Police Commissioner's message following terrorist incident at Liverpool Women's Hospital

MERSEYSIDE'S Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- "The news that the incident at Liverpool Women's Hospital was confirmed as a terrorist incident will be unsettling and worrying for local people. Patrols across the City are being stepped up and every possible step is being taken to keep our communities safe. While incidents like this are incredibly distressing, they are thankfully very rare. I wish the taxi driver a speedy and full recovery and my thoughts are also with the fantastic staff at Liverpool Women's Hospital who are continuing to offer specialist, dedicated care to patients, as they do day in, day out. My sincere and heartfelt thanks go to the emergency services who have worked around the clock on this investigation and to keep our communities safe, to council staff and Public services who have rallied around them, as well as local communities for their overwhelming support. Whatever the motivation behind this attack, Liverpool remains united. We are a City that comes together in difficult times and I know this will be no different. It's why so many of us are proud to call Merseyside our home. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has been affected can access support from the Peace Foundation at:- Peace-Foundation.Org.UK or my Victim Care Merseyside partner Victim Support. Please visit:- VictimCareMerseyside.Org."
 

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region's Statement on the terrorist incident in Liverpool

FOLLOWING the terrorist incident at Liverpool Women's Hospital, the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said:- "Like everyone else across the Liverpool City Region I was horrified to learn of the explosion outside the Liverpool Women's Hospital. This has now been declared a terrorist incident. Sadly, events like these are not as surprising as they once were. That does not make them any less shocking. Like those that have gone before, it would seem that this was an attempt to sow discord and division within our communities. But our area is much stronger than that. We are known for our solidarity and resilience. Our diversity remains 1 of our greatest strengths. We will never let those who seek to divide us win. I would urge us all to make an extra effort to be kinder to our friends and neighbours. Do not be afraid to offer them reassurance; or to ask for reassurance yourself. Our community spirit is far more powerful than any hatred. I would like to put on record my thanks to everybody who acted so quickly to intervene; from our emergency services who were on the scene in minutes, to Liverpool City Council, who have stepped in to support the people affected and the ordinary citizens who came forward to help. It is vital that the Police and Counter Terrorism Officers are allowed to get on with their investigation, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice. Please allow them to get on with that work. I would ask everyone across our Region to remain calm and vigilant. Avoid spreading rumours or misinformation. By doing so only sows further confusion and causes unnecessary worry. Please report anything suspicious to the Police and follow their social media for updates. Together, we are much, much stronger!"
 

Business Banking Resolution Service (BBRS) urges SMEs in North West to register unresolved historical banking complaints

A new, not for profit, free of charge dispute resolution service, the Business Banking Resolution Service (BBRS), is appealing directly to North West-based businesses to see if their unresolved banking disputes can be tackled.

It is estimated that nearly 600,000 UK SMEs could qualify for the BBRS' independent, free specialist dispute resolution services; including more than 57,000 based in North West England; which covers current and past complaints, dating back to 2001.

The BBRS is urging larger SMES (₤1m to ₤10m turnover) with outstanding banking disputes to get in touch to see if they can help, at:- www.TheBBRS.Org/Register or via a quick online tool. If the BBRS upholds a complaint, it can make a financial or non-financial award against a bank, up to ₤350,000 for Historical Cases and ₤600,000 for Contemporary Cases (and it can recommend more).

The BBRS is fully independent and free to use. The process is overseen by Chief Adjudicator, Alexandra Marks CBE, a Deputy High Court Judge, and resolves disputes based on what is fair and reasonable for each case. Businesses going through the service will be assigned a highly skilled dispute resolution specialist, who will act as a single point of contact and offer practical support.

Paul Scully MP, Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, said:- "It has been a testing period for so many of the UK's small and mid-sized businesses. We have taken unprecedented measures to keep alive the creativity, dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit which they bring to every sector of the economy and every community. It is important that businesses who have unresolved disputes with their bank check to see if they can receive support. Services like the BBRS will play a vital role in ensuring SME and their owners, past and present, can access expert advice and support for vital issues such as un-resolves banking complaints, not only as we build back better from this Pandemic, but also well into the future."

Liz Barclay, the UK's Small Business Commissioner, said:- "Small and mid sized businesses are the lifeblood of the UK economy, and we need to do all we can to help them recover and thrive after the Pandemic. The opportunity, particularly for medium sized firms, to have their, often long standing, banking complaints settled by an independent, high quality dispute resolution service could make a real difference to their futures. If you think your current firm or a previous 1, could benefit, whether you're an owner or a Director, contact the BBRS and see if they can help."

Dirk Paterson, Customer Director, BBRS, said:- "We want as many businesses as possible; and Directors of those no longer operating; to have the opportunity to use the BBRS' service. This includes:- businesses, trusts and charities. We urge them to see if they qualify for our help and, if so, to register. If unsure, businesses can check online or contact us to find out more."

The BBRS can also assess more recent ongoing complaints through its Contemporary Scheme, which covers cases for the period from 1 April 2019 onwards: it is for businesses with turnover up to ₤10m per annum; and total assets up to ₤7.5m; and which are not eligible to take their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

The BBRS'Historical Scheme covers banking complaints 1st registered in the period from:- 1 December 2001 to 31 March 2019. Businesses may qualify for support if they had turnover between ₤1 million and ₤6.5 million per annum at the time of their complaint, and their case has not already been settled, been subject to an independent review, or gone to court. Businesses with turnover between ₤6.5m and ₤10m with unresolved banking complaints since April 2019 can apply to the BBRS' Contemporary Scheme for support.

Find out more, contact the BBRS (or arrange a call back) and use a quick online checking tool to see if they can help:- TheBBRS.Org/Register.