Campaigner urging Southport Local Authority allocate funds to Civic Restorers

Published on: 04/05/2021 06:24 AM

David Barton believes that those that are behind the town’s growing funding grant success should be aided with the funding.

A campaigner for the heritage of Southport is advocating that his Local Authority commit to allocating a ratio proportion of Town Deal funding support from the £37.5m recently awarded to the original commercial civic restorers that were central to the fund being ultimately awarded.

The term “deal” originates from the old English word “daelan” meaning to divide and participate with the earliest known uses of the expression relating to transactional progress in everyday life and evolution of civilisation across the world. In essence the very name of the grant- Town Deal literally translates as shared fund for the town.

David Barton believes that now is the time to come full circle and aid those that are truly behind the town’s growing funding grant success, beyond the select minority that were involved in the sensitive aspects of the bidding application process, thus ensuring overall parity for one and all.

The community campaigner, whose ultimate focus has been and remains the restoration of Southport wishes to see the people he canvassed and negotiated to undertake scores of costly regeneration and more beyond this recognised by officials if there is to be a continuation of the success achieved this year beyond 2021.

Mr Barton says: “It is only fitting that those who have undertaken a series of mass- scale restorative and regenerative works to date are now rightfully accredited and appreciated for the part they played in the seaside town reaching its national milestone. Like a piece in a puzzle, although referred to as “piecemeal” by some, collectively these pieces have formed the success that is the Southport Towns Fund.”

He says: “Only by helping those that began the genesis of the regenerative journey and who took great strides leading the way for others to follow, will there be a cast iron continuance of the commercial civic investment that has permitted the town to receive one of the largest sums available from Central Government, only second to neighbouring coastal Blackpool.”

“If there is indeed to be future wrapper funding from old and new investors in tandem, it is decisively clear that those that have already dedicated their resources should receive at least some form of allocation of the total awarded funding if there is to be genuine and sincere trust between all parties concerned.”

“Whilst it is easy to claim others’ victory as their own and offer time old platitudes, I would recommend some officials not to get carried away basking in the glory of others and rather commit to ensuring that the funding is therefore apportioned accordingly. Furthermore, I should hope that a full itemized inventory of the Southport Towns Fund spending breakdown is provided in earnest to guarantee restored trust and faith with those investors on standby.”

“Finally, should any land and property owners across the Lord Street and promenade Conservation Area believe they may be worthy of inclusion in the Town Deal, I would implore them to get in touch with Sefton Council and the various officials responsible in the event that they may be rightfully included to a part of their collective prize.”