Sefton Council is supporting Bates Farms and Dairy Ltd to expand its business operations in Southport's Birkdale area

SUBJECT to the Company obtaining planning permission, the Council will sell 0.75 acres of its freehold land at Broome Road to the Company. This will enable Bates' to meet its need to create a larger yard for storage and existing delivery vehicles. Cllr Marion Atkinson Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills said:- "By making this land available to Bates Dairy, the Council would be supporting the growth of a family firm that has been in Southport for over 80 years and which provides a milk delivery service to thousands of local people, while providing 104 jobs within the local community. The ability to expand on the site will help secure local employer Bates' future in the town and will mean the Company can invest and grow. Plus, the extra space will mean fewer on site vehicle movements, which will benefit local residents."

Part of a 22 acre, Council owned site at former Isle of Wight Farm, the land is identified in the Local Plan as a possible area for housing. Bates' proposals for a small part of that area include the erection of a single storey unit. Requirements for the development would include the Dairy erecting acoustic fencing and plans to deal with any resulting increase in surface water run off. Local residents would have an opportunity to have their say on the proposed expansion through the Council's planning application process.

LGA responds to Spending Review Social Care and public health announcements

"Don't drop your guard"

RCEM response to the Spending Review 2020

Care England's response to UK's Spending Review

2020 has proved to be extremely challenging for everyone due to Covid19

OVER the last 9 months, residents have had to juggle home Schooling, working from home, job losses, being furloughed, illness, worries, anxiety and, sadly, bereavements. At the same time, our local businesses have had to close, adapt and operate with a host of new safety measures in place. As we prepare to come out of a national lockdown, arrangements can now be made to spend time with family over the festive period. But, it's important to remember that this won't be a normal Christmas and things haven't gone back to normal as the virus is still spreading in our communities. The Government has agreed with the other nations of the UK (Scotland, Ireland and Wales) a set of Christmas 'rules' to ensure a consistent approach for people to follow. They have announced that from Wednesday, 23 December to Sunday, 27 December 2020:-

►  You can form an exclusive:- 'Christmas bubble' composed of people from no more than 3 households.

►  You can only be in 1 Christmas bubble.

►  You cannot change your Christmas bubble.

►  You can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble.

►  You can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces.

You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier where you are staying.

►  You cannot meet someone in a private dwelling who is not part of your household or Christmas bubble, people who are self isolating should not join a Christmas bubble.

In addition, when meeting your Christmas bubble you should take these measures to prevent the spread of the virus:-

►  Wash your hands frequently.

►  Clean touch points regularly, such as door handles and surfaces.

►  If you are only visiting someone for a short time, you should keep socially distanced from anybody you do not live with as much as possible.

►  Make sure you let as much fresh air in as you can during a visit and after visitors have left, without getting cold, by opening windows and doors.

►  When following these new rules, we must each continue to take personal responsibility to limit the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones, particularly if they are vulnerable.

The full restrictions regarding Christmas arrangements can be found on the Government's website.

Sefton Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher said:- "It's so important that we don't undo all of the good work we've done over the last few months to get our figures down. Covid19 is easily transmitted from person to person and I also know how hard it has been for family and friends who haven't been able to see each other. We all want life to go back to normal, but we need to ensure that we follow the rules to keep our infection rates down and avoid the need for further (and tighter) restrictions being imposed on us. We know that relaxing the rules means the virus grows, so please be sensible and enjoy the festivities safely."

FSB Merseyside and Cheshire and the CLA says:- "Spending Review is a missed opportunity"

THE Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced significant investment across the North West as part of the Government's commitment to level up opportunity across the UK. The Chancellor used the Spending Review to boost housing and transport and regenerate Towns in the North West Region. In the announcement he said that the North West will benefit from over ₤400 million in housing infrastructure funding across 18 projects, including ₤134 million for an 8km road to the south of Carlisle City, facilitating the development of St Cuthbert's Garden Village and unlocking more than 10,000 homes. This is part of the ₤7.1 billion National Home Building Fund which will invest in key infrastructure and provide support for small and medium enterprise house builders to unlock up to 860,000 homes across the country.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will receive a share of ₤4.2bn for Intra City Transport settlements, enabling them to benefit from long term, locally led investment, subject to appropriate governance. The Chancellor ahas also announced a new ₤4 billion Levelling Up Fund which will invest in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities and will support economic recovery. 

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:- "We are determined to level up all the regions of the United Kingdom including the North West so that everybody can get on in life, wherever they live. Today's investments in housing, transport and infrastructure underlines our commitment to people across the North West. We are providing billions of pounds in the fight against Coronavirus across the UK, delivering the peoples' priorities and driving the UK's recovery."

The North West will also benefit from a share of the ₤5.2bn 6 year flood and coastal defence programme, including better protection for over 12,500 properties across:- Fleetwood, Southport, and Manchester. The Government is supporting the regeneration of 33 towns in the North West through the Towns Fund.

Confirmed Town Deals so far include:-

►  ₤40 million for Blackpool to update their illuminations and develop transport links around the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.

►  ₤25 million for Barrow to develop a new Learning Quarter and upgrade local cycle and walking infrastructure.

►  ₤22 million for Warrington to build an electric bus fleet depot, an advanced construction training centre and a health and Social Care academy.

In order to improve connectivity around the English and Scottish border, ₤18 million from the ₤30 million total funding for the Borderlands regeneration project will be invested in the North West in 2021/22. The Government is also building 4 Hospitals within the North West and continuing to grow medical undergraduate degree places, with an additional 171 places in the North West compared to 2017/18. Alongside this, at least 1 prison will be built in the North West as part of the 18,000 new prison places programme. Through the Shared Outcomes Fund, Blackpool will host 1 of 5 pilots which looks to join up local law enforcement agencies, the NHS, prisons and Social Care services both to disrupt serious organised drugs and firearms trade and to provide support to tackle addiction. The Government is also committed to improving education in the Region with Schools in the North West receiving almost ₤5.3 billion in per-pupil funding through the Schools block, an average increase of 3.2% compared to 2020 to 2021. The Government has also announced new Investment Champions for the Northern Powerhouse, which will work with 10 prominent businesses to showcase the region's strengths.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak co:- "We have provided the British Business Bank with the resources to provide ₤100m in additional commitments for the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, to catalyse the growth of small and medium enterprises across the North, including the North East."

B ut, responding to this the Chancellor's Spending Review address, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Development Manager for Merseyside and Cheshire, Phil McCabe, said:- "A Government which claims to be pro-enterprise had very little to say today about the importance of business and private sector job creation. This Spending Review was a missed opportunity to help small business owners; not least those who have been excluded from support measures; and brings the need for a pro-business Spring Budget into focus. Rather than being a tax raising Budget, it must have growth and recovery at its heart. Depending on the spread of Covid and restrictions over the coming months, very significant interventions may well be needed far sooner than the Spring. We will at least need to see meaningful action to spur business and job creation by the time the furlough scheme is reviewed in January 2020. The economic forecasts outlined today are stark. Our hopes of recovery will hinge on the success of small businesses. We need to see far more from this Government where reducing tax on enterprise, facilitating start-ups and bringing down operating and employment costs are concerned. That said, commitments to a new UK infrastructure Bank, Levelling Up Fund and UK Shared Prosperity Fund are good to see. We've always said that replacing EU funding for business support would be critical as we move to a new relationship with Europe, and our recommendations have been taken on board. It's vital that; as these new initiatives are rolled out; small firms are brought into the supply chains of capital expenditure projects and paid on time. The announcement of measures to aid the sharing of apprenticeship levy funds with small firms down supply chains marks an important step forward. For too long, our transport, broadband and mobile infrastructure has lagged behind other major economies. We welcome efforts to tackle this issue head on. The Government has listened to the expert Low Pay Commission where the National Living Wage is concerned, and that marks the right approach. We've heard an awful lot about Government debt today. We should also remember that previously thriving small firms have had to take on significant borrowing to keep the show on the road and pay for safety measures. Come the Spring, when repayments start to fall due, many will be extremely stretched. A pro-business Budget at that juncture will not just be important, but essential."

Also responding to this announcement, Mark Bridgeman, President of the Country Land and Business Association, said:- "We understand the Chancellor continues to firefight the economic fallout of Covid-19. But this Spending Review did little to show the Government's mantra of 'building back better' will apply to the rural economy. Rural productivity is 16% less productive than the national average. If Government takes steps to close that productivity gap, then ₤43bn will be unlocked into the economy, creating jobs and strengthening communities. This week's spending review will do nothing to boost economic growth in the countryside. The truth is that for the rural economy to achieve its vast potential, Government will need to do a great deal more. We need to see Ministers from the Treasury, DEFRA, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other key departments to work together, and with the industry, to identify and deliver new policies specifically designed to create jobs and grow businesses in the countryside."