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  1. Published on: 11/02/2021 04:10 AMReported by: roving-eye
    The Labour Party in Sefton are being heavily criticised following the recent announcement of a special Cabinet meeting that will be held behind close doors on 24 June 2021.

    Bootle Strand was purchased by the Labour run Sefton Council in 2017 for the sum of £32 million. The purchase has always been controversial, with many pointing to the unusual structure of the deal itself and the fact that the Strand has already lost millions of pounds in value, even before the pandemic.

    Tony Brough Leader of the Conservative Group on Sefton Council, said

    ‘The purchase of Bootle Strand has been a complete disaster. £32 million has been wasted purchasing a commercial property that had been estimated to have already lost £5 million in value, even before coronavirus struck.

    Sefton Labour Councillors continue to obscure the amount of money the site has lost and now, with a further secret meeting planned, seek to implement their future plans for the site without scrutiny.

    The fact that the meeting, cynically scheduled after the date of the local elections, is to discuss a ‘business plan’ is somewhat laughable given the lack of commercial acumen displayed so far.

    People in Southport and Sefton have a right to know how their money is being handled particularly before the local elections; how can the public make a decision if Labour Councillors choose to hide key information?’


    Councillor Denise Dutton, representing the Sefton Central Conservatives added:

    ‘The reported losses are estimated at £1.5million and will impact negatively on the Council’s service obligations - which include Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care Services.

    But even this £1.5million will, and to quote from the report, “be the subject of change depending on economic conditions”.

    I take that comment to be a forewarning that worse news might be expected and that we may only be seeing the ‘tip of an iceberg’.’

    ‘It’s a shame that the Liberal Democrats, as the second largest party on Sefton Council, haven’t been able to put up more opposition.

    Conservative candidates across Sefton, will stand to offer that opposition to Labour in May.’
     






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  3. sandGroundZero says:11/02/2021 10:17 AM
    Tony Brough Leader of the Conservative Group on Sefton Council, said:
    ‘The purchase of Bootle Strand has been a complete disaster. £32 million has been wasted purchasing a commercial property that had been estimated to have already lost £5 million in value, even before coronavirus struck.
    With the benefit of hindsight, Sefton's acquisition of the property was unfortunately ill-timed. Whether it was a mistake to acquire Bootle Strand is another matter. Left to decline in private hands the shopping precinct would have been a liability for the community.

    Plans for central Bootle's High Street revival involving frontage along the canal may well condense on a few flash residential properties being built because the Council is not in a position to finance an imaginative plan for public recreational space.


    Councils are in a bind because central government has arrogated local powers to itself.

  4. gazaprop says:11/02/2021 12:34 PM
    The pandemic will undoubtedly have impacted adversely on the Strand and, could not reasonably have been predicted. The Conservative Government can't rightly highlight unprecedented circumstances without allowing others, such as the Labour led local administration, the same.

    That being said - I'm more concerned about the apparent determination by that administration to conduct affairs related in secrecy.
    I know that, in the past, in jest, I have used terms such as tovarishch and politburo when writing about Labour - this seems uncomfortably close to that unthinkable future reality.

  5. Likes Darkside liked this post
  6. sandGroundZero says:11/02/2021 01:53 PM
    gazaprop says:
    The pandemic will undoubtedly have impacted adversely on the Strand and, could not reasonably have been predicted. The Conservative Government can't rightly highlight unprecedented circumstances without allowing others, such as the Labour led local administration, the same. …

    Tony Brough Leader of the Conservative Group on Sefton Council, said:
    The fact that the meeting, cynically scheduled after the date of the local elections, is to discuss a ‘business plan’ is somewhat laughable given the lack of commercial acumen displayed so far.
    I suggest this press release is itself "cynical" insofar as with an election coming, the stakes are higher. I do not depend on the Leader of the Conservative Group to frame the meeting in question in terms of preserving commercial confidentiality, for instance.

    gazaprop says:
    …That being said - I'm more concerned about the apparent determination by that administration to conduct affairs related in secrecy. | I know that, in the past, in jest, I have used terms such as tovarishch and politburo when writing about Labour - this seems uncomfortably close to that unthinkable future reality.
    We are not in a position to know to what extent Councillors, the Council executive or Officers have reason to feel exposed to especial criticism over Bootle's Strand shopping precinct acquisition.

    What is clear though is that for several decades central governments have diminished Councils' scope and for the most recent decade it has imposed severe austerity by means of reducing Councils' financial settlements. In the meantime, the growth of an industry devoted to offering 'consultancy ' services to local governments, promoted by central government statute and regulation, has been a mixed experiment. Many Councils including more prosperous southern, Conservative Councils were induced to invest in commercial properties. Sefton is far from the worst in terms of this tack.

  7. said says:11/02/2021 02:44 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by sandGroundZero View Post
    gazaprop says:


    Tony Brough Leader of the Conservative Group on Sefton Council, said:
    I suggest this press release is itself "cynical" insofar as with an election coming, the stakes are higher. I do not depend on the Leader of the Conservative Group to frame the meeting in question in terms of preserving commercial confidentiality, for instance.

    gazaprop says:

    We are not in a position to know to what extent Councillors, the Council executive or Officers have reason to feel exposed to especial criticism over Bootle's Strand shopping precinct acquisition.

    What is clear though is that for several decades central governments have diminished Councils' scope and for the most recent decade it has imposed severe austerity by means of reducing Councils' financial settlements. In the meantime, the growth of an industry devoted to offering 'consultancy ' services to local governments, promoted by central government statute and regulation, has been a mixed experiment. Many Councils including more prosperous southern, Conservative Councils were induced to invest in commercial properties. Sefton is far from the worst in terms of this tack.

    There can be no excuses made for such an unwise move. There was not one local voice among the public who supported the purchase of this white elephant. Yet, again the Council thought they knew more than the public. It is not as if the local council have learned any lessons either - for there are new plans being proposed for Crosby which are hardly going to be a profitable investment. A note could be added in at this point about the food hall for the local market, too.

    The central Government did indeed make financial cuts to all councils, because there were a large number of complaints from the general public about wasted overspending for which the public have to pay for. But these cuts were for EVERY council nationwide - the huge majority of the other councils have managed their finances more efficiently in response.

    The Strand must now be demolished as it should have been decades ago. Smaller retail units should be put in it's place with living accommodation above, huge retail centres and large stores have long lost favour for a more personal, efficiently managed service. People have not lost the need for shops - but chain stores have lost the idea to attract customers.

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  9. Alikado says:11/02/2021 08:14 PM
    Owning property and operating businesses as well is nothing new to Sefton / Southport, The Floral Hall was owned by the Council and operated at a loss for donkeys years, they even extended the White Elephant building the Southport Theatre.
    All under a Tory Council.

  10. Likes onehorsetown2 liked this post
  11. PENTHOUSEJOE says:11/02/2021 09:24 PM
    I know it’s not possible at moment with COVID etc. But the strand is one of them shopping places that have everything. It’s a great place. I was born just down the road from it. Can remember being pushed in a pram around it. Every day. As mums used to shop every day then. Then they built Asda round the corner. Used to love the strand. Still do.

  12. Likes onehorsetown2 liked this post
  13. onehorsetown2 says:17/02/2021 04:47 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by said View Post
    There can be no excuses made for such an unwise move. There was not one local voice among the public who supported the purchase of this white elephant. Yet, again the Council thought they knew more than the public. It is not as if the local council have learned any lessons either - for there are new plans being proposed for Crosby which are hardly going to be a profitable investment. A note could be added in at this point about the food hall for the local market, too.

    The central Government did indeed make financial cuts to all councils, because there were a large number of complaints from the general public about wasted overspending for which the public have to pay for. But these cuts were for EVERY council nationwide - the huge majority of the other councils have managed their finances more efficiently in response.

    The Strand must now be demolished as it should have been decades ago. Smaller retail units should be put in it's place with living accommodation above, huge retail centres and large stores have long lost favour for a more personal, efficiently managed service. People have not lost the need for shops - but chain stores have lost the idea to attract customers.
    I think if you asked the majority of people in south Sefton they would be happy that the Strand, Sefton isn't just Southport. Your comments about the Strand show that you know nothing about it. Most of the shops are small retail units and the larger units are occupied and there are currently flats, including a tower block. The Strand was making a profit until Covid struck and will probably do so again i the future


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