Formby Labour Councillor Nina Killen tackles litter problem at Long Lane Ditch

Formby's new Labour Councillor Nina Killen has tackled a long running problem of litter at Long Lane Ditch.

Cllr Killen received complaints from residents that the ditch had again become strewn with litter.

She immediately contacted the council and urged them to take immediate action.

The ditch was cleared by the community payback team.

Cllr Killen said: "As soon as I raised this issue with Sefton Council they immediately took action to clear the ditch of litter.

"I am now working with council officers to ensure the site is cleared regularly.

"Formby Labour Action Team has had reports in the past of rats in the area and we hope that getting Long Lane Ditch on a schedule for regular clearing will help ensure that we keep the rat population under control.

"But Sefton Council is facing even more government cuts which means it is very difficult to get any additional resources. However, we will continue to work with Sefton Council and local residents to tackle the problem."

Cllr Killen is calling on people not to carelessly throw away their litter in the streets.

Cllr Killen said: "Where there are litter bins, people need to use them. If there are no litter bins immediately available, then people just need to carry the rubbish until one is.

"People shouldn't be throwing their litter away.

"We all have a responsibility to keep our communities clean and if we don't there are very clear environmental repercussions just like we are seeing at Long Lane."

Formby Labour Action Team celebrates success in bus shelter campaign

Formby Labour Councillor Catie Page is celebrating as her wait for a new bus stop shelter is finally over.

Cllr Page has been campaigning for a new bus shelter at Liverpool Road near to LA Fitness after being contacted by residents.

The bus stop, immediately opposite the old Lighthouse pub, had previously been a basic post stop.  

 

As it is a popular stop for people travelling to Crosby and Liverpool, Cllr Page launched a campaign to get a new shelter.

 

Her campaign was successful and the new shelter was installed last week.

 

Cllr Page said: "I am absolutely delighted the new shelter has been installed.

 

"That part of Liverpool Road is particularly exposed to the elements, so people waiting at the stop can be hit particularly hard by wind and rain. In the winter they are also subject to hail and snow.

"This new shelter will ensure that waiting passengers have some form of protection from the elements while waiting.

"Many of the people who contacted me about this issue were older passengers who found it particularly difficult to stand at the stop in all weather. Some were school children who make their way to school in the south of the borough. They were getting drenched in the rain while they waited for the bus.

 

"Now, thanks to this shelter, the many young and older people who use this bus stop can do so without getting soaked - and they can also take a seat while they wait."

MP Bill Esterson asks Eric Pickles how the government plans to help towns not successful in Mary Portas scheme

Sefton Central Labour MP Bill Esterson this week challenged the government to detail how it plans to help revitalise town centres in Sefton who failed in their bid to win a share of Mary Portas' funding.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Bill asked the Secretary of State for Communities Eric Pickles:

"Formby, Crosby and Maghull all bid unsuccessfully for the Portas cash. Sefton’s Labour Council wants to help its town centres given the scale of cuts to local government. Will the minister tell me how he is going to make sure town centres are revitalised and tell me what support will be available to help?"

Bill said the Tory-Lib Dem government had essentially washed its hands of the town centres which hadn't been successful in the Portas bid which he called nothing more than a publicity stunt.

Bill said: "The Portas Bid scheme was far too small to have any considerable impact on improving our town centres. It was a gimmick designed more at grabbing a headline than improving the fortunes of our town centres..

"The scheme had a cash pot of of just over £1million to be shared between 12 successful bidders. That is not enough to make any discernible impact in turning around the fortunes of our struggling town centres up and down the country.

"But worse, the government now appears to have washed its hands of those town centres that worked hard to put together bids, but which weren't selected to take a share of the fund.

"It is not good enough for the Communities Secretary and the Tory-Lib Dem Government to chase a headline at the expense of our hundreds of ailing town centres.

"Closer to home, i saw details of the bids from Formby, Maghull and Crosby. each and every one of the bids from Sefton Central deserved to be winners and they deserve more from the government."

Bill praised Sefton Labour Group who have pledged to set up a fund to give the borough's shopping centres a boost during the difficult economic climate.

Bill said: "The Labour Group again are taking the lead on this where the Tories and Lib Dems in government are failing our town centres.

"Local businsses are struggling to make ends meet at the moment. While the government has grabbed its headlines for the Portas scheme, it is now the Labour Party in Sefton which is coming up with concrete proposals to make a difference in our communities.

"Some of the creative ideas which we have seen generated within our shopping centres by local business people, local shoppers and volunteers, have been tremendous.

"There is a clear desire to improve the offering in our shopping centres, to attract shoppers and to see our town centres once again returned to their former glory.

"That is exactly what the Labour Group on Sefton Council is proposing to do."