Increased police patrols coming to Southport town centre
Plus: Next step in move to bring Children's A&E back to hospital
Hello and welcome to the 50th edition of The Southport Lead.
There was naturally a lot of interest in the midweek edition and news of plans to bring a children’s A&E department back to Southport and we revisit that issue today as the consultation has now officially opened.
Before that though, news of increased policing coming to town as part of the Safer Streets initiative which aims to crack down on anti-social behaviour.
And for paying subscribers, Andrew Brown has his weekly What’s On guide with everything you need to know is happening in the town over the next seven days. If you want access to this and our other exclusive content while helping to ensure there is independent, in-depth reporting free of ads and clickbait then consider taking a paid subscription to this newsletter.
Safer Streets promise to boost police numbers
By Jamie Lopez
Southport town centre will see increased police patrols this summer as part of efforts to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour.
The town has been selected in the government’s ‘Safer Streets’ initiative which will see resources targeted on local policing and issues which are concerning communities.
The government is pushing its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee (NPG) as one way it aims to show it can improve people’s lives and this commitment includes having “named, contactable officers in every community”. On top of the additional activities included as part of Safer Streets, Merseyside Police says it is guaranteeing a 72-hour response from local policing teams if people email in with concerns.
Across the country, the initiative will see a variety of tactics deployed to engage with communities and prevent anti-social behaviour. In Southport, the focus will be on increasing patrols.
Sarah Rotherham, Local Policing Superintendent at Merseyside Police, said: “We know that longer days and hot weather combined with more people off work and school can lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour and crime.
“And throughout the summer we’ll be out in our local communities working to prevent and disrupt those who are causing harm and fear and depriving law-abiding people of their chance to enjoy their summer.
“You – our communities – are telling us in our surveys and at our surgeries what matters the most to you and you are telling us where our focus should be in your area.
“Working together with you and partners to problem solve, tackle anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, personal robbery, supporting victims of domestic abuse, and diverting young people from offending, can make a real positive difference to our communities.
The initiative will also cover other areas of Merseyside, with police hosting community surgeries in locations including Formby. The force will also run joint operations with Sefton Council to address environmental crime and nuisance behaviour.
The Safer Streets Summer campaign is now officially under way and will run until September 30. The NPG is a permanent offering and it is stated that “every neighbourhood in England and Wales will have dedicated teams spending their time on the beat, with guaranteed police patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas at peak times”.
One of the focuses which it is hoped can be addressed by increased patrols is the prevalence of street crime. According to government figures, ‘theft from the person’ offences doubled between December 2022 and December 2024, while there were also record levels of shop theft and an increasing use of violence and abuse against shopworkers.
Hetal Patel, National President of the Federation of Independent Retailers said: “This crackdown on shop theft, street theft and anti-social behaviour is timely and welcome. Shop theft is often seen as a victimless crime but this is not the case.
“It takes a heavy toll mentally, physically and financially on shop owners, their families and their employees. At the same time, the financial costs of retail crime will eventually impact on customers through inflated prices.
“ASB, meanwhile, can cost independent retailers dear in terms of cleaning and clearing up, as well as increasing premiums, deterring footfall and shoppers.
“A recent Fed survey found that 72% of respondents had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to their property and they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened. A whopping 91% of respondents called for more police patrols on streets.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.”
‘Have your say’ plea as hospital plans move forward
“No decisions have been made yet”.
That message was repeated time and time again as NHS leaders met to discuss plans to redesign the area’s A&E services. A unanimous decision was agreed to launch a consultation on two potential plans - either moving adultss A&E to Ormskirk or the kids’ A&E to Southport.
The ‘no decision made’ was repeated by various members of the group and it was heard that the consultation runs longer than the minimum required time period and will include mobile engagement, community workshops, staff workshops, briefings, public meetings and focus groups.
That being said, it remains the case that Southport hosting both A&E departments remains the preferred option of those responsible for carrying out the change and the significantly more likely option, being more cost-effective, quicker and causing less disruption to other services.
The meeting also heard the independent team who carried out feasibility assessments of the plans has revised its forecast of the Southport option, reducing the estimated cost from £45m to £33m. The Ormskirk option remains at £90m.
While those in Southport celebrate the possible return of the children’s emergency department, West Lancashire politicians and residents are already making their opposition clear.
A petition started by the Our West Lancashire (OWL) political group calling on West Lancs MP Ashley Dalton to host a public meeting on the proposals surpassed 2,000 signatures in two days.
In a letter to Dalton, OWL leader Cllr Adrian Owens wrote: “The government has just launched the 10-year strategy for the NHS. The secretary of state, Wes Streeting, said a key element was to deliver health care closer to people. The proposed removal of children’s accident and emergency services from Ormskirk appears to many of constituents to run counter to that.”
Dalton’s role as a junior Health minister limits the campaigning work which she may otherwise done but she has said having both A&E departments in Ormskirk is her preferred option.
Announcing the opening of the consultation, Rob Cooper, chief executive of the Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We know that changes need to be made, and this is a great opportunity to make sure that services best suit our local communities.
“The NHS is facing mounting pressures which include rising demand, an ageing population, difficulties recruiting the right staff, maintaining buildings that are fit for purpose as well as mounting financial pressures. Due to a number of these reasons, the children’s A&E at Ormskirk Hospital has been closed overnight for the past five years.
“Bringing both A&Es back together on a single site will help ease these pressures and allow us to provide round the clock emergency care to both adults and children.”
You can have your say on proposals by taking the survey, or by going along to one of the public events or discussion groups being organised across the area.
Recommended reading
🦑 An international immersive technology firm which worked on the Squid Games experience in London has opened a new office in Southport town centre. Read more on Prolific North.
🎤 A new, two-day music festival will take place this summer across multiple town centre venues. Explore Liverpool has details for the event which is called Coastal Jam.
Away from Southport, there’s a few pieces from The Lead’s national title which are worth some attention. First up, Zoë Grünewald’s reviews of the the government’s first year in power. Part One looks at economy, NHS, housing and education, with Part Two focusing on immigration, climate, welfare, foreign affairs, arts and culture
Finally, broadcaster and environmental campaigner Chris Packham has written exclusively for The Lead explaining why he wants to see the government ban fossil fuel advertising - and how you can get involved too.
What’s On this Week: July 6-12
By Andrew Brown
It’s summer and we have plenty of events happening in Southport to keep people entertained.
This Sunday sees the Ainsdale Show being held, while the first event KC Artisan Food and Craft Market takes place at Victoria Park.
Next weekend enjoy a Churchtown Village 1940s Street Party; the Orange Lodge Parade; and the Blues Festival at Coopers Bar.
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