Sefton Council approves 4.99% council tax rise
An opposition proposal to fund a dedicated Lord Street development officer was rejected
Hello and welcome to The Southport Lead.
In recent editions, we have focused on efforts to set a new Sefton Council budget which follow a £30m overspend in the current year and have required special government permission. We return to the issue once more as councillors from all parties met on Thursday and voted on a plan which will involve a 4.99% rise in council tax for residents.
In reality, Labour’s large majority means that as long as its own councillors agree with its plan, it does not need the support of other parties but the meeting gave those in opposition the chance to put forward their own suggestions and to scrutinise the proposals on offer.
Southport briefing
🏫 Greenbank High School leaders have announced plans to rebuild the facility. The all-girls school has been selected for redevelopment as part of the Department for Education’s (DfE) national School Rebuilding Programme. BAM Construction has been appointed by the DfE as the building contractor to deliver the project and a public consultation on its proposals will take place on Thursday from 2pm-7.30pm at the school. The plans will see a new single school building replace all existing buildings and the development would be phased to allow for the school to remain open using the majority of the existing buildings during construction Community use sporting facilities will also remain available throughout the construction period and it is intended that a planning application for the redevelopment proposals will be submitted to Sefton Council following the consultation period in March-April , with work starting on site late this yea, the new building in use for autumn 2028 and of autumn 2029 and the final works completed a year later.
🏉 Tributes have been paid to a former captain of Southport Rugby Club and Head of PE at KGV College. Roger Stichbury, known to many as Stitch, was described by his former club as “a man whose dedication, spirit, and service have shaped our club for more than forty years.” Roger spent decades volunteering at the club and working at working at the club, giving a love of sport to generations of youngsters. Paying tribute, the club said: “If you were to design the perfect volunteer, mentor, and club man, the template would be Roger. His commitment was matched only by his kindness, his humour, and the quiet strength that made him so widely respected across the town. A devoted family man, Roger was held in the highest regard by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Roger leaves behind a legacy that will live on in every team sheet, every junior session, every match day, and every young player who found their way into rugby because of him.” Roger’s funeral will take place at 1pm on Friday, March 20 at Southport Crematorium.
🪴 The historic conservatory at Hesketh Park is to undergo a refurbishment thanks to a bequest of £862,000 by Louis and Anita Marks, long-term neighbours and supporters of the park. The generous gift has already seen the park’s fountain completely restored to its ornate former glory and the bed replanted at its base and the latest plans will go on show at a public information session from 10am-1pm on Wednesday. The event will include a talk on the plans by the architect along with a chance for the public to ask questions and provide feedback. Cllr Mhairi Doyle, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Thanks to Louis and Anita Marks generosity, we are carrying out their wish to ensure its best possible future. The fountain and its surroundings are looking glorious and the plans for the conservatory look exciting.I recommend anyone with an interest in Hesketh Park and its heritage go along on Wednesday and find out more about the proposals.”
👕 The Free Clothes Store, which provides clothing, shoes, toiletries and hygiene products from a base at Lakeside Church, has been handed an £8,000 funding boost from Merseyside Police. The charity received the money through the force’s Operation Payback which reinvests money seized from criminals back into the community. The store also supplies clothing bundles to mental health facilities and the probation service and provides prom dresses and tuxedos for young people who may otherwise struggle to access formalwear. Offering thanks for the donation, Assistant Pastor Georgina Vernon said it will make an immediate difference to those in need. She said: “The Free Clothes Store exists to ensure that no one has to go without essential clothing. We provide good quality, free clothing for adults and children, along with shoes, coats, toiletries, underwear and seasonal essentials, all in a safe, welcoming and dignified environment. For many people, this support is not just practical but deeply encouraging, a reminder that they are seen, valued, and not alone. The Free Clothes Store is about more than clothes, it’s about restoring hope and showing people that their community cares. Support like this enables us to continue meeting real needs at a critical time.”
Council tax rise approved in budget plan described as ‘ambitious’ and ‘dangerous’
A 4.99% council tax increase has been passed by Sefton Council - the maximum allowed without a public referendum.
The council describes its budget, which has been approved following a full council vote, as an ambitious one which will “create new jobs, provide more quality homes for local people and attract more visitors to support the local economy”.
The current year has seen a £30m overspend amid ballooning costs in social care but council bosses are confident that 2026/7 will run more smoothly. To achieve the balanced budget, they have received special permission from the government to factor in £12m of land and property sales and will use surplus money from the Merseyside Pension Fund to build back depleted reserves.
Ahead of the budget vote, Labour council leader Cllr Marion Atkinson said the budget had been a detailed process and criticised opposition parties for not putting forward alternatives, slamming “absurd comparisons of this council’s complex budget to sales on eBay and other nonsense” and accusing them of a “lack of any understanding of local government finance”.
She said past government austerity policies “took away the hope of a better future for our communities”, adding: “We will demonstrate robust financial responsibility on behalf of the residents of Sefton and set a balanced and legal budget which continues to protect the most vulnerable and improve services.”
Cllr Atkinson said the local authority had also seen an 18% increase in people needing statutory services which have to be provided by law, adding: “Local authorities have become a cash cow for the private sector and our children and young people are the victims.”
