A SUMISSION to the
ELECTORAL COMMISSION
(AND THE DEPT. FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT)

Ever since the formation of Sefton Council in 1974 many Southport residents have been dissatisfied with this new arrangement of linking a traditional and well managed seaside resort with a large industrial sea port such as Bootle and district.

There have been many petitions, demonstrations and organisations in protest against this authority over the years,( including a 23,000 petition for Southport to come out of Sefton) which has not abated, and the formation in 2002, and continuing support for the apolitical, Southport Party also testifies this long held dissatisfaction.

The government white paper STRONG AND PROSPEROUS COMMUNITIES espouses the value of local decision making and on page 62 73.52 highlights the fact that, " many district boundaries reflect artificial communities with little significance for local people".

The situation in the Sefton council area reflects that scenario, Southport is distinctly different to about 70% of the rest of the borough and the map will also show its geographical remoteness.

There is a continuing tug of war for revenue and resources between Southport and Formby in the North, and the industrial Bootle and district in the South, each blaming the other for taking each others revenue.

Sefton has not moved on as much as other councils have done as successive comprehensive performance assessment results show.

The experience of attending council meetings highlights the disdain councillors and officers have for the Audit Commission and Performance assessments, at a recent area committee meeting public forum, senior councillors stated that because of the too diverse nature of Sefton they thought they did well to get two stars and could not see how they could get more without sky high council tax rises.

The Southport Party welcomes Audits and assessments as they do show that Sefton Council cannot serve the whole Borough efficiently and that after thirty three years of trying it is time for a rethink on the boundaries so that like minded areas can solve their own problems without rancour.

Southport within Sefton has seen a decrease in employment opportunities with the closure of most of the large companies, such as Philips Components, Leaf (The former Holland Toffee factory),the renowned Pleasureland Fun fair, and Sefton council is now adding to the situation by moving Southport based offices to Bootle. Many of Southport's assets have been sold off to fund regeneration in other parts of the Borough and despite some infrastructure improvements things are getting worse.

The Southport Party is an apolitical resident's organisation independent of all national political parties it fully supports the aims set out in the White Paper STRONG AND PROSPERUS COMMUNITIES, and we feel its implementation would go some way to put right the wrongs brought about by the local government reorganisation of 1974. It is widely felt that Southport was a major casualty in that disastrous exercise in people engineering.

Southport has suffered a slow decline of its services and civic identity, so much so it is now being referred to by its own council as well as the media as, North Sefton. The white paper proposals should help Southport and other towns and councils in the same predicament get back what they have lost.

The white paper suggests district councils could seek unitary status, this would mean an amalgamation with other areas to give an optimum size for efficiency.

It is felt that the long standing unrest in Southport could be solved by a merger with its traditional neighbour West Lancashire, as they have also been upset by proposals to merge their well run district council with Lancashire Council or Wigan.

A new South West Lancashire Unitary Council comprising of Southport and Formby (with their agreement) and West Lancashire it is suggested would provide a viable council in size and population, and coupled with the Parish/Town council proposals also set out would give a fairly like minded population an opportunity to recoup civic pride within the different S.W.Lancashire communities.

The Southport public and party were led to believe the area committee system would give similar benefits to local decision making and services as a parish/town council would, this has not been the case, the area committees have proved toothless, they make no meaningful decisions and are provided with a pittance of a budget, they are only a token gesture to local democracy, and have not fulfilled Sefton's promises to devolve power.

Whichever council Southport ends up in, and the S.W.Lancashire model is preferred, and because of the area committee failure, the white paper proposals to have strong town/parish councils within a unitary, it is agreed, has got to be the way forward towards regaining the civic pride which in modern England is sadly lacking, and the root of much anti social disorder.

The Southport Party supports the aims and ideals set out in the white paper." Strong and Prosperous Communities", it also supports, through the experience of dealing with, the Independent Audit Commission, along with the system of Comprehensive Performance Assessment, and would suspect only failing councils do not. Enclosed is a copy of an open letter which has been well received in the local press.

David. C. Cobham Political Secretary The Southport Party (Registered)
2D Bibby Rd
Southport
Lanes
PR9 7PT
16/01/07

Southport in South West Lancashire ? - A letter sent to West Lancashire Newspapers.

Dear Sir,
Local council boundary issues are in the news again.

When the issue of parts of the West Lancashire District council area joining with Sefton Council was proposed a couple of years ago, quite rightly there was a sigh of relief in West Lanes when it did not materialise.

Whilst we in Southport would love to have had this lovely area joining our remote out post of Sefton Council, quite frankly we wouldn't wish it on them.

Why spoil a top rated district council by linking it with a poorer performing metropolitan monster.

At a council forum in Ormskirk with the Boundary Committee in attendance, this unpopular idea was also given a resounding thumbs down by a packed audience. At this forum an audience member called for a straw poll on West Lancashire forming a unitary council with its traditional neighbour Southport, without the rest of Sefton, the West Lancashire people (and some councillors) gave a massive thumbs up to this proposal.

If Formby and Hightown is also added , many feel this would provide an authority of perfect size, and would be, socially, geographically, and financially a very viable and popular alternative to the present council.

The Southport Party recently carried out a local survey by way of 2000 questionnaires, one question asked: "Do you think that Southport and Bootle have enough in common to be administered by the same council?"

Over 90% of respondents said no, a few years ago 23,000 residents signed a petition stating Southport should come out of Sefton and go back into Lancashire where it belongs.

It has been suggested West Lanes join with Preston.

Do Ormskirk and Preston have enough in common?

The apolitical Southport Party have made, and will continue to make representations to the relevant bodies to make them aware of this alternative, and more importantly, urge them to listen and accede to the wishes of local residents, which is something they don't seem eager to do.

Southport, in a new," South West Lancashire Unitary Council" has a nice ring to it.

David Cobham,
The Southport Party (Registered)
2d,Bibby Rd,
Southport,
Lanes,
PR9 7PT.
01704225868