Lib-Dems scaremongering

I REALLY do despair at the latest round of scaremongering and sniping accusations made by our Liberal Democrat councillors towards Sefton Council now they are headed up by our former Lib Dem MP Councillor John Pugh, back again, leading the futile Liberal Democrat war of words with no meaningful constructive action at all.

Do they think that the residents of Southport are that naïve and ill-informed as to fall for their latest claims and whingeing?

It started with them howling foul because the council were re-laying a new black asphalt surface to Lord Street rather than red asphalt, which would have cost £400,000 extra, thus ignoring the fact that it was actually being renewed at all, despite massive cuts to the councils budget, initiated by them and the Tories in coalition and continued by their former allies as I write.

Then the purchase of the Strand shopping centre.

It is obvious that they are choosing to ignore the fact that this investment will benefit all of Sefton, coupled with the fact that the council have little choice but to improve its revenue streams because of the massive cuts imposed upon them as mentioned above!

Short memories it seems. Sefton made this purchase appropriately and legally.

The money was borrowed to purchase the Strand and did not come from council tax or business rate income.

This is a wonderful investment for the people of Sefton and I for one applaud this enterprise.

Why would you not? Is Councillor Pugh saying that, if they were in control of the council and given a similar opportunity in Southport, that his party would not grasp the chance to create more income for Sefton’s cash-strapped council at little or no cost to council taxpayers?

Another whinge is the desperate attempts to discredit the Labourcontrolled council for money spent on the Christmas Lights switch-on and the cost of the artists appearing as excessive and even questioning the hire of a snow machine from Litherland and not from Ainsdale , which, ironically, made snow unsuitable for black tarmac, (you couldn’t make it up!).

The truth is Sefton Council did not fund the very successful and well attended event, which was excellent, as are the lights – arguably the best for many years.

Sorry to say, Dr Pugh and colleagues, that the event was hosted and financed by the Southport BID in collaboration with Smooth FM and it was they who booked the artists and the snow machine as they were in control of the event functions. Janet Harrison

Southport

SPEND IN SOUTHPORT

I SEE as Sefton we have now purchased the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle for the sum of £32.5 million plus property consultancy fees .

Being part of Sefton, the public should be made aware of the reasons for this purchase.

When I look at Southport, which should be the jewel in the crown to bring investment and retail spend into the Sefton Economy, I’m not too sure this is a good investment and suggest some major money should be spent in Southport if that investment has gone on the Strand Shopping Centre .

There may now be a case for Southport to return to Lancashire and leave Sefton and govern our own returns. Richard Lowe Southport

STOP LANE HOGGING

MIDDLE lane hoggers are jamming up the motorways

It’s unsurprising many drivers are blaming middle-lane hogging as one of the main causes of extended motorway journey times.

Our research showed one in three drivers (32%) admit to being a middle-lane hogger, so there’s a fair few offenders out there.

Worryingly, almost two in five