Southport Market's big sale

SOUTHPORT Indoor Market is soon to be sold to Geraud.
Plans for the French market operator to take over the market were this week gathering pace as Sefton’s cabinet members met to discuss the sale.
A report from the technical services director will be put before councillors at a meeting on Thursday and, once the legal formalities have been “done and dusted�, Geraud representatives will push ahead with plans to start restoration work.
We first revealed the market would be sold to the Geraud in January after Sefton invited expressions of interest from potential buyers.
Geraud deputy chief executive Tony Fraser said the firm will meet with traders to discuss the improvement works and the project to create “a successful and vibrant market in Southport.�
Sefton Council and Geraud still say the acquisition is “the best possible scenario for traders� but stallholders are not entirely convinced and fear a rent hike.
News welcomed by everyone in the town came was that Sefton has the lowest number of pupils suspended from school for bad behaviour.
So what makes our children the least disruptive in the region?
The figures were released this week by the Department for Education and Skills.
Sefton Council cabinet member for children’s services, Cllr Peter Dowd said the success is all down to a clampdown on disruptive pupils from the moment an issue arises.
But what is a concern is the scale of the misdemeanours committed by children throughout Merseyside.
The figure that has shocked teaching unions most is that more children were suspended for attacking or threatening a teacher than for doing the same to a fellow pupil.
More than 3,500 pupils, more than 10 a day, were temporarily excluded from the region’s schools for physical and verbal assaults against their teachers in just one year.
A total of 540 youngsters in Sefton were among 14,760 pupils suspended for bad behaviour.
Teachers have a right to work in a safe environment and children should be able to complete their education in a safe and happy environment.
Pupils must know a threat or assault will be treated seriously and what officials must now ask is why some schools are better than others at addressing the issue.