12 May 2021
www.champnews.com
PA S S I O N I • G R I Z A S
Vol 28 l Issue 19
BUY UNIQUE SHOP BOUTIQUE Tel: 01704 569697 5 WELD PARADE, BIRKDALE VILLAGE, PR8 2DT
Skatepark refurb is ramped up!
INSIDE THIS WEEK:
WE’RE GUTTED, SAY LIB DEMS
Party left reeling in Local Elections after losing four seats in Southport - while Labour strengthen grip on Sefton Council Report by Tom Martin LABOUR has tightened its grip on Sefton Council following last week’s local elections, gaining five extra seats across the borough. However, it proved to be an election to forget for Southport Liberal Democrats, who lost four seats to Conservative and Labour opponents. Mike Prendergast (Cons) was victorious in Dukes and in the Cambridge ward Lib Dems’ Pat Keith lost her seat to Tory candidate Sinclair d’Albuquerque. Labour also gained from Lib Dems in Birkdale and Kew, with Sonya Kelly and Jennifer Corcoran earning the most votes respectively. It means the Lib Dems are no longer the main opposition in Sefton, as they now have the same number of councillors as the Tories. Leader of the Lib Dems Group in Southport, Cllr John Pugh, tried to put a brave face on the losses but admitted to being ‘gutted’ by the results. As a result of last week’s election, the current make-up of Sefton Council’s 66 councillors reads: 48 Labour, eight Conservatives, eight Lib Dems, and two independents. Southport Labour group hailed the outcome as a “fantastic result.”
Above: Labour’s seven councillors for the Southport area celebrate the election results. Right: Mike Prendergast with fellow Dukes ward Tory councillor Sir Ron Watson
It was a decent night too for the Greens who, despite not having any elected councillors in Sefton, saw significant increases on their votes from last year in some wards. Labour, which until 2018 had never had an elected councillor in Southport, built on their momentum in the town. A spokesperson for the Southport Labour Group, said: “We are delighted to have once again proved that Labour can and does win here. Continued p5
WE WILL BE OPEN FOR DINING ON 18TH MAY
WE WILL BE OPEN FOR DINING IN SOON!
40 Eastbank Street Southport PR8 1ET 01704 533102 or 513400
12 Station Road, Ainsdale PR8 3HS 01704 571204 or 572875
TAKEAWAY SERVICES: 5pm to 9.30pm Collection Or Delivery (By Phone/Just Eat/Uber Eat/Foodhub) www.kasturirestaurant.co.uk
TAKEAWAY SERVICES: 5pm to 9.30pm Collection Only (By Phone/Foodhub) spiceofbengalrestaurant.com
JUST WHITE
SOUTHPORT & FORMBY
L E B E K • P O M O D O R O • P I C A D I L LY
Eve eyes up county cricket opportunity
The project underway at the sand dunes
Work underway at sand dunes will help protect wild life WORK is underway at Ainsdale sand dunes to help protect local wildlife. Beach walkers may spot activity at the dunes over the next few weeks as machinery is used to create ‘V-shaped gaps’ in the sand to help species such as the rare northern dune tiger beetle, natterjack toads and sand lizards. These gaps will allow more sand from the beach to be moved through the dune systems by the wind, which will in turn create the perfect habitats for sand dune species to thrive, say experts. Natural England are working with Sefton Council at Ainsdale as part of the Dynamic Dunescapes, an ambitious project working to restore 7,000 hectares of sand dunes across England and Wales. The work started on Monday, May 10 and is expected to last a few weeks. During the work, public access along the coastal path near Ainsdale sand dunes will be restricted, although visitors will still be able to follow a diversion along the beach. Dave Mercer, Senior Reserve manager for Natural England, said: “We’re pleased to be starting the ‘notch creation’ at Ainsdale Sand Dunes NNR, which will have a fantastic, long-term impact on this beautiful sand dune system and on its resident wildlife. Continued p3
SHOHID’S
Shohid’s Kitchen Indian Takeaway
AUTHENTIC INDIAN TAKEAWAY
3 Kew Rd, Birkdale PR8 4HH 01704 568637 or 562570
Kitchen
Previously known as Nasib Tandoori
TAKEAWAY SERVICES: 4.30pm to 10pm Collection Or Delivery (By Phone/Just Eat/Foodhub) www.shohidskitchen.co.uk
THE UK’S LARGEST LETTERBOX CIRCULATION BY AN INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER! 143,191
CHAMPION SERIES
JAN-DEC 2020 100% FREE