SOUTHPORT AREA COMMITTEE

Sefton Council introduced Area Committees some years ago. Initially there were 9 of them in Sefton. 3 of which were in Southport Each represented 2 or 3 of the 7 Southport wards. Following the much misunderstood referendum in 2003, these 3 Southport committees became a single area committee representing all of Southport, with effect from mid-2004.

Dates and times of forthcoming meetings are sometimes included in the local papers,but can be obtained from the Council's website at www.sefton.gov.uk

Currently meetings start in Southport Town Hall at 6.30pm. We are appalled that the frequency of these meetings is now reduced to a mere 9 per annum.

Anybody can address all 21 (or, rather, as many as see fit to attend) of the Southport Councillors at meetings of this unique forum. It is a rare event for all of them to be present. Sefton Council currently places no formal advertisements into the local papers for forthcoming meetings and few people are aware of their existence. We question the logic of spending £40,000 on a referendum in 2003 to create the single Southport Area Committee when there remains no intention by Sefton to publicise the dates of the meetings in the local press.

Details of the conduct of the meetings are also obtainable from the Sefton Web site here, but we have found that many of these rules are subject to 'local interpretation' by the Chair person of the committee.

We encourage everyone to attend and ask searching questions. If those present cannot answer your question, then the Council aim to give you a written answer "within 10 days". This time period can, however, in reality, be as long as 12 months during which time you may have to be remind them of their responsibilities.

We are also concerned about the distinct lack of democracy that we often witness, when the Chair person appears totally unresponsive to criticism or suggestions. See our news releases here, here, here and here.
This lack of democracy has now extended to the Chair of the meeting either rubbishing questions put forward by known members of The Southport Party or simply refusing to answer them at all. We maintain that this is to stifle any publicity we may hope to gain from this questioning. This development is abhorent to us and seems reminiscent of a dictatorship.