Minutes:
Councillors Not Seeking Re-Election
The Mayor reported that this was the last Council meeting before the Council Elections on 5 May 2022 and that she was aware that the following Councillors would not be seeking re-election:
Councillor Janis Blackburne who has served on Sefton Council for four years;
Councillor Daniel Lewis who has served on Sefton Council for eight years.
On behalf of the Council, the Mayor indicated that she wished to thank those Members for their dedicated service to the people of Sefton and she extended her best wishes to them for the future.
Mayor 2022/23
The Mayor indicated that for those who did not already know that she had been nominated for the office of the Mayor of Sefton for a further year - 2022/23 and that the appointment would take place at the Annual Council meeting to be held on 19 May 2022 at Bootle Town Hall. In those circumstances she had decided not to have an installation dinner.
Death of Ralph Gregson MBE
The Mayor reported with great sadness on the loss of former Councillor Ralph Gregson MBE, who passed away on 6 April 2022.
Ralph Gregson was elected to the former Southport No. 6 Ward (which later became the Birkdale Ward) on 10 May 1973 and served on the Council for 13 years.
Mr. Gregson was awarded an MBE from the Queen in 1999 for his many years of volunteering in Southport; and outside of politics Mr. Gregson was a longstanding and active member of the Birkdale Civic Society.
Councillors Brough and Shaw paid tribute to former Councillor Ralph Gregson.
.
The Council then observed a one-minute silence as a mark of respect for
former Councillor Ralph Gregson.
Mayor of Sefton’s Gala Charity Ball 2022
The Mayor reported that her Gala Charity Ball was held on Saturday 26 March 2022 and was a great success. Over 180 people attended the event in the Bliss Hotel, Southport, and a great deal of money was raised on the night that would go towards the Mayor’s Charity Fund; and the Mayor said a special thank you to all those Members who attended and supported the event. The Mayor concluded that she was currently planning events for her second term of office and that she would keep the Council updated on these during the course of the year.
Mayor’s Lottery
The Mayor reported that at each Council meeting she would take the opportunity to remind members to sign up for the Mayor’s Lottery. The Lottery cost £2 per month to enter and would be deducted directly from Members’ allowances. Half of the proceeds from the lottery would go towards the Mayor’s Charity Fund.
Mayoress Mrs. Audrey Stanson
The Mayor thanked Members for their kind thoughts and support during the recent illness of her mother and Mayoress Mrs. Audrey Stanson.
Hillsborough
The Mayor commented on the recent 33rd anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in which 97 Liverpool supporters lost their lives, 18 of whom were Sefton residents.
The Council then observed a one-minute silence as a mark of respect for the 97 supporters who lost their lives in the disaster.