Southport Hospital to receive £3m fund for maintenance backlog
Plus: Golf bosses press on with Birkdale Common plan and why were police called to peaceful protest outside council offices?
Hello and welcome to the 42nd edition of The Southport Lead.
Today’s edition looks at some positive news for Southport Hospital and it receives almost £3m in government funding to address its maintenance backlog.
We also return to the R&A’s plan to extend a practice driving range onto public land in preparation for the return of The Open next year - a planning application has now been submitted.
There are also questions about why police were called to a peaceful protest outside a council meeting this week and, for paying subscribers, Andrew Brown’s events guide to the week ahead.
Hospital awarded £3 million government funding to tackle maintenance issues
By Jamie Lopez
Southport Hospital is to receive almost £3m in Government funding for much needed repairs.
The Town Lane facility is included in the 2025-26 tranche of the Estate Safety Fund which has been set up to invest in “relatively small scale but important building safety works”.
It comes as part of a wider £750m capital funding allocation announced in Autumn, with the individual allocations now confirmed by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Within that, Southport Hospital has been awarded £2.932m in funding for works described as “improvements to ventilation systems, energy systems, heating systems and fixed and/or plant equipment”.
The funding also covers upgrades to lifts at the hospital but no further specific details have been made public.
Nicola Bunce, director of corporate services at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “This additional funding is much welcomed and will help to modernise existing facilities, further improving the environment for both patients and staff at Southport Hospital.”
Across the country, more than 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites will receive a share of the fund to tackle long-term problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues. Projects across schools and hospitals will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.
The DHSC says this will help to prevent thousands of cancelled operations and appointments.
Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: “A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity.
“We are on a mission to rebuild our NHS through investment and modernisation. Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose. Through our Plan for Change, we will make our NHS fit for the future.”
The government says it has already delivered more than 3 million additional NHS appointments since June 2024, exceeding its 2 million target. Additionally, over 1,000 GP surgeries are being modernised to enable 8.3 million more appointments annually.
In 2022, Southport Hospital opened a £1.1m new discharge unit and in April received planning permission for an extension to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department. The scheme is designed to create a more streamlined system as well as adding additional treatment areas for patients requiring urgent care and is unrelated to the new funding.
In March, we reported on the possibility of children’s A&E services returning to Southport Hospital - you can read that below:
Golf bosses push ahead with Birkdale Common plans
The organisers of The Open golf championship have officially submitted plans to extend onto public land.
As first reported by The Southport Lead in February, the Royal and Ancient (R&A) wants to build a new practice tee on land currently used by walkers on Birkdale Common. The strip of land runs between the Royal Birkdale and Hillside golf clubs and contains a footpath which continues into the sand dunes.
The route, which is well used all year round, is to be reduced in size to allow for the extension, but the R&A insists it will remain open to the public with a footpath still in place, albeit relocated.
Golf bosses say the change is necessary to meet the demands of elite golfers and such major tournaments and that Royal Birkdale must be able to adapt to these changing needs in order to continue hosting The Open.
The event, which attracts more than 200,000 attendees each year, returns to Birkdale in 2026 in what will be its 11th time taking place there - the second highest for any course other than St Andrews. It is expected to bring a nine-figure economic boost to the wider area.
According to the application, the new hitting tee will measure 85m by 20m and will be raised 2m higher than the existing practice range to provide sufficient vision down the range. The R&A says it has made changes as a result of the consultation which took place earlier this year, with reduced fencing now incorporated.
There remains no firm promise that the land will reopen to the public outside of tournaments, with the application stating this “is being explored”.
Explaining the need for change, it said: “Since Royal Birkdale last hosted The Open in 2017, the Championship has evolved. The nature of the game and the requirements for professional golfers has also changed significantly.
“Greater demands are now placed on course layout, practice facilities, experience, and infrastructure. There has also been a reduction in available land around the golf course to locate facilities needed to host The Open.
“After reviewing the available space to stage The Open at Royal Birkdale, it has been determined that a new location for practice facilities is required to maintain a safe, world-class, and competitive facility, with the suitable infrastructure space to accommodate a major sporting event.
“The application site has been identified as the most suitable option for providing the world-class practice facilities required by extending the existing practice range at Hillside Golf Club.”
Sefton Council will decide the planning application.
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Questions raised after police called to social services protest
By Elliot Jessett
Parents in Sefton have demanded to know ‘who called the police on us?’ after a peaceful protest conducted outside Bootle Town Hall last night (Tuesday, June 4).
The Voice of the Families (VotF) is a campaign group which says it aims to raise awareness about the plight of parents in Sefton as they fight for improved support services for children. Many of the campaigners are parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities who feel let down by Sefton Council and have claimed their complaints have led to them being ‘targeted’ in some cases.
VotF representative, David Moorhead reiterated this fear at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Children’s Services in the council chamber, asking committee members: “Who sent the email to the police to inform them that Voices of the Families were protesting tonight, and why we were interrogated by the police as we stood outside town hall?
“We would appreciate to find out who called the police on us, because we do feel targeted. That was a very unpleasant experience.”
Merseyside Police confirmed to the LDRS it had a log about a peaceful protest at Bootle Town Hall and that local policing officers gave it passing attention before moving on without any incidents recorded.
Cllr Chloe Parker told the committee she did not know who emailed police about the VotF protest but would look into the matter.
The council’s regular meeting encourages parents to submit questions and proposals to members of the committee for consideration. As part of this process VotF representative, David Moorhead presented a petition asking for the local authority to allow parents/carers to bring someone to act as a witness, be there for support or advocate on their behalf.
The petition stated: “The Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments to be made for disabled individuals, including parents with mental health conditions, learning difficulties, or anxiety—many of whom may feel overwhelmed attending alone.
“No family should be denied support at a meeting that can profoundly impact their child’s future. Denying the presence of a witness not only creates a power imbalance but could be deemed unfair and in breach of natural justice.”
Responding to the petition, direcort of children’s services, Dr. Risthardh Hare said: “I want to reassure everyone in this room that our current policy already allows any parent or carer to bring someone with them to meetings — whether that be a friend, a family member, an advocate, or another support person of their choice.
“We recognise the value of having someone present to offer moral support, take notes, or simply provide reassurance during what can sometimes be difficult conversations.
“At the same time, I want to respect that not all parents or carers wish to have someone present. We are aware some families can feel pressured into inviting others into these meetings. Families may feel uneasy speaking honestly and openly about their problems in front of others. They may also be conferenced that their private information could be used against them which may lead to safeguarding concerns.
“In these occasions were we are aware, some families have requested that the social worker makes a decision not to let other people attend these meetings.
“If there is a perception that this right is not being communicated clearly or consistently, then I absolutely agree we must do more to ensure that every parent and carer is aware of it. I am happy to take that feedback on board and work with my team to strengthen the way we communicate this from the outset.”
What’s On This Week: June 8-15
By Andrew Brown
Hungry? Head down to Wayfarers Arcade today and join in the Big Lunch!
This is a HUGE week for our town - it also heralds the launch of the brand new Southport Learning Town initiative.
You can enjoy a free Southport Learning Town Festival at The Atkinson in Southport next Saturday (14th June 2025), with plenty to enjoy.
It’s the same day as the annual Sefton Pride event.
The following week it’s Father’s Day - and that sees a Fun Day taking place to celebrate the 150th birthday of the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown!
Here are some of the many things you can enjoy in Southport from Sunday, 8th June 2025 through to Sunday, 15th June 2025:
1 - Big Lunch
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