Agenda item

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer that included the most recent reports from the Cabinet Members for Cleansing and Street Scene; Communities and Partnership Engagement; Housing and Highways; Public Health and Wellbeing (Green Sefton element); and Regeneration, Economy, and Skills.

Councillor Harvey, Cabinet Member - Cleansing and Street Scene presented his report and highlighted the following:

• building cleaning and catering contracts
• the list of alleys being tidied up by Cleansing since autumn had now been completed
• fixed penalty notices for fly tipping, dog fouling and littering
• the Council had teamed up with North West cancer research to place a memorial tree at Thornton Garden of Rest

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues associated with the Cabinet Member – Cleansing and Street Scene report:

• the availability of machinery to remove chewing gum from public pathways
• the condition of public bins across Sefton and the possibility of replacing these with higher spec/more attractive bins
• if there was an official policy regarding weed removal in residents’ alleyways
• the importance of educating young people in schools regarding littering

Councillor Dowd, Cabinet Member - Communities and Partnership Engagement presented her report and highlighted the following:

• the partnership between Sefton CVS and the community foundation and the work they had done with Southport Recovery
• a new case management system for anti-social behaviour
• the good work the libraries service undertook

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues associated with the Cabinet Member – Communities and Partnership Engagement report:

• a progress update on pilot programmes to discourage fly tipping
• any additional benefits to the violence reduction partnership with Vibe UK

Councillor Doyle, Cabinet Member - Public Health and Wellbeing (Green Sefton element) presented her report and highlighted the following:

• 21 of the grazing sheep had been returned to Natural England following a dog attack in which one sheep was killed, two were seriously injured and one was still missing
• the waterfall in Hesketh Park was now operational
• 790 trees had been planted between November 2024 and March 2025
• The Cabinet Member’s recent visit to the eco-centre with St John’s Crossens primary school pupils

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues associated with the Cabinet Member – Public Health and Wellbeing (Green Sefton element) report:

• Southport’s recent In Bloom award
• If a similar number of trees would be planted next year and how Ward Councillors could get involved with new tree placement
• Southport municipal golf links

Councillor Lappin, Cabinet Member - Regeneration, Economy and Skills presented her report and highlighted the following:

• funding had been granted from UKSPF to continue work undertaken by Sefton@Work and InvestSefton on NEET reduction
• an employment fair would be taking place at Bootle Cricket Club on the 12^th of March 2025
• an update was given on Maghull Health Park

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues associated with the Cabinet Member – Regeneration, Economy, and Skills report:

• if there would be any future funding for art therapy
• how long MLEC pre-construction services would take

RESOLVED: That