SOUTHPORT Over 190 Years in the Local Community
£2145 28 February 2018
Vol 25 ● Issue 9
www.champnews.com
Miss Southpor t in plea to town’s girls
Purple Flag for town’s night scene SOUTHPORT has been awarded Purple Flag accreditation for its night scene. It follows a lengthy campaign co-ordinated by Southport Business Improvement District (BID) working in partnership with Merseyside Police, Sefton Council, Pubwatch, Light for Life, and the Street Pastors. The Purple Flag standard, launched in 2007, is an accreditation process similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches. It allows members of the public to quickly identify town and city centres that offer an entertaining, diverse, safe and enjoyable night out. The assessment criteria considered a number of factors including cleanliness and safety, movement and transport, the range of attractions, entertainment and events, high quality environment and evidence of strong partnership working.
Continued inside
Rail users poll springs surprise result
‘HARD TO BELIEVE!’
U-turn called for on short-stay parking charges
Headteacher slams thieves who stole milk and loaves for children’s meals from the steps of primary school A HEADTEACHER has hit out at the heartless thieves who stole a supply of bread and milk destined for primary school children. The thieves struck just before dawn and stole the youngsters’ lunchtime provisions from the steps of the school. The three hooded intruders struck at Linaker Primary School on Sefton Street, shortly after 5am on Wednesday, February 21, One had a bike, while another appeared to have a shopping
by Danielle Thompson trolley - seemingly ready to load the stolen booty into. The police have released CCTV images of the incident which show two of the culprits sneaking up to the steps of the main school building Linaker Primary School headteacher Lisa Brown told the Champion: “I cannot believe that someone has actually stolen, small individual
Two of the thieves can be seen entering the school
cartons of milk that were intended for our younger children. “The loaves of bread that were taken were destined for the children’s toast snack and to provide sandwiches at lunchtime. “The individual milk cartons are very distinctive and would
be easily recognisable if being sold on. This matter has been reported to the police, along with CCTV footage.” If you have any information about the incident, call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
TOWN centre motorists could see the return of the cheaper 30-minute parking charge, if councillors agree to the change at the next council budget meeting. If accepted, the new short-term parking tariff, costing 80p for 30 minutes, would be introduced from the start of June. The charge for one hour would remain at £1.50. The proposal will be debated at Sefton Council’s budget meeting this week and has been welcomed by Birkdale Councillor Simon Shaw, who said that he strongly opposed Cllr Shaw the one hour minimum charge when it was brought in two years ago. He believes that the proposed change is good news for residents, for visitors to the town as well as for retailers and other businesses. He told the Champion: “Scrapping the previous cheaper 30 minute parking fee was a big mistake. It is good to finally see common sense prevail with this proposed U-turn. “The 2016 Sefton Council budget decision was voted through on the basis that it was meant to generate an extra £90,000 of parking income. We always said that was highly doubtful, and so it has turned out. “Obviously 30 minutes isn’t enough for many people’s needs, but to be forced to pay £1.50 when all you want to do is pop into one shop or pay a quick visit to a bank, has certainly not been the way to help shoppers or businesses in Southport.”
NE W UIDE SE G COUR T NOW O U w. s
w w . ac .u k por t out h