Councillor Barton Secures Funding For Promenade Clean-Up
A campaigning councillor has secured funding to ensure extra clean-up work is carried out on Southport’s Promenade.
Cllr David Barton has gained the backing of fellow councillors for his proposal to use more than £2,000 of local funding to pay for a fourth session this year to tidy up the revetment area.
Cllr Barton, who represents Dukes Ward on Sefton Council, is a leading campaigner for the rejuvenation of Southport and said the move could lead to sponsors coming forward to pay for ongoing clean-ups in the area.
He was initially contacted by residents, Lakeside Church, a multitude of dog walkers and community groups regarding the poor condition of the lower circular walkway of the Promenade attached to the revetment, which is prone to fouling by dogs and swans as well as discarded litter. This follows a lengthy consultation process with local stakeholders which included raising of the matter at the final Southport Area Committee meeting late last year.
Three revetment edge cleaning sessions are carried out by the council each year, at Easter and in June/July and October, but it will not meet the £700 cost of a fourth session.
Cllr Barton has now secured funding for two new bins as well as an extra clean-up of the revetment at the height of the holiday season in June/July as well as money to clean up the Marine Lake/Matalan path.
He has also been successful in achieving funding for additional measures to improve the neighbourhood here such as improved larger style dog fouling bins for dog walkers in addition to increased collection of the bins on a daily basis now.
The money for the work has been met from the Dukes and Cambridge Ward district funds, which are allocated by local councillors.
Cllr Barton said: “As per constitution funding rules this can only be a once funded item so as not to become a revenue item but it is now my hope that having fully maximised the public sector channel, that we are now in a much stronger position to approach the private sector with a view to providing further additional clean-ups of the area at both ends of the Promenade and marine lake, which may in turn encourage other businesses to do something positive for the local environment in which we all live, work and/or visit.
“Many local stakeholders ranging from neighbours, visitors, sporting clubs, community groups and churches now stand to positively benefit from our hard work and we should also like to thank everyone who supported our Consultation Campaign, for helping to make this happen.”
Cllr Barton is now also pursuing potential new tree planting at the northern end close to the Lakeside Church to further improve the general aesthetic and air quality of the surrounding area.
He said: “Once again the power of positive and constructive working has prevailed and I hope that further success may be achieved in keeping this scenic vista at its best possible standard for everyone here.
“I hope that many more residents may now be able to enjoy and appreciate this historic part of Southport’s Victorian heritage throughout the calendar year, especially as a means of providing an incentive to more people to become more active and spend more time in the great outdoors.”
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