Agenda item

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Cabinet Member reports for Communities and Housing, Locality Services; Planning and Building Control; Regeneration and Skills and Health and Wellbeing (Green Sefton element) to follow

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer that included the most recent reports from the Cabinet Members for Communities and Housing; Health and Wellbeing (Green Sefton element); Locality Services; Planning and Building Control; and Regeneration and Skills.

Councillor Hardy, Cabinet Member – Communities and Housing presented her report and highlighted the following issues:

·       Operation Banger, a multi-agency plan, activity over the Halloween and bonfire night period

·       Work undertaken with Ward Councillors to identify their Christmas tree and Christmas Lighting needs

·       Significant increases in demand for welfare reform services such as foodbanks and the Emergency Limited Assistance Scheme

·       The establishment of warm hubs across the borough

·       Equalities work across the borough

·       the operation of the Homes for Ukraine scheme in Sefton

·       Sefton library service and the successful award of funding

·       Christmas pantomime production of Aladdin at the Atkinson

·       The approval by Cabinet of Sefton’s Housing Strategy (2022 – 2027); and the Council’s house building programme

·       Praise offered by the DLUHC’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Advisor, Alastair Reeves, to Sefton for the provision of its homeless service

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       Anti-social behaviour incidents and whether the figures have increased or decreased on previous years

·       the Homes for Ukraine scheme

·       the availability of grants for organisations to establish warm hubs in the borough

·       support for groups undertaking work in the community such as attending pantomime productions at the Atkinson and the Little Theatre

Councillor Atkinson, Cabinet Member – Regeneration and Skills presented her report and highlighted the following issues:

·       the great work undertaken by the Sefton Adult Learning Service. Concern was expressed that since the demise of the Champion Group newspaper the advertising facility to provide details of the courses on offer had been lost

·       Sefton events programme 

·       Closure of the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre

·       The positive work associated with the Regeneration, Growth and Investment Programme

·       The successful opening of the new Lake House centre

·       The successful first year operation of the refurbished Southport Market

·       Updates on the levelling-up fund bids

A Member of the Committee asked a question concerning the Southport Pier restoration and associated funding issues.

Councillor Fairclough, Cabinet Member – Locality Services presented his report and highlighted the following issues:

·       Catering and Building Cleaning Services

·       Burials and cremations

·       Sefton ARC and Careline

·       Waste Management and Street Cleansing, including weed control, street cleansing provision, fly-tipping and service improvements since 1st April 2022

·       Strategic transport and delays to the National Highways proposal to build a road through Rimrose Valley as part of Port access

·       LTP and Growth Plan; and the help the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could give by scrutinising proposals within the Plan. It was indicated that officers would be requested to prepare a report for submission to the Committee 

·       Southport eastern access

·       Winter maintenance

·       Street lighting LED retro fit scheme

·       Traffic signals LED retro fit scheme

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       The potential to install “subterranean super-bins” similar to those used in Europe and recently introduced by Liverpool City Council

·       Congratulations were extended to the Burials and Cremations team who had received a high standard of recognition from the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA) for Southport Crematorium

·       Consultation and engagement with local residents in areas with high incidents of rear entry fly-tipping in an effort to combat the problem

RESOLVED: That: