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July 2007 Archives

Phenomenal crime-fighters

Posted by Digital Editor on July 27, 2007 9:00 AM

IT’S a tough job being a policeman these days.
On the one hand, there has been a huge growth in certain anti-social and criminal behaviour over the past 50 years.
The binge drinking culture has taken hold in town and city centres. Drug-taking among younger generations is rife. The use of guns and other dangerous weapons in crimes has rocketed, against a backdrop of public opposition to officers arming themselves US-style. A lack of respect and, in some cases, antagonism towards those trying to uphold the law is a sad indictment of many in today’s society.
On the other hand, those to whom the Force must answer have not always been kind. Fighting paperwork takes as much time for bobbies on the beat as does fighting crime.
And resources for Merseyside Police in particular are stretched even further each year, with everyone from the Chief Constable, to the Sefton area commander, to neighbourhood inspectors, sergeants and PCs left to work out how to increase their front-line presence and improve public reassurance despite budgets that are far from ideal.
So for the Home Office’s annual crime statistics to reveal there have been 2,500 FEWER crimes committed in Sefton than the previous year is a phenomenal result.
Information-led policing and careful targeting of certain offences at certain times has been a huge success – the blitz on drivers using mobile phones where images of offenders caught were passed to the Southport Visiter for publication was one notable example.
Along with the Midweek Visiter and our website www.southportvisiter.co.uk we hope the Southport Visiter can continue to help local officers, whether in publicising witness appeals, warning readers to beware of certain crime trends, celebrating police successes or naming and shaming those villains who have been caught, as a warning to other would-be miscreants that they will be too.
Congratulations to every local officer, community support officer and civilian support worker for making such a huge difference to local people’s lives – and for making our neighbourhoods that much safer.

Classical Music

Posted by Jamie on July 25, 2007 9:38 AM

Southport Summer Classics must inspire miracles, as the weather outlook for this year's outdoor music festival is surprisingly bright.

On Friday night, Australian Pink Floyd will get three evenings of quality concerts off to a memorable start as the sounds of the stadium are brought right in to Victoria Park.

The inclusion of Southport music promoter Chas Cole on the Classics team this year is a masterstroke. His admiration for an event is his hometown, coupled with his impressive connections within the industry, means an event with an already impressive reputation has a bright future.

Bins may well be an X-factor

Posted by Digital Editor on July 20, 2007 9:00 AM

COUNCILLORS across Sefton will be relieved that local elections are not around the corner.
If polling day was looming, it would be ‘squeaky bum time’ for many as voters ask themselves whether they should rubbish or recycle their elected members.
It is not surprising that the imposition on residents of wheelie bins and alternating collections has been brought in right after the local elections have taken place, and not before. The most controversial council scheme for years has led to huge public debate – which sadly is taking place after the green and grey bins have been wheeled onto people’s driveways and not before.
Those behind the scheme insist that homeowners MUST stop sending so much waste to landfill, and the Government is waiting with the feared big stick of council tax increases for those whose rubbish levels exceeds tipping point.
There is almost unanimous backing for the green credentials behind the scheme.
But are the methods right?
The news forums on the Visiter website and the letters that have been arriving at our offices on Tulketh Street are voluminous.
Some people question whether the new system is merely a cutback in services, and are cynical that wheelie bins are arriving conveniently just as collections drop from weekly to fortnightly.
Others – such as those is Ainsdale who have already received the bins – say some families are struggling to cope with the scheme, and are appalled by the potential hygiene dangers.
Southport MP John Pugh says schemes must not be imposed nationally but agreed locally, while Southport Conservatives are calling for an urgent review of the scheme.
Local people are the ones who have to live with the system so they must have the right, once the scheme is up and running, to have their say over how it is implemented in future.
If they are denied, then May 2008 could indeed be a very nervous time for our town’s politicians....

Will this be a t-rash move?

Posted by Digital Editor on July 13, 2007 9:00 AM

THE battle for the future of the planet appears to have started on the streets of Sefton.
Residents not complying with very specific waste collection policies run the risk of fines, or having to meet strict criteria if their household waste requires an extra receptacle.
This is all to ensure Sefton meets the Government targets for recycling in time for an immovable deadline.
Anyone watching their children and grandchildren facing another 50-plus years on the planet will feel the responsibility to take care of the environment.
But is this tough love approach the answer?
Council officers insist they have no choice, with the Government threatening to impose heavy penalties – which will be passed onto homeowners through council tax rises. We must all recycle more and change the way we treat our waste, with opportunities on the way to add items such as plastics and cardboard to the list of other goods due for a life of deja vu.
Few residents seem to be arguing with the green credentials of the incoming bins blitz – more controversial however seems to be the introduction of the alternating collection scheme.
Councillors report they have already heard voluminous complaints on the subject – it remains to be seen whether taking away people’s weekly collections proves ultimately to be a bin too far.

True Legend

Posted by Digital Editor on July 13, 2007 9:00 AM

ALBERT Fyles was a legend in his own right in golfing circles, proving his prowess as a caddy with some of the biggest names in the game.
He was born, bred – and ultimately – died in this town, yet despite rubbing shoulders with the golf elite, he never shouted his experiences from the rooftops. After his passing, aged 70, the tributes are flooding in.
Albert’s example is something today’s ‘celebrities’ would be wise to follow.

Another blow for Ainsdale

Posted by Digital Editor on July 11, 2007 10:22 AM

THE closure of any school is obviously devastating for any community.
So the announcement this week that St John Stone will close its doors at the end of this term is a big blow for Ainsdale, made even more difficult as it comes less than 12 months after the announced closure of Hope High.
Parents of pupils of St John Stone are currently dealing with the news after receiving letters on their door steps.
Even though the closure doesn't take place until March 31, 2008, the school will not open its doors to new pupils this September. Governors have told the Visiter that is because the number of pupils on roll for the coming year has fallen so low meaning the school cannot provide an effective education for the few remaining children.
It is expected Sefton will begin the legal process to close the school in September.
In a letter this week, chairman of governors Arthur Sims, said: “The number of children on roll has fallen in recent years due to demographic factors, and also to rumour and speculation about the possible closure of our very small school as part of plans to reorganise schools in the area.
“Following a period of financial uncertainty caused by the falling numbers, our school was recently involved in negotiations to federate with Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School in Birkdale.
“However, many parents felt that the distance from Ainsdale was too great, and decided to apply to more local schools. As a result, St John Stone will be financially unviable from April 2008.
“The future of our staff is still undecided. The impact of the planned school closure on staff, children, parents and the community has been considerable. The impact on the parishes of St John Stone and Sacred Heart remains to be seen.”
It's a sad fact of modern life that a school's future is no longer simply judged on results but on its "financial viability".

Fun will never be banned

Posted by Digital Editor on July 6, 2007 9:00 AM

NEVER before in Southport have there been so many rules put in place.
Over the past few months the Southport Visiter has carried an increasing number of stories of people, of all ages, who are now banned from doing all kinds of things – and who must pay one of a variety of financial penalties in forfeit.
Chant your favourite football song on the train as you put your feet up on the seats and enjoy a cigarette, head to Southport town centre for a boisterous skateboarding session with your mates before driving down West Street to pick up your girlfriend after a night out and you’re in for all sorts of trouble having broken a plethora of new rules.
And just when you get back home and count up all the fines your day out’s just left you with, keep your fingers crossed you’ve not left your new wheelie bin out on the road too long...
Take the dog out for a walk in Hesketh Park to calm down? That may soon be banned too.
There are well thought-out reasons behind these rules, and they are sure to be welcomed by many people. Banning smoking in pubs and workplaces may not be universally popular, but it is sure to save thousands of lives.
Of more concern are the volume of people getting so drunk in Southport town centre each weekend that police fear they cannot safely cope with traffic.
You can only fear for police officers doing their duty in these days of binge culture boozing.
This weekend Southport Visiter staff will be out in force photographing and reporting at some superb local events, such as the Ainsdale Show and the fun day at Somerfield in Marshside.
One thing that they’ll never ban us from doing – and that’s going out and having fun.

New home for Southport drugs clinic

Posted by Digital Editor on July 4, 2007 6:23 PM

CHURCH Street has been named the new location for the controversial drugs clinic currently based at Manchester Road.
Since last year, multi-agency partners have considered more than 20 possible sites for the clinic but only four suitable properties have come up meaning the search continued.
However, residents around Manchester Road are now delighted as the Primary Care Trust, Drug Action Team and local residents have decided a former GP practice building is a more suitable location.
Chief executive of Sefton PCT, Leigh Griffin, and director of health and social care and chair of DAT, Charlie Barker, say that 8 Church Street offers a number of distinct advantages as it is owned by the PCT, it is a detached property and as home to a former GP practice it already has two established medical rooms.
As many residents have said for some time, one of the most noticeable factors is that it is located within 200 yards of the original base for drug treatment services.
The drugs clinic had been based at Hoghton Street since the 1970s but had to relocate as plans to redevelop the site were rubberstamped.
The ex-GPs’ surgery on Manchester Road was used because of its proximity to the town centre.
Church Street has the new LIFT centre on the corner, the technical college and St Mark’s Medical Centre; a road many see as one with not that many residential properties.
However, only time will tell if the new location will work.

This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Visiter Newsdesk in the July 2007. They are listed from oldest to newest.

June 2007 is the previous archive.August 2007 is the next archive.

Many more can be found on the home page or by looking through the archives.