YOU can get daily major and interesting news updates for the Liverpool City Region on our free email news service, via signing up on:- Formby Reporter. If you have any updates to send in or any views on the posts on here, please email us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

We wish all our readers a Happy New Year

YES,,, 2020 is now in the history books and we are now in 2021... What have we install for this new year has yet to be unveiled. One thing that is certain, we are in for a very tough few months to come and a long recovery. So please remember to support local businesses, as they are key to our economic success and our economic future. We also need to continue to think of others and support those who are helping us. We wish you all a safe and healthy new year..

Covid Tier restriction checks started

WE have been informed that Merseyside Police, in Sefton, have been conducting Road Operations and hi-vis patrols around retail areas across Merseyside, enforcing Covid regulation breaches including those entering the area from Tier 4 #StaySafe, but we have also had reports that people have been going to the beaches on Merseyside, from Manchester and Salford, to go walking with family. We are asking if checks can be set up on the main roads into the Liverpool City Region, to stop this from happening. A reader told us that:- "This could be done easily for Southport and Formby, as the area only has 9 access points." What are your thoughts on this:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

Prime Minister needs to make it his New Year's resolution to help small breweries

OVER 324 small independent breweries have signed a letter by the Society of Independent Brewers to the Prime Minister, calling on him to commit to proper support for the sector which has been decimated by Covid lockdown in 2020. Small breweries have faced harsh restrictions on their businesses over 2020 and saw sales plummet by an average of 80% during lockdown, but have not received much of the support given to the wider hospitality sector. To make matters worse for struggling businesses the Government is planning a tax increase for brewers with their changes to Small Breweries' Relief (SBR) the scheme that revolutionised brewing in the UK and made it viable for small businesses to compete against the Global beer companies.

James Calder, Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Chief Executive said:- "324 small breweries coming together to write to the Prime Minister will we hope convey the depth of feeling from the independent brewing sector that it has constantly been overlooked, but more so that it is imperative this Government acts now or risks setting the British brewing industry back a decade with widespread business closures. The hugely important Christmas period has been a joyless o1 for brewers, as the vast majority of their market is closed yet there has been no compensation and little support forthcoming. The Prime Minister needs to make it his New Year's resolution to help small breweries, secure the future of one of Britain's most successful manufacturing industries and deliver an urgent package of direct support for small independent breweries."

SIBA are calling on the Prime Minister to: Extend the hospitality support to cover small breweries, including the Business Rates holiday; secondly, compensate small brewers for the millions of pints that have to be thrown away when pubs are forced to close; and finally to scrap the proposed changes to Small Brewers Relief to create a sustainable future for the industry.

The letter has been delivered to the Prime Minister today and asks:- �Please make it your New Year resolution to assist those who have missed out on Covid support this year: Our small independent breweries.' It also highlights the symbiotic relationship between small breweries and pubs and that breweries did not receive the Business Rates holiday, ₤25,000 hospitality grant, or direct support in the VAT cut or Eat Out to Help Out schemes, both of which excluded alcohol including beer.

The letter comes following the Scottish Government pledging ₤1.8m for small breweries in Scotland, and in Northern Ireland, business rates holidays have been extended to manufacturers; policies which SIBA argues could and should be mirrored by the UK Government.

We ask, has the balance of power in Europe tipped as Southport MP Damien Moore says he is "positive" about the future

THE Southport's Conservative MP, Damien Moore, has issued a statement saying that he is looking forward to a positive future with mutual respect between the UK and the European Union after MPs voted overwhelmingly to support Prime Minister Boris Johnson�s Brexit Trade Deal, on Wednesday, 30 December 2020. Mr Moore, who has been a keen campaigner in favour of Brexit, believes the historic vote will allow the UK to forge a new position on the international stage. MP's voted on Wednesday by 521 to 73, a majority of 448, to approve the deal as the UK prepares for an orderly split from Brussels, at 11pm, on Thursday, 31 December 2020. The vote brought a close to 4 years of deep discussions on the future relationship between the UK and the European Union since millions of people voted in the Brexit referendum in 2016. Mr Moore and the Conservative Government won the 2019 General Election with an overwhelming Parliamentary majority on a platform of:- 'Get Brexit Done.'

Damien Moore said:- "Today the UK can take back control of our borders, our sovereignty and our waters and carry out the wishes of the people in our nation to �get Brexit done� while also maintaining cordial relations with our friends and allies in the European Union. Agreeing this Brexit deal allows us to develop a positive relationship with the EU based on mutual trust and respect. I am pro-European. I'm the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Belgium and Luxembourg, which are at the heart of Europe. My grandparents lived in Spain. I love Europe. Securing a Brexit deal for the UK is the right thing to do. We can now look forward to a new future and a new relationship with Europe as a truly global Britain. Creating certainty for our country and our businesses gives us the best chance of building back strongly from the Covid pandemic next year."

But as Boris Johnson hails UK's new "freedom," the French President, Emmanuel Macron, has attacked the:- "lies and false promises" which led to Brexit in his own new year message to the French nation. The comment comes after news broke that Boris Johnson's own father, Stanley Johnson, was in the process of applying for a French passport in order to maintain his ties with the European Union after Brexit.

It is also telling that he is not the only one connected to Brexiters and even some leading Brexiters, like Conservative Chancellor and Brexit advocate Lord Nigel Lawson who in 2018 announced that he would be applying for permanent French residency. Other include Nigel Farage's wife, as it's widely known she is German, and therefore his children also benefit from German-EU citizenship. And that is just 2 of them?

What is soon to play a major role of debate for 2021 will be the fact that UK citizens now no longer have an automatic right to live and work in the EU, visits to EU countries will be limited to no more than 90 days in any 180 and the EHIC scheme is to end. Could this prove to be the reason so many Brexiters are jumping to get EU citizenship?

What are your thoughts on the end of the transition period? Please email us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com with your thoughts and views on this still very sensitive issue.

To find out more about how the new UK / EU rules apply to things like travel and doing business with Europe, including ordering shopping online, use the Brexit checker to get a personalised list of actions for you, your business and your family on the .Gov.UK website now.

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

Not all data has been added due to Christmas.

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (Covid19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by:- 53,285 cases and the total number now stand at:- 2,542,065 that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The total number of Covid19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:- 613, within 28 days of positive test, according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is:- 74,125, within 28 days of positive test. Deaths with Covid19 on the death certificate:- 82,624.

The number of Covid19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 23,823. The current number of Covid19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 1,847 Daily number of Covid19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 2,434.

In England, there are a total of:- 2,190,702 confirmed cases. North West - total of:- 373,611 confirmed cases.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

Area and number of confirmed cases:- Risen by:-

Liverpool City Region

Tier 3

National UK Restrictions

► Liverpool, 28,202 27,656 confirmed cases.
546

► Halton, 5,990 confirmed cases.
173

► Knowsley, 9,165 confirmed cases. 190

► Sefton, 12,641 confirmed cases.
298

► St. Helens, 9,032 confirmed cases.
113

► Wirral, 12,905 confirmed cases.

429

Colour Key:- 0 1 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to100 101 over

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within Local Authorities around the Liverpool City Region, since start of the Pandemic, are as follows:-

► Blackburn with Darwen, 11,746 confirmed cases.

► Blackpool, 6,308 confirmed cases.

► Bolton, 17,267 confirmed cases.

► Bury, 11,842 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire East, 12,424 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire West and Chester, 12,460 confirmed cases.

► Lancashire, 60,224 confirmed cases.

► Manchester, 36,155 confirmed cases.

► Oldham, 16,893 confirmed cases.

► Preston, 8,656 confirmed cases.

► Rochdale, 14,936 confirmed cases.

► Salford, 15,572 confirmed cases.

► Stockport, 12,745 confirmed cases.

► Tameside, 11,965 confirmed cases.

► Trafford, 10,660 confirmed cases.

► Warrington, 10,456 confirmed cases

► Wigan, 19,381 confirmed cases.

Total UK people who have received vaccination

Pfizer / BioNTech

1st Dose 2nd Dose

944,539 Not yet disclosed

Oxford University / AstraZeneca

Not yet disclosed Not yet disclosed

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test. Daily and cumulative numbers of Covid19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected Covid19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.

The latest R number is estimated at:- 1.1 to 1.3 with a daily infection growth rate range of:- +1% to +6%, as of 23 December 2020.

Liverpool City Region Covid19 Updates ... and Important Emergency Notices ...

We wish all our readers a Happy New Year

Covid Tier restriction checks started

Prime Minister needs to make it his New Year's resolution to help small breweries

We ask, has the balance of power in Europe tipped as Southport MP Damien Moore says he is "positive" about the future

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region Not all data has been added due to Christmas.

Liverpool City Region Covid19 Updates
... and Important Emergency Notices ...

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

Not all data has been added due to Christmas.