Southport Labour have announced that their candidate for the Dukes By-Election is Frank Hanley, a former senior local government officer and community relations expert.

Labour's surge of support in Southport since 2015 meant it came a shock second for the first time in Dukes Ward in June's general election.

The former Head of Services at Bradford Council now lives in Ainsdale with his wife Anne and is very actively involved in the local community. He's also Southport Labour's observer to Sefton Council.

Frank says this experience helps him to understand the huge strain the local authority is operating under due to Government cuts to Sefton's budget and the need to work cooperatively with it for the good of Southport:

"Sefton has lost some £200m in funding since 2010, that is a devastating amount and I'm amazed that it manages to do what it does working under that type of restraint. It deserves a lot more credit than it gets in these circumstances but others in Southport just want to constantly attack it rather than acknowledge the constraints it operates under and try to work with it for the good of our town."

He believes this goes to the heart of a major problem in Southport's current political landscape:

"There's simply too much hypocrisy at present. The Lib-Dems and Tories are pretty shameless. John Pugh while MP voted for those cuts, Ann Pearmain as a Tory activist supported them, then they carp and criticise and try and score cheap political points."

"Our town has suffered as a result of those cuts. Our community has suffered too. We have endured cutbacks to vital services for children, for the elderly, for all of us. To what end? Drive around our town, on our roads, past our parks and playgrounds, that's what those cuts look like. Does it feel like Southport has benefitted from their choice?"

"Issues like the red tarmac for Lord St. really highlight the problem. At double the cost it was simply unjustifiable at a time when childrens' centres are also having to be decommissioned and reorganised but the Tories and Lib-Dems jump up and down about it, even though they are the reason the cost can't be met. It's also important to remember they didn't oppose it when it was passed back in April. That is hypocrisy."

"They loudly claim Sefton does nothing for Southport, quietly ignoring the near £100m investment in the town via projects such as The Atkinson and Southport Market redevelopments; conveniently ignoring its successes in areas like tourism, which brought in over £500m to the local economy in 2016. It's hypocrisy."

"Southport needs change, it needs Labour's message of hope not hypocrisy. It needs funding for local government; funding for Southport. We need Labour councillors here who will work for the good of the town within the local authority, we need cooperation not condemnation. We need those looking to build, not bluster. We need progress."

Frank hopes to use his experience of previously working for the Community Relations Council to help push forward an agenda of collaborative working with the council, local employers and other interested parties for the good of Southport:

"No council is perfect but Sefton is doing the best it can with the increasingly meagre resources it has.There are issues, for instance, I intend to lobby the council over the parking charges but first and foremost is the fight for better funding for our local authority and an end to austerity."

"I also want to ensure that Southport has first-rate services for older people and to liaise with local business to help ensure economic growth. We also need to ensure that we have good standards of rented accommodation and the same for guest accommodation to help improve our tourism and economy. We have to tackle anti-social behaviour in the ward and I also support an increase in police officers and reversing the cuts in their numbers."

"We find solutions by working together, I spent my career doing that but at present Southport and Dukes are being sold short by hard-faced men and women who are not interested in Southport's progress, only their own progress in Southport."

In one paragraph he says we don't have funding and suffer from cuts - then he says we have funding - then in the next he says we need it.

The Atkinson and the Market are not exactly signs of success considering both are not making a profit and have (with the market) forced a lot of traders out.

Mr Handley is another social media star and can often be found commenting on threads on the Visiter etc.

"I also want to ensure that Southport has first-rate services for older people and to liaise with local business to help ensure economic growth. We also need to ensure that we have good standards of rented accommodation and the same for guest accommodation to help improve our tourism and economy. We have to tackle anti-social behaviour in the ward and I also support an increase in police officers and reversing the cuts in their numbers."

Southport has always been suited for older people - it is the young that lack facilities which is why they hang around and cause trouble. As to the police officers - our current crime commissioner (the overpaid one who has just appointed an ex Labour councillor as he overpaid deputy) - is a Labour councillor. She seems quite happy spending millions on a new HQ and her staff rather than on bobbies on the beat !!

Originally Posted by Ruler!1

In one paragraph he says we don't have funding and suffer from cuts - then he says we have funding - then in the next he says we need it.

The Atkinson and the Market are not exactly signs of success considering both are not making a profit and have (with the market) forced a lot of traders out.

Mr Handley is another social media star and can often be found commenting on threads on the Visiter etc.

"I also want to ensure that Southport has first-rate services for older people and to liaise with local business to help ensure economic growth. We also need to ensure that we have good standards of rented accommodation and the same for guest accommodation to help improve our tourism and economy. We have to tackle anti-social behaviour in the ward and I also support an increase in police officers and reversing the cuts in their numbers."

Southport has always been suited for older people - it is the young that lack facilities which is why they hang around and cause trouble. As to the police officers - our current crime commissioner (the overpaid one who has just appointed an ex Labour councillor as he overpaid deputy) - is a Labour councillor. She seems quite happy spending millions on a new HQ and her staff rather than on bobbies on the beat !!

You really need to read things properly... how you got that out of it is anyone's guess?? As to old people, he's not talking about facilities, he's talking about services... and your police commissioner stuff is a total red herring, it's the Govt that's cut 1500 Merseyside Police Officers, no-one else.

Originally Posted by Gwhizz

You really need to read things properly... how you got that out of it is anyone's guess?? As to old people, he's not talking about facilities, he's talking about services... and your police commissioner stuff is a total red herring, it's the Govt that's cut 1500 Merseyside Police Officers, no-one else.

I did read the article - one minute he is complaining about people saying the area doesn't get enough funding from Sefton when Sefton have funded the Atkinson and the Market as well as aiding tourism, then he is saying he will do all he can to improve funding for the region because Southport is under funded and suffering from austerity .... so which is it ?

There are plenty of services for elderly people - it is and always has been a retirement town and as such they have many facilities to cater for them including an adult A+E and many care organisations and charities etc. Why do you think mobility companies seem to thrive in the area along with care homes and nursing agencies !

And the police commissioner is responsible for the organisation and structure of policing in the region. If the Labour stance is to put more police on the street - then why is the Labour commissioner signing off on spending money on alternative and unnecessary projects. For example the new multi million pound HQ and the show of police presence in Liverpool through a convoy of police vehicles - thus drawing police off of the beat.

As to who cut police numbers ....... Blair is responsible for a huge drop in police funding and Labour were responsible for the closure of 516 police stations. Major used to award police constables their share of the government money in accordance with inflation - i.e. each year the amount would rise 3%. Since then they have been loosing out especially under Brown's budget mismanagement. The conservatives are not the only party to blame - just the latest.

Austerity has resulted from Labours mis-management of funds and their great overspend as well as the over-reliance on banking and finance for the economy. They pledge the world but can never say where all this extra money will come from.

Labour refuse to listen to the wishes of the people as much as any other party. They are all just as useless. Intelligent folk are saying to cut our international aid budget to make money back ....... will anyone ever touch it ....... no !

Originally Posted by Ruler!1

I did read the article - one minute he is complaining about people saying the area doesn't get enough funding from Sefton when Sefton have funded the Atkinson and the Market as well as aiding tourism, then he is saying he will do all he can to improve funding for the region because Southport is under funded and suffering from austerity .... so which is it ?

There are plenty of services for elderly people - it is and always has been a retirement town and as such they have many facilities to cater for them including an adult A+E and many care organisations and charities etc. Why do you think mobility companies seem to thrive in the area along with care homes and nursing agencies !

And the police commissioner is responsible for the organisation and structure of policing in the region. If the Labour stance is to put more police on the street - then why is the Labour commissioner signing off on spending money on alternative and unnecessary projects. For example the new multi million pound HQ and the show of police presence in Liverpool through a convoy of police vehicles - thus drawing police off of the beat.

As to who cut police numbers ....... Blair is responsible for a huge drop in police funding and Labour were responsible for the closure of 516 police stations. Major used to award police constables their share of the government money in accordance with inflation - i.e. each year the amount would rise 3%. Since then they have been loosing out especially under Brown's budget mismanagement. The conservatives are not the only party to blame - just the latest.

Austerity has resulted from Labours mis-management of funds and their great overspend as well as the over-reliance on banking and finance for the economy. They pledge the world but can never say where all this extra money will come from.

Labour refuse to listen to the wishes of the people as much as any other party. They are all just as useless. Intelligent folk are saying to cut our international aid budget to make money back ....... will anyone ever touch it ....... no !

International Aid is political bribery to the countries that will offer much in return. The huge majority of countries that international aid is sent to, do not need it and the countries who do need it, but can offer nothing in return don't get it! Sefton would not have any shortage of cash if it spent the money wisely - its housekeeping is severely lacking as so many of the local residents have pointed out a number of times! Instead of using the funding carefully - the joint funding that is - Sefton/Liverpool spend lavish amounts of money and then take every advantage in obtaining more money at the detrimental cost to the local environment. There are several activities in Sefton for young people, Scouts, St. John Ambulance Cadets, Sea Scouts, Air Cadets, Youth Band etc., as well as Football, Rugby, Cricket and Tennis clubs and Junior Golf. There are a large number of young people engaged with these activities but organised activity is of no interest to the youths who run riot on the streets - their interest comes from getting away with illegal action.

Anyone who supports the two faced Corbyn is not deserving of our votes.


Which does not make me a supporter of the lack lustre PM.

Originally Posted by Ruler!1

I did read the article - one minute he is complaining about people saying the area doesn't get enough funding from Sefton when Sefton have funded the Atkinson and the Market as well as aiding tourism, then he is saying he will do all he can to improve funding for the region because Southport is under funded and suffering from austerity .... so which is it ?

There are plenty of services for elderly people - it is and always has been a retirement town and as such they have many facilities to cater for them including an adult A+E and many care organisations and charities etc. Why do you think mobility companies seem to thrive in the area along with care homes and nursing agencies !

And the police commissioner is responsible for the organisation and structure of policing in the region. If the Labour stance is to put more police on the street - then why is the Labour commissioner signing off on spending money on alternative and unnecessary projects. For example the new multi million pound HQ and the show of police presence in Liverpool through a convoy of police vehicles - thus drawing police off of the beat.

As to who cut police numbers ....... Blair is responsible for a huge drop in police funding and Labour were responsible for the closure of 516 police stations. Major used to award police constables their share of the government money in accordance with inflation - i.e. each year the amount would rise 3%. Since then they have been loosing out especially under Brown's budget mismanagement. The conservatives are not the only party to blame - just the latest.

Austerity has resulted from Labours mis-management of funds and their great overspend as well as the over-reliance on banking and finance for the economy. They pledge the world but can never say where all this extra money will come from.

Labour refuse to listen to the wishes of the people as much as any other party. They are all just as useless. Intelligent folk are saying to cut our international aid budget to make money back ....... will anyone ever touch it ....... no !

So you didn't read it properly then, as I suspected... he's saying that if it wasn't for the devastating cuts much more could be done... but they have done what they can for Southport with what they been left with. So, if we increase the funding more can be done. Really not that hard to comprehend.

P.S Austerity was a political choice and deliberately used as a cover to launch an all out assault on the welfare state, change working practices etc. etc. it is dogma dressed up as necessity but other countries that did not follow the austerity route have actually recovered better from what was a worldwide recession. It was not Labour's doing as your attempts at rewriting history try to claim but was caused by a crash in the US sub-prime market. Brown certainly gave financial sector too much leeway... but the Tories at the time were actually pressing for much greater deregulation, so at least he resisted that. Also Brown not McDonald and you seem to forget that Labour's Manifesto received a far better write-up from FIS than the Tory Manifesto which was pulled apart for it's poor costings.

Southports Tourism brought in £500m to Seftons coffers in a year,so what have Seftons Labour councillors done ?
They have ruined one of Southports major attractions by making Lord St unattractive.
Good thinking that.Keeping it red would cost a small fraction of £500m.

Originally Posted by whistleblower

Southports Tourism brought in £500m to Seftons coffers in a year,so what have Seftons Labour councillors done ?
They have ruined one of Southports major attractions by making Lord St unattractive.
Good thinking that.Keeping it red would cost a small fraction of £500m.

Wrong! It brought in over £500m to the local economy... so all the bars, shops, attractions etc. etc. NOT into Sefton Council.

Also, I really doubt anyone ever said "I know kids, let's go to Southport to see the red tarmac! What a fun day out that will be for you!"

Keeping it red at that cost simply irresponsible given the budget cuts brought in by the Lib-Dems and Tories, who then are the first ones to start moaning when hard choices have to be made! Pugh voted for those cuts then tries to make capital out of the results, it's sickening. Blame him for Southport for not having red tarmac! The Tories too of course.

Just as galling... neither his party or the Tories in Sefton Council batted an eye back in April when the decision was discussed and passsed, not a peep of opposition! They only started jumping up and down about it when they local press raised the issue... hypocrisy doesn't even start to cover it!