue will be a replacement for Southport Theatre and Convention Centre and is seen as a key driver of visitors to the town which will play a major role in the local economy. Construction is now set to begin in October after preliminary works that began earlier in the summer, with a target opening date of 2029. Sefton’s executive director Stephen Watson told a cabinet meeting on Thursday inflation was high across the construction sector since the pandemic and war in Ukraine, citing a 40% rise in the price of structural steel but said £12m of savings had been found before reaching the latest cost of £106m. The council hopes to secure the additional funding required for the scheme through central government and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority grants, as well as through borrowing. The opposition Lib Dem group again criticised the council’s unwillingness to share information after the meeting, with Cllr John Pugh pointing out that only the eight cabinet members have been allowed to see a 281-page document. He said: “I think we all understand and respect confidentiality in Sefton, but I am not sure everyone has a grasp of transparency and democracy. Regardless of project or cost this secrecy is bad practice and I will pursue every external means to get the unvarnished facts in front of the public and my fellow councillors.”

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New hopes for long-awaited Burscough Curves reopening

By Jamie Lopez

Fresh hopes have been given to the prospect of reopening the Burscough Curves rail lines.

Restoring the line is among ideas being considered by a new authority which will replace Lancashire’s existing councils under devolution plans. Named the Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA), the body has been set up to transfer powers from central government to local decision-makers in Lancashire and could also provide a major boost to Southport.

Under existing government plans, more decision making and funding is being passed onto local leaders in Lancashire. With Andy Burnham, a huge advocate of devolution and improved public transport, almost certain to be the next Prime Minister it is expected that such projects will receive more funding and powers will be passed on to local leaders - though the ongoing argument about whether Lancashire should or will have a mayor continues to complicate matters.

The LCCA has been set up to begin operations during the devolution process which will eventually see 15 councils replaced by three or four and it is consulting on proposals to make dramatic improvements to transport infrastructure. As part of this, it wants to review ideas which were considered and rejected under the government’s Restoring Your Railways (RYR) scheme.

These include re-opening the curves, which total around two miles of railway tracks which linked the Ormskirk-Preston and Southport-Wigan lines and were closed as a result of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s.

While many of the closed lines have been developed over, the two miles stretch across the Burscough Curves remains unused. While the actual tracks were removed, the land they sat on has simply become overgrown and can still be seen in the form of tree-filled bridges and mounds surrounding farmland.

The proposal would involve relaying those two miles of track to reinstate a two-way junction and bring back links between the two existing lines. It would mean that for the first time in 60 years, efficient public transport would be available from Southport to Ormskirk and Preston in a boost for both commuters and daytrippers.

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Currently, public transport is only available for those journeys is only possible in the form of buses which are slow and, in particular in the case of Preston, have very limited services at various points in the day.

Repeated efforts have been made to lobby various governments for their reopening going back to the 2000s and it was mentioned in Parliament by then MP and now councillor John Pugh in 2011: “The Burscough curve is my scheme of first preference. There are two stations, half a mile apart, in a growing, substantial dormitory town. Trains of two major franchises cover two city regions: Merseyside and Preston, as well as central Lancashire. Those two conurbations have been identified as being poorly linked by transport, but linking those two city regions requires only half a mile of track.

“If that were the case in Southwark, Kensington, Walthamstow, Richmond or the Thames Gateway, I have no doubt that it would have been funded and done years ago. Colleagues may play the game for themselves with their own pet schemes. What is a no-brainer in London is often a half-century campaign elsewhere.”

As part of an exchange which ended with the Transport Secretary promising to meet to discuss the project, Southport’s representative spoke of the frustration of seeing plans being discussed but receiving no progress, stating: “I am not comfortable with the strange, Kafkaesque world in which nothing really happens except that the odd consultant gets paid from time to time. The bizarre anomalies that lead to people supporting various schemes continue, but no final decisions are made. I suggest that there is a more intelligent way to do things.”

Speaking to The Southport Lead this week, Cllr Pugh said there needs to be more efforts made to secure transport improvements. He said: “It is good to see mention of the curves within Lancashire’s Transport Plan but Lancashire Council will not be around for much longer and we need the cash rich City Regions of Manchester and Liverpool to engage with this project.

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