Independent candidate Sean Halsall launched his election campaign last night at the Southport Youth Centre, telling supporters he would stay “rooted to the community” if elected. Mr Halsall currently sits as an independent Sefton councillor for Kew ward, having resigned from the Labour Party in April over disagreements with a number of party stances, primarily the Gaza conflict. Currently employed as a Trade Unionist lecturer, Mr Halsall was a local bus driver for 16 years. He tells supporters he has lived in Southport his whole life, and that his experience and record as a union representative gives him relevant experience…
Author: James Cave
Southport Pier faces significant structural challenges, according to a detailed report by engineering consultants Thomasons, with some sections requiring “systematic dismantling” to enable repairs. Southport Pier was “temporarily” closed 17 months ago after structural damage was discovered during inclement winter weather. Sefton Council have committed to supplying £3m of the £13m estimated repair costs. There is still no indication as to where the remaining £10m will be sourced from, or when. Initial investigation works to fully document the extent of damage to the Pier has been undertaken in recent months by a range of different contractors. The latest report, published…
Results in the 2024 local election for Sefton Council were devoid of any major shocks, with Labour winning 17 of the 22 contested seats across the borough. Labour needed just two seats to confirm it would hold overall control of Sefton Council. The election in Southport was a closely contested affair, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats both securing three seats, and the Conservatives managing to secure a single seat in Duke’s ward. The Liberal Democrats won the popular vote in Southport (the number of votes cast regardless of ward boundary) for a second consecutive year by 550 seats. While…
Play was briefly delayed at Southport Football Club this afternoon when first aiders were called to a medical emergency on the Southport bench. Southport were 3-0 up against Rushall Athletic when play was stopped and a member of Southport’s staff required medical attention. Both teams were escorted back to the dressing rooms. Play later continued with Southport running out 3-0 victors to seal another season in the Vanarama National League North, with 1,311 in attendance. The condition of the staff member, who was stretchered down the tunnel while sat upright and seemingly alert, remains unknown. The match was the club’s…
Candidates for the 2024 local elections have been announced by Sefton Council. One seat in each of Sefton’s 22 wards will be contested on 2 May. Labour will defend 15 of its 48 seats, hoping to collect a vacant seat left following Trish Hardy’s resignation last month. The Liberal Democrats will defend 3 seats, and the Conservatives will defend 2 seats, all in the North of the borough. A byelection following the death of St Oswald councillor Paula Spencer will be held in the coming months. Candidates in bold are defending their seat Ainsdale Ryan Abbott – Conservative Frank Hanley…
Local residents opposing the planned installation of telegraph poles on Wennington Road say they will continue their peaceful protest ‘for as long as it takes’. A group of protestors have monitored the arrival and actions of Openreach contractors on Wennginton Road since around 7am this morning. Merseyside Police were also in attendance, though OTS News is not aware of any reports of disorder. OTS News understands there were a number of peaceful protest groups operating this morning in the area. One of the group told OTS News: “We’ll be here all day today, tomorrow, for as long as it takes”…
Liberal Democrat leader John Pugh calls for transparency from Sefton Council as reclaimed boards from Southport Pier appear for sale.
An Ormskirk-based sawmill is selling ‘reclaimed’ boards from Southport Pier. The firm has approximately £30,000 retail value worth of stock for sale, at £50 per square metre. A description on the Lawson’s Yard website says: “These reclaimed hardwood boards have been salvaged from the world famous Southport Pier. Beautiful silvered and weather beaten surface from the salty air and literally hundreds of thousands of feet walking up and down the full 1.1miles of it.” When asked by OTS News if the Council had been reimbursed for the boards, or if they would see a percentage of the proceeds to go…
A prominent Southport businessman has been charged with multiple fraud offences, police have confirmed. Adam Yaffe, 51, of Yaffe Photography has been charged after he and three others were arrested by the Regional Organised Crime Unit as part of an investigation into the alleged sale of counterfeit goods. Jordan Borrowman, 32, Sandra Carney, 62 and Megan Carney-Barrowman, 33, are also all from Southport and have been charged with the same offences. Megan Carney-Barrowman was also charged with money laundering offences. Yaffe was previously a director of the Southport BID. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false…
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The merger between Southport & Ormskirk NHS Trust and St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals is set to complete this weekend following approval from health secretary Steven Barclay. St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals (SHKT) took over managing Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust (S&O) in 2021 after S&O confirmed that a dozen clinical services were “fragile”. SHKT confirmed the proposed merger in February. In a letter sent to S&O staff this morning, seen by OTS News, the merger will take effect from Saturday 1 July to create “Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust”. The newly merged trust is…
Sefton Council has revealed that required repairs to Southport Pier could cost as much as £13m. The country’s second longest pier has been “temporarily” closed since December 2022, when frost damage led to the discovery of additional structural concerns. Although the final survey report is awaited, the Council has received sufficient interim feedback to inform recommended next steps that will be presented to an emergency meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday 29th June 2023. The Council has today confirmed that the pier will remain closed until full refurbishment works have been completed. The independent survey is expected to identify that…
Retail parks at Ocean Plaza and Central 12 have been sold to property investment group M Core. Prices for the two separate deals have not been announced, though agents were seeking offers above £26.9m for Central 12. Both deals were completed by M Core subsidiary LCP. Upon announcing the deal, LCP confirmed that retailer B&M have agreed a five year lease at Central 12. The new store is expected to open this summer. Barry Flint, LCP director said: “Central 12 is a busy retail park with a range of national brands and independent retailers, which has a real community feel…
Never does the OTS inbox burst with so many political press releases as election time. As parties and candidates from across the town battle it out for your vote, we take a look at some of the key issues ahead of tomorrow’s local election. Children’s Services Nearly a decade of concerns about the quality of Sefton Council’s Children’s Services culminated in February 2022 when it was rated inadequate by Ofsted. In response, the allocated percentage of Sefton Council’s budget towards children’s services has increased dramatically from £33m to £70m. Labour’s Cllr Mhairi Doyle, who received an MBE in 2013 for…
91 candidates will compete for 22 wards in Sefton Council’s local election in May.
An Ofsted report has revealed that Sefton Council’s children’s services are continuing to fail some minors who “continue to experience ongoing harm”. The Council has faced significant criticism over the state of Children’s Services, with matters culminating in an “inadequate” Ofsted rating last year. Southport Conservative leader Cllr Mike Prendergast said the report was “disappointing” and that “lack of accountability is astonishing.” Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Cllr John Pugh told OTS News that “given this background, one would expect resignations.” Senior management has acknowledged failings, and improvements have been promised, but opposition critics claim that progress is not being made…
Eyewitnesses say a man has been detained this evening during a police incident on Forest Road. A significant police presence arrived at Forest Road, close to the junction of Haig Avenue, shortly before 5pm this evening. A number of police dog handlers were seen entering to secure a number of animals held within the property before leaving a short time later. The incident has now cleared and Forest Road remains open to traffic. OTS News has contacted Merseyside Police for comment.