Net zero projects boosting Sefton's economy but council efforts have stalled
A new report highlights the importance of net zero projects with jobs and money adding to environmental needs
Hello and welcome to The Southport Lead.
Back in 2019 while I was reporting on the town for The Southport Visiter, Sefton Councillors declared a climate change emergency along with a warning that “business as usual is no longer an option”.
Over the past week or so, two reports have been published which touch on the same issue. The first, a major piece of research by Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), used business analysis provided by CBI Economics and The Data City to show the economic importance of net zero projects.
The second was from the council’s own officers and detailed disappointing progress on efforts to cut carbon emissions as part of a target of achieving net zero status by 2030. At a time when Reform-led councils are scrapping net-zero projects and its MPs lobby for an end to such work, Labour-run Sefton insists it is continuing with its efforts. The question of whether it can actually achieve them remains unanswered.
Southport briefing
🙏 The family of missing man Stephen Molloy have issued an appeal to help find him. The 60-year-old is particularly vulnerable and was last seen in the Town Lane Kew area on June 4th. Extensive searches have been taking place since then and it is believed Stephen could have remained local or travelled towards Crosby but he is not believed to have had any money with him and has limited communication skills. In a statement issued through Merseyside Police, his family said: “The family are extremely distressed and concerned for Stephen’s safety and well-being. He has learning difficulties, possibly suffering with dementia and is very vulnerable. He will most certainly be feeling very disorientated and overwhelmed. Despite the extensive efforts of Merseyside Police, he remains missing. Stephen has very limited vocabulary and would find it very difficult to ask anyone for help. It will only be through a keen-eyed member of the public informing the police that they may have seen Stephen, that he will be found. Please, please report any possible sightings to Merseyside Police.” Stephen is described as 6ft tall, of slim build and with dark brown hair and was last seen wearing a black jumper and blue jeans. Police have asked people to check their dashcams to see if he is captured on their footage since he went missing and those who live on or near farmland are told it is possible he may have sought shelter within their grounds. Anyone who sees Stephen is asked to call 999.
🎖️ The detective who led the investigation into the Southport Attack has been named in the King’s Birthday honours. Detective Chief Inspector Jason Pye has been awarded the King’s Police Medal, an honour given to recognise gallantry or distinguished service. DCI Pye said he was deeply humbled by the award and described it as the pinnacle of his career. He continued: “But I accept it with a profound awareness of the tragedy that brought us together, the young lives so heartbreakingly lost, their families, and those who survived but will carry the impact of that day for the rest of their lives. This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs first and foremost to my family, whose strength, compassion, and steadfast support carried me through the most difficult moments and made every challenge surmountable. It also belongs to my colleagues, whose dedication and integrity never wavered, and those affected whose resilience, and tenacity gave me the strength to keep going through the hardest moments.” Serena Kennedy, the former Merseyside Police Chief Constable who led the force at the time of the attack and other major incidents including the Women’s Hospital Bombing, has been awarded a damehood.
🏖️ The Atkinson has been awarded a £248,000 grant to deliver an ambitious community engagement programme celebrating seaside entertainment and preserving its cultural legacy for future generations. The grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund will enable the Atkinson to preserve the artistry of British seaside entertainment, create a new oral history archive, and expand opportunities for cultural engagement across Sefton. At the heart of the project is a ‘Southport: That’s Entertainment’ which involves a call for the public to share their memories of the town to contribute to an oral history archive. These recordings will be digitally archived on the local history website, Sefton Looking Back, ensuring free and lasting public access. A newly appointed Heritage Officer will work alongside a network of volunteers and cultural partners to deliver an extensive public programme, including training opportunities, workshops, talks, audio recordings and creative activities. In collaboration with Sefton Council for Voluntary Service, two rounds of community grants will further broaden participation, enabling local performers, artists and community groups to develop their own creative responses to the project. As a lasting legacy, Southport: That’s Entertainment will contribute to a temporary exhibition in The Atkinson’s art gallery in 2027 and directly inform the development of a new permanent exhibition in the museum, set to open in 2028. Cllr Liz Dowd, Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnership Engagement at Sefton Council, said: “This is fantastic news for Southport and a real boost for our communities. Southport’s seaside heritage is part of who we are, and this project will help people of all ages share their stories and feel proud of where they live. It’s also a great example of how culture can bring people together, support recovery, and create new opportunities for creativity and learning across the borough.”
🚬 Smokers and former smokers aged 55-74 are being urged to take part in a lung cancer screening programme before it leaves Southport. The six-month programme ends next month, with health checks continuing until July 1st and a CT scanner based at Dunes until July 18th. The screening is a chance for them to have their lung health checked and have treatment early if any problems are found, with the programme starting with a 30-minute health assessment over the phone. If you are assessed as being at an increased risk of lung cancer, you will be offered a low dose CT scan. More than 6,700 Lung health Checks taken place in North Sefton as part of the programme and approaching 4,000 have been referred for Low Dose CAT scans. Cllr Joanne Williams, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “This type of screening can reduce the number of people dying of lung cancer by 26% in men and between 39% and 61% in women, so I’m glad to see that over 6,700 people in North Sefton have come forward for the programme. The scan is simple and quick, and you get your results about four weeks later. The vast majority of people are found to be totally fine and their lungs completely healthy.”
⛔ A prolific thief has been banned from entering various stores after being handed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). Craig Walsh, of Braemer Avenue, was issued with the CBO after being convicted with of five theft offences from supermarkets and stores in Birkdale, Southport and Formby. The 38-year-old is currently in prison for a separate robbery offence and was remanded into custody and upon his release will be banned from entering B&M Express, Morrisons, Tesco Express, Tesco and Central 12 retail park in Southport. Walsh is also banned from Boots in Formby, Spar and Aldi in Birkdale. Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Graham Fisher said: “Walsh targeted numerous retailers across Sefton which can have a devastating effect on employers leading to staff losing their jobs and prices rising as businesses seek to make up for the lost revenue and more. Through the work of the Merseyside Anti-Social Behaviour Partnership, Neighbourhood Policing Teams and the Preventative Orders Team residents in Sefton can expect to see an increase in Criminal Behaviour Orders which are powerful tools in dealing with repeat offenders. We remain committed to supporting our local communities and retailers in Sefton, by taking firm action against these criminals and preventing these crimes.”
Net zero projects boosting Sefton’s economy but council efforts have stalled
By Jamie Lopez and Emma Morgan
Net Zero projects are worth £180m to Sefton’s economy and contribute to 2,300 jobs across the borough.
That’s according to a new report published by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) with business analysis provided by CBI Economics and The Data City which found that the projects contribute a total of £9.7bn to the North West region and 111,800 jobs.
When the sector’s full economic footprint including supply chain-induced effects are factored in, it means such projects contribute to 3.1% of the borough’s economy and 2.5% of its jobs.
Louise Hellem, CBI Chief Economist, said: “This report makes clear the sustained scale of the opportunity in the UK’s net zero economy. It shows that clean power and decarbonisation are no longer future ambitions – they are already a significant and growing part of the UK’s industrial base.
She added: “At a time when the UK must strengthen energy security and drive growth, the net zero economy is becoming central to the country’s future competitiveness. With global competition intensifying, government and business must work together to attract investment and scale up delivery. The UK cannot afford to step back from an industry already contributing £100bn to the economy and with huge future growth potential.”
The report found that for every £1 in value generated by the net zero economy, a further £1.85 is generated in the wider economy. Jobs supported by net zero businesses were 48%, more productive than the UK average, generating £119,300 in economic value per full-time job. This led to higher-than-average wages, with these jobs coming with an average pay of £43k.
Meanwhile, Sefton Council is falling behind on its net zero transition with early progress now seemingly stalling. Back in 2019, the council voted to declare a ‘Climate Change Emergency’ to help protect future generations and with that declaration came a renewed commitment to reduce carbon emissions and aim to be a ‘net-zero’ local authority by 2030.
At the time, then Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Regulation and Compliance Cllr Paulette Lappin said: “This is now a time for action and we will work closely with our partners across the Liverpool City Region to make sure we do all we can to tackle climate change in our beautiful borough and the world.”
A meeting of the authority’s Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee this week heard that the net zero transition has stalled in the past year.
Emissions have been cut by 43%, or 4,854 tonnes of CO₂, since that declaration but across 2025/26, the council only reduced its emissions by 16 tonnes, a negligible amount in percentage terms.
The council achieved a 41% reduction in emissions in the four years after it announced its target, primarily through a switch to a clean energy tariff, but then only managed a 2% cut in 2024/5.
In a report prepared for the committee, the council said: “This plateau reflects the increasing difficulty of decarbonising remaining emissions and the need for continued action.
