Hello and welcome to The Southport Lead.
Last week we reported on the latest development in Sefton Council’s plan to redevelop Promenade with a central bike line and one-way systems on adjoining roads.
That article explained how the decision had been formally approved and was based on official documents published on its website and include a response from the council defending the decision.
A problem has since emerged - the decision has not actually been approved. The document was seemingly published by mistake and council officers have been forced into an embarrassing climbdown as they admit the mistake. That is the focus of today’s main story.
Southport briefing
🧑⚖️ A Scarisbrick man has been jailed for 11 years for his role in a major drug dealing gang. Matthew Rick, of Rimmer Green, acted as a controller in a cocaine and ketamine operation which sent deliveries throughout the UK including Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford, and London. He would then arrange for the collection of cash to be brought back to the North West region. He was sentenced at Preston Crown Court under Operation Acropolis, a long-running and complex investigation, led by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Wild from NWROCU Operations Team said: “Rick played a significant role in a sophisticated organised crime network responsible for distributing large quantities of Class A drugs across not only the North West but across the UK. His actions helped facilitate the movement of both drugs and criminal profits on a large scale. This sentence reflects the seriousness of his offending and demonstrates our continued commitment to identifying, disrupting and dismantling organised crime groups who profit from the misery and harm caused by illegal drugs.”
⛔ Adult survivors of the Southport attack and the families of the child survivors have called on the government to do more to crack down on staff who snoop. In an open letter to government ministers, also signed by victims of the Nottingham attack and maternity scandals, they said their trauma was worsened by repeated reports of hospital and ambulance service staff breaching their responsibilities by searching their records without any legitimate reasons. Among proposed changes, the letter calls for NHS staff to tick a mandatory declaration stating they have proper cause to access a record, and published independent audits of NHS trust record-access logs every quarter for a period of ten years. It also wants individuals affected to be recognised as victims so they have stronger powers to challenge breaches in future. At present the Information Commission acknowledges patients are affected but refers to the NHS Trust as the victim.
Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, partner at Fletchers Solicitors, who signed the letter alongside the 19 families of Southport survivors she represents, said: “We have written and published this open letter because victims of NHS snooping have had enough. Every week in the media we are learning of a new breach into patient’s medical records by staff who have no legitimate cause to access them. Among the child Southport survivors I represent, many of their parents do not feel they have a voice to speak out about how this has affected them. They had hoped that their anonymity would protect their children’s most vulnerable and difficult moments. But the truth is staff have repeatedly abused their position to pry into their most private and sensitive information. Anybody, no matter who they are or what they have been through, should feel confident and that staff will protect their privacy and dignity while they are being treated or cared for by the NHS and other agencies.
Council blunder meant Promenade ‘decision’ was published by accident
By Jamie Lopez
Confirmation of plans to redesign Promenade with a central bike lane and new one-way systems on adjoining roads was mistakenly published by Sefton Council.
An administration blunder meant that a document which was intended as a briefing note to ward councillors was mistakenly published on the council’s website stating it was a confirmed decision. In fact, no decision has been made and the document has been removed with questions now being asked as to how the mistake was made.
The publication led to coverage in this newsletter. As part of that edition, we sought and received a response from the council which defended the changes and the implementation of them.
It also resulted in councillors from the opposition Liberal Democrat party calling in the decision - a process by which members can request extra scrutiny of a decision where there are concerns.
It was this call in request which led to the blunder being uncovered and council officers were forced to own up to the mistake. In an email seen by The Southport Lead, councillors were told: “The report was inadvertently sent to Democratic Services for publication as a Cabinet Member – Housing and Highways decision.
