Councillor Tony Dawson asked the question in the Council meeting this week during discussions about the Luxembourg purchase of the Bootle New Strand shopping centre. For the Port of Liverpool, despite its name is actual in Bootle and comes under Sefton Council. Since the Council bought the shopping centre entirely using money borrowed from the government, theoretically they could buy almost anything anywhere.

"At least we are sure that the Port of Liverpool is profitable," he says, " I'd like to say the same about the New Strand but if it is really such a good 'buy', why were the offshore owners so desperate to offload it when they came looking for the Council last November?"

Despite claims from some that this is illegal, councillors are still being kept entirely in the dark over the financial viability of the purchase made in April.

"Unfortunately, the Council bosses refused to provide councillors with any of the figures they were looking at when they made the purchase - even after the purchase was completed," says Cllr Dawson, "so, none of the Councillors outside of the Cabinet are any the wiser about whether this is a good deal or a bad deal for the Council - and, more importantly, for the Council Tax payers."

Councillor Dawson pointed out to the meeting that Sefton Council did not have a brilliant record when it dabbled in in commercial matters.

"They had to offload the Floral Hall complex and the Flower Show after making huge losses." he said. "Their management of the Pleasureland site has not been exactly a screaming success. It it wasn't for Norman Wallace they would be in a right pickle. They are still losing hundreds of pounds every week on Southport Indoor Market and there are other commercial ventures they've been involved in which have not done too well."

"Since the Bootle-based bosses are still keeping shtum about the casflow predictions presented to their secret Cabinet Meeting, all we can do is keep our fingers crossed. And perhaps our toes as well."

New Strand ? Has Cherie been on the brandy again. It hasn't been called that for years. I think he's referring to Strand Shopping Centre ?

Originally Posted by mike1979

New Strand ? Has Cherie been on the brandy again. It hasn't been called that for years. I think he's referring to Strand Shopping Centre ?

All he highlights with these petty bandwagon jumps is that he’s highly ineffective or taken seriously by the council....seem to remember when he was kicked out of the Lib Dem’s he said he had “good relationships with cabinet members”....doubt that’s true with all the nonsense and bile he comes out with. In Southport the libs come across most likely to be “the nasty party”.

What’s the point in having him if it’s just to highlight everything is someone else’s fault to distract from how little he does. Can’t even take credit for free parking agrees by the other councillors properly without the accountant/councillor jumping into correct him that they’ve got 4 saturdays free parking.....after his huge mistake last year on free parking I thought he may try not grab the limelight on this one...

Originally Posted by mike1979

New Strand ? Has Cherie been on the brandy again. It hasn't been called that for years. I think he's referring to Strand Shopping Centre ?

Wrong! Liverpool Echo refers today on an incident involving a man falling from "The New Strand Car Park"

By the way - can this guy now sue Sefton council for his injuries?

Originally Posted by said

Wrong! Liverpool Echo refers today on an incident involving a man falling from "The New Strand Car Park"

By the way - can this guy now sue Sefton council for his injuries?

It was in the Liverpool Echo ? Goodness he must have been correct then 😂