"A confused Councillor appears to have gone 'off the rails' by missing how the Local Authority has decided to proceed with replacement of the rusting railings around Southport's Marine Lake."

Suspended Conservative Councillor David Barton has issued a public statement about the rusty Promenade railings, saying:

“As I understand it, my district benefits from a lottery heritage fund of £20,000 a year which is strictly designated for green-space projects.

“I think some of this money should be used towards a phased restoration of the railings and perhaps we could look into some kind of community fundraising event to boost the effort."

But Sefton Council are baffled as to how the councillor can be ignorant as to the Local Authority's plans to completely replace the railings as part of an agreed £2.9 million Coastal Community funding. They say that all concerned are aware that the railings are past the point of no return and require replacement, not patching up. A council spokesperson said:

"We are surprised by Councillor Barton's comments as we have spoken to him on numerous occasions to inform him of how we are proceeding with the Promenade improvements."

All concerned are aware, ha ha that means it don't concern you.

Forget the slanging match.

Mr Barton may have a point.

OUR heritage, British, English, Lancashire, Merseyside, Southport, what ever name you place on it, is so important.

These Victorian railings should be restored, I can promise you I could have them restored for a lot less than replacing them with new.

Council, please prove me wrong,

I have spent since 1983 restoring part of an English, Lancashire village, which has won awards. Don't knock our heritage. Throwing our past away is a disgrace, People moan and have opinions about foreign things, but when it come to our heritage I do not see people objecting to the pillage . Southport is and has been stripped as most towns in England of beautiful buildings because of Councils lack of sympathy towards our heritage and lack of thought to planning permission. I am the person who put in plans for a Museum on a Brown Field Site which was rejected by the same planners that gave permission to modern atrocities.

SAVE OUR RAILINGS

S.O.S ............or...............S.O.R

At least Barton cares, what ever you think of him.

Originally Posted by theantiquesman

Forget the slanging match.

Mr Barton may have a point.

OUR heritage, British, English, Lancashire, Merseyside, Southport, what ever name you place on it, is so important.

These Victorian railings should be restored, I can promise you I could have them restored for a lot less than replacing them with new.

Council, please prove me wrong,

I have spent since 1983 restoring part of an English, Lancashire village, which has won awards. Don't knock our heritage. Throwing our past away is a disgrace, People moan and have opinions about foreign things, but when it come to our heritage I do not see people objecting to the pillage . Southport is and has been stripped as most towns in England of beautiful buildings because of Councils lack of sympathy towards our heritage and lack of thought to planning permission. I am the person who put in plans for a Museum on a Brown Field Site which was rejected by the same planners that gave permission to modern atrocities.

SAVE OUR RAILINGS

S.O.S ............or...............S.O.R

At least Barton cares, what ever you think of him.

Couldn't agree more!

Originally Posted by Seashells&sand

Couldn't agree more!

Me too.

If it's anything like the way pavements are "repaired" with bits of tarmac, it will probably mean the non-rusty ones are left in place and the rusty ones replaced with some concrete monstrosities.....

Yet another example of this site making excessive verbage out of trivia dressed up as " an important local issue ".

Rusty railings? Wow........ Obviously another slow " news " day in this little town; and the wider world as well, it would appear.

Originally Posted by theantiquesman

Forget the slanging match.

Mr Barton may have a point....
At least Barton cares, what ever you think of him.

Would this be the same Cllr Barton that goes on about "dangerous" roundabouts saying such overblown things as "It is essential that the Authority acts upon this request given the high probability of another accident" and then it transpires there have only been two recorded incidents there in three years?

I suspect the main thing Cllr. Barton cares about is getting his face in the local press, especially given the negative publicity surrounding him at present.

He'd be pictured next to a dead cat if he thought it would make the local media. Crouching down, pointing, sad face on. Snap... then, "Right, what next chaps? I believe there's leaky gutter on Lord St, get your long lens, I'll get the ladder!"

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

Would this be the same Cllr Barton that goes on about "dangerous" roundabouts saying such overblown things as "It is essential that the Authority acts upon this request given the high probability of another accident" and then it transpires there have only been two recorded incidents there in three years?

I suspect the main thing Cllr. Barton cares about is getting his face in the local press, especially given the negative publicity surrounding him at present.

He'd be pictured next to a dead cat if he thought it would make the local media. Crouching down, pointing, sad face on. Snap... then, "Right, what next chaps? I believe there's leaky gutter on Lord St, get your long lens, I'll get the ladder!"

He'd be better off trying to ask Bootle Labour to rescue Southport's most important asset - The muddy field, sorry, I mean beach. It's a bloody disgrace.

Originally Posted by theantiquesman

Forget the slanging match.

Mr Barton may have a point.

OUR heritage, British, English, Lancashire, Merseyside, Southport, what ever name you place on it, is so important.

These Victorian railings should be restored, I can promise you I could have them restored for a lot less than replacing them with new.

Council, please prove me wrong,

I have spent since 1983 restoring part of an English, Lancashire village, which has won awards. Don't knock our heritage. Throwing our past away is a disgrace, People moan and have opinions about foreign things, but when it come to our heritage I do not see people objecting to the pillage . Southport is and has been stripped as most towns in England of beautiful buildings because of Councils lack of sympathy towards our heritage and lack of thought to planning permission. I am the person who put in plans for a Museum on a Brown Field Site which was rejected by the same planners that gave permission to modern atrocities.

SAVE OUR RAILINGS

S.O.S ............or...............S.O.R

At least Barton cares, what ever you think of him.

I agree absolutely! Everyone knows what 'replacement' means. Some cheap construction that will look and appear nothing like the original. Sefton Council are way behind the times - save costs, repair the original railings and put in a lot more imagination and effort into the resort of Southport.

Originally Posted by said

I agree absolutely! Everyone knows what 'replacement' means. Some cheap construction that will look and appear nothing like the original. Sefton Council are way behind the times - save costs, repair the original railings and put in a lot more imagination and effort into the resort of Southport.

The original railings have rusted away to nothing in parts. How do you suggest the bits that no longer exist be repaired?