Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Director – Community Recovery

The Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Executive that provided a detailed overview of the response to the tragic events of 29 July and the public disorder of 30 July. The report provided:

·       The breadth of the response, including the significant contribution of a range of partners,

·      The key principles of how the response was delivered, was continuing, and would continue to be delivered,

·      The medium, and long-term ambition for recovery including how additional government funding would be used to support this.

The current estimated costs, including how government funding would support the response.

The following Appendix was attached to the report:

·       Appendix A - Recovery Structure

The Leader reported that since the tragic events in Southport in July 2024, the Council’s focus had been, and would continue to be, the families of Alice da Silver Aguiar, Bebe King and Elise Dot Stancombe. The Council had been engaging with the families to ensure they were at the centre of the recovery plan, as it was vital that the Council represented the voices of those impacted on events. Following the immediate response, the Council was now focusing on plans for longer term support. The £5.6m in combined aid from Central and Local Government would enable continued work with partner agencies to deliver for families and communities. The funding would allow the prioritisation of psychological support for families and those affected; support for schools and education provisions; community cohesion initiatives; and economic support for Southport, including businesses affected. A small, fixed-term Recovery Team had been established to provide a point of contact and co-ordinate the recovery plan and excellent partnership working had taken place over the previous 6 months. The InvestSefton Team had focused on Southport businesses and Alder Hey and Merseycare NHS Trusts had established a dedicated psychological team, along with support from the Primary Care Network and Southport GPs, whilst volunteers had contributed support for the community. The funding supporting the recovery plan was a huge step in planning for a stronger future, and the future for the town and the wider Borough remained an exciting one with growth and investment that included the Marine Lake Events Centre and the adjacent water and light show. The Southport Town Deal would also help to make the town centre more attractive to residents and visitors. Looking forward, 2025 would see the opening of the Enterprise Arcade and the events programme for 2025 and 2026 would be strengthened, to include the Open Golf Championship in 2026. The Leader concluded that the horrific events of July 2024 would never been forgotten, but the way in which the community had pulled together along with the response from the Council and partners was inspiring.

The Leader also commended officers for the work undertaken on the response and recovery, as reflected within the report now submitted, particularly due to the sensitive nature of the matter.

Decisions Made:

That

(1)      the contents of the report be noted and  the breadth of the community, partnership and Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87