Councillors hit back over Conservative “misinformation campaign” funding claims

Reports by Southport Conservatives that the town won’t receive any money from a Sefton Council community fund have come under fire for “blatant misinformation”. 

Local Labour councillors say the reports containing glaring omissions and mislead residents. 

 

Under a report titled “Southport won’t benefit from Sefton Councils Community Transition Fund figures show”, the Conservatives detailed how grants were made to a number of organisations across Sefton but that none of them were based in Southport. 

 

Groups such as Crosby’s Marine Football Club, St Nicholas Church in Blundellsands  and Bath Street Table Tennis Club in Bootle were named among recipients of grants expected to be between £8000 and £25000.

It continued:

 

“The decision has been branded by the Conservatives as a further example of disparity between Southport and Bootle… Why should Bootle continue to be the only beneficiary in this authority?”

In media reports Ainsdale’s Conservative Councillor, Tony Brough, also commented:

 

“I am content that organisations in receipt of grants from the Community Transition Fund are deserved, but I am disappointed to note that no Southport based Community organisation is a beneficiary… It is a little worrying that worthy groups and organisations in Southport missed out entirely.” 

Labour councillors in Southport have hit back though, pointing out that local organisations have already benefitted from the fund in previous rounds, and also highlighting another crucial omision from the Conservative’s claims.

 

They say that there is in fact a very simple reason none of the funds for this round had been awarded to Southport – as no organisation in the town had actually completed an application in time for it.

 

Labour’s Norwood Councillor Mhairi Doyle explained:

 

“It’s extremely misleading all in all, they are now constantly indulging in blatant misinformation I believe.”

 

“The simple fact of the matter is that no Southport organisation has completed the application process in this round, so of course there was nothing granted in Southport this time!” 

 

“There seems to be a real attempt in some quarters to try and stir unrest and division at any opportunity and on the flimsiest pretext. It does our community no good at all.”

 

Kew’s Labour councillor, Janis Blackburne, readily agreed, stating:

 

“I’m very disappointed in the sort of fake news misinformation campaign the local Conservatives are now indulging in.” 

 

“Perhaps it is just a case of some very bad local habits being picked up by the rest since the Tory MP has come in from Preston.” 

 

“They now seem determined to cause upset locally but this is a rather silly and glaring oversight at the very least. It just makes them look incredibly foolish.”

 

“Perhaps next time the more accurate and helpful headline of “Sefton wants to suppport Southport community groups” should be used – I suspect that would not fit their agenda though.”