Defeat for call to give Southport its own all-purpose council

Labour and Conservative councillors have combined to defeat a call for Southport to be given its own all-purpose council.  

At last night’s Sefton Council meeting Labour and Conservative councillors voted together to defeat a Lib Dem motion that expressed a preference for splitting the present Sefton into two separate Metropolitan Boroughs, one based on Southport and one based on Bootle.

The debate was prompted by a Conservative motion calling for Southport to be given a parish council.  Lib Dems accepted that should be explored as a possible second-best to their idea of a powerful, all-purpose council, although expressing serious concerns that local council tax-payers could be faced with a hefty extra parish precept.  Residents of Maghull have to pay an extra £98 on their council tax every year for their parish precept.

Speaking after the meeting, Lib Dem leader Councillor John Pugh expressed disappointment: “Frankly I’m not totally surprised that Labour opposed the idea of Southport having its own, powerful all-purpose council.  But I would have thought that the Conservatives would come on board.  It makes me think that a lot of what Southport Tory MP Damien Moore says is just for show.”