James Cave | OTS News - Southport

Hospital trust merger to complete this weekend

The merger between Southport & Ormskirk NHS Trust and St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals is set to complete this weekend following approval from health secretary Steven Barclay. St Helens and Knowsley

28th June 2023

Council reveals £13m estimate for Southport Pier repairs

Sefton Council has revealed that required repairs to Southport Pier could cost as much as £13m. The country’s second longest pier has been “temporarily” closed since December 2022, when frost damage led

23rd June 2023

Ocean Plaza and Central 12 retail estates sold to property group

Retail parks at Ocean Plaza and Central 12 have been sold to property investment group M Core. Prices for the two separate deals have not been announced, though agents were seeking offers

24th May 2023

Key issues ahead of tomorrow’s election

Never does the OTS inbox burst with so many political press releases as election time. As parties and candidates from across the town battle it out for your vote, we take a

3rd May 2023

Five way battle for Birkdale as election candidates unveiled

91 candidates will compete for 22 wards in Sefton Council's local election in May.

5th April 2023

Council too slow on children’s services improvement, says Ofsted report

An Ofsted report has revealed that Sefton Council’s children’s services are continuing to fail some minors who “continue to experience ongoing harm”. The Council has faced significant criticism over the state of

29th March 2023

Police detain man during incident on Forest Road

Eyewitnesses say a man has been detained this evening during a police incident on Forest Road. A significant police presence arrived at Forest Road, close to the junction of Haig Avenue, shortly

24th March 2023

Sefton to raise council tax by 4.99%

Sefton council agrees to raise council tax by 4.99% and increase costs for parking and leisure facilities in order to fund social care and invest in children's services.

2nd March 2023

Town asked to save 999 calls for life threatening emergencies as ambulances workers strike

Members of the public are being asked to only call 999 for an ambulance in a life-threatening emergency, with GMB paramedics walking out on a 24 hour strike today (Monday). North West

20th February 2023

Council leader takes swipe at MP over ‘misleading’ Pontins comments

Leader of Sefton Council, Labour’s Ian Maher, has criticised Southport MP Damien Moore over comments made regarding Home Office proposals to house asylum seekers at Pontins. Sefton Council publicly stated last week

8th February 2023

St Helens NHS trust triggers merger with Southport & Ormskirk hospitals

Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust will merge with St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals, chief executive Ann Marr has confirmed. St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals (SHKT) took over managing Southport and

7th February 2023

Plans to house asylum seekers at Pontins unlikely to move forward says Council

The Home Office are unlikely to move forward with controversial plans to house up to 3,000 asylum seekers at Pontins in Ainsdale, OTS News understands. Sefton Council and the Home Office had

2nd February 2023

Police investigate after youth player attacked during local football match

Merseyside Police have launched an investigation after an on-pitch confrontation between two footballers left one youth player with a broken nose and fractured eye socket. Police were called to the Rookery on

25th January 2023

MP and Council set for talks over plans to house asylum seekers at Pontins

Southport MP Damien Moore and Sefton Council Chief Executive Dwayne Johnson are set for tense talks this afternoon, after the Council received Home Office representations to house asylum seekers in the area,

20th January 2023

SFC Ladies manager wins volunteer award

Southport FC Ladies

11th January 2023

No end in sight to Pier closure says Council

Southport Pier will remain closed for the foreseeable future after Sefton Council confirmed that December’s cold weather “exacerbated existing damage”. Independent structural engineers have now been called in to assess the damage

11th January 2023

Children’s Services improving but workforce issues remain says commissioner

A government commissioner appointed to review Children’s Services in Sefton says that improvements are being made but there must be “significant additional pace to the improvement work” in the coming months. Commissioner

2nd November 2022

Councillors cost taxpayer £930k last year, Council figures reveal

Sefton’s councillors cost the taxpayer over £930,000 during the 2021-22 financial year, according to figures published by Sefton Council. The Members’ Allowances End Of Year statement showed councillors receiving an average of

27th October 2022

Illegal Pleasureland adverts “an accident waiting to happen” to be removed

Hundreds of advertisements for a Pleasureland festival event are set to be removed by Sefton Council after they were erected around town on street furnishing without permission. Councillor John Pugh has also

27th October 2022

Southport 24 Hour A&E unit marked for closure

MP launches campaign to bring children’s A+E back to Southport

Southport MP Damien Moore has launched a campaign to return a children’s A+E service to Southport. Southport and Formby Hospital on Town Lane stopped offering a paediatric A+E service in 2003, with

29th September 2022

Council budget £1m for bypass cycle path upgrade

Sefton Council are to set aside over £1m to upgrade the cycle path alongside the Formby Bypass. The decision comes as Cabinet member John Fairclough has now confirmed funding for Sefton Council’s

1st September 2022

New theatre details made public as planning document published

Planning permission documents for the new Marine Lake Events Centre (MLEC) and Light Show have been made public. Hundreds of pages of documents have now been released, in the hope of a

20th July 2022

Scrutiny over childrens services sparks fiery debate at council meeting

A motion calling for additional scrutiny of Sefton Council’s children’s services sparked angry debate at Southport Town Hall last night. Children’s Services within Sefton have come under considerable criticism from Ofsted, to

15th July 2022

Bid to re-form the Southport Area Committee voted down by councillors

The Southport Area Committee (SAC) will not be reformed, after a motion to recreate it was voted down by councillors last night. Sir Ron Watson had called for the re-formation of the

15th July 2022

Petition for pedestrian crossing at Lulworth Road crash site submitted to Council

The family of a lady killed in a road traffic accident on Lulworth Road has submitted a petition to Sefton Council calling for a pedestrian crossing in the area. Terry Cunningham presented

15th July 2022

Labour councillor accuses Damien Moore of ‘hypocrisy’ over Johnson stance

Local Labour councillor Greg Myers has criticised MP Damien Moore on his stance on Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Mr Moore voted against Boris Johnson in last month’s confidence vote, but only released

11th July 2022

Moore backs Tugendhat for PM in Tory leadership race

Damien Moore has given his support to Tom Tugenhadt to become the next leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister. On Thursday Boris Johnson announced his intention to resign once the

11th July 2022

OUR REVIEW | Day 1 of Southport Air Show 2022

It’s been many years since I had the chance to just sit and watch the Southport Air Show in its entirety. I’ve been guilty before of just watching whatever I could see

9th July 2022

Damien Moore: PM must resign

Damien Moore has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign. Mr Moore said that he believes that Southport constituents are “rightly uncomfortable” with the leadership of the Conservative party. The Southport

6th July 2022

SFC fixtures announced giving Port tough trip to Boston for season opener

Southport FC

6th July 2022