MP Damien Moore is asking residents for their opinion of Southport out of Sefton.




Today, I’m asking for your answers to this question. It is an issue that many of you feel passionate about – and in my dealings with Labour-run Sefton Council, I can understand why. Our town doesn’t seem to be getting a good deal from them, and residents are suffering. Perhaps we need to change things?

If you have a spare thirty seconds, please take the survey. Your answers will help shape my plan for Southport.

https://www.southportsurvey.com/

Is this the best policy he has?

Fail.

Yes!

Will we still have merseyrail trains?
How much will council tax be in Lancashire?
How much money compared to sefton will Southport receive?
Will the quality of the schools be affected?

More detail is needed before informed decision can be made for the best

Considering HIS party took us into Sefton he should be apologising for the last 44 years of decline.

YES YES YES and the sooner the better.

Sefton is systematically destroying this town. Don't care what council we're under, but anything is better than Sefton!

Originally Posted by Little Londoner

Considering HIS party took us into Sefton he should be apologising for the last 44 years of decline.

It most certainly did and now they have even brought back Sir Ron Watson as a councillor, one of those who masterminded our entry into an authority where we would allegedly have more influence in decision making than as a mere district within the area administered by Lancashire County Council. And what influence do we now have - ZILCH!!!
I must admit, however, that Southport had already suffered many years of neglect under Tory administration before 1st April 1974 when the only thing that mattered to them was General Rates; everything else rotted.
The very same Sir Ron Watson who voted, together with all the other Tories AND Labour AND LibDems then on Sefton Council, to not add an extra item on the referendum held in Southport some 15 years ago ( relating to Area Committees) that Sefton should request the Boundary Commission for exactly what Damien Moore is on about now. It would not have cost a penny to add the extra item.
I am passionate about Southport getting out of Sefton to form a unitary authority encompassing some, possibly all, of West Lancashire Borough Council, but I cannot be bothered answering any silly questions about it online.
We could remain being in Merseytravel area with few problems if so required, merely a change in the constitutions of Merseytravel and Lancashire Travel. The alternative of becoming a member of the Lancashire travel area is none too appealing.

Originally Posted by libraryguy

YES YES YES and the sooner the better.

Sefton is systematically destroying this town. Don't care what council we're under, but anything is better than Sefton!

Yes, I agree! Out of Sefton! Preferably become an Independent but since this is not economically viable - then Southport should be placed within the Lancashire boundaries. Almost all of Lancashire is far better managed.

Originally Posted by said

Yes, I agree! Out of Sefton! Preferably become an Independent but since this is not economically viable - then Southport should be placed within the Lancashire boundaries. Almost all of Lancashire is far better managed.

Marvin, as you are from Chester and live there, this really isn't your shout... it has about as much relevance as someone from Southport advocating that Chester become part of Merseyside.

Ah, Brexit all over again... let's make a decision based on little to no facts. The Tory way... and indeed the local Lib-Dem way, the irony is wonderful - anti-Brexit nationally, little Brexiters locally.

At least this time we don't get caught up in a democratic nightmare but it could well cost local tax payers a fortune and those who claim easy access to Merseytravel etc are kidding themselves. What basis have they got for saying it will be easy? So we possibly could lose all those cheap fares, concessionary travels passes etc.

Southport if unitary would be a tiny authority which would mean no economies of scale for services and at a time when govt is increasingly pushing the bill for services on to local tax payers.

We'd also be hit hard by loss of business rates as currently a huge chunk of that comes from south of the borough via Seaforth docks and we'd also have to find the funds for being a town with one of the biggest percentage of elderly for its population in the country with the huge social care bill that comes with it.

Lancs seems a worse situation than Sefton so not much point even discussing that.

If we are expected to make a decision on this... give us the facts this time... instead of just whipping stuff up and hoping people follow lemming like over the cliff again!

If it can be shown that Southport will be better off and residents will not face a huge hike in council tax bills, ask me then.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Ah, Brexit all over again... let's make a decision based on little to no facts. The Tory way... and indeed the local Lib-Dem way, the irony is wonderful - anti-Brexit nationally, little Brexiters locally.

At least this time we don't get caught up in a democratic nightmare but it could well cost local tax payers a fortune and those who claim easy access to Merseytravel etc are kidding themselves. What basis have they got for saying it will be easy? So we possibly could lose all those cheap fares, concessionary travels passes etc.

Southport if unitary would be a tiny authority which would mean no economies of scale for services and at a time when govt is increasingly pushing the bill for services on to local tax payers.

We'd also be hit hard by loss of business rates as currently a huge chunk of that comes from south of the borough via Seaforth docks and we'd also have to find the funds for being a town with one of the biggest percentage of elderly for its population in the country with the huge social care bill that comes with it.

Lancs seems a worse situation than Sefton so not much point even discussing that.

If we are expected to make a decision on this... give us the facts this time... instead of just whipping stuff up and hoping people follow lemming like over the cliff again!

If it can be shown that Southport will be better off and residents will not face a huge hike in council tax bills, ask me then.

Agreed. Facts are needed

What if Lancs doesn't want Southport ? Has anyone asked that authority ?

Wouldn't Southport just moan about everything going to Skem, with as per usual no evidence ?

I can neither agree nor disagree on the costs and revenues element as I simply don't know.
There are those posting who hint that they know but cherry pick their examples to suit their opinion.
For example I'd love to know what the figures are for Business Rates and which area contributes the most. Similarly I'd love to know what the figures are for Council Tax and which area contributes the most. Maybe then we could put to bed the silly North/South argument on who props up who.

Come on guys - if you know what the revenue streams amount to then tell us!
I agree with some of the posters - we need facts not postulation.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Marvin, as you are from Chester and live there, this really isn't your shout... it has about as much relevance as someone from Southport advocating that Chester become part of Merseyside.

Born and bred in Southport and have spent most of my life there. The fact that I inherited a property in Cheshire, and that is my registered address has no bearing on the fact that I spend most of my time in Southport. I have seen far more changes and deterioration in Southport than I care to and this has happened during the time Southport came under Sefton. The deterioration has increased faster during the period that Liverpool has been developing. Vast sums of money have been spent on Liverpool and nearby areas - yet Southport is a popular leisure resort, where no doubt business people coming to Liverpool would want to visit! It is common sense to invest in Southport!

Not a fan of silly surveys but definitely in favour of Southport leaving Sefton.


The error of boundary changes indeed happened under Heath. Ted was a pillock on most issues and those were different times. Surely, decades later, parties are allowed to learn from their mistakes and especially with manifold evidence of ongoing decline under Sefton's Labour rule. While the Tory MP looks at the here and now, backward-looking Labour is returning to its traditional Stalinist, Trotskyite and Marxist heritage to the detriment of ordinary people.