Shirley Williams, Lib Dem peer and SDP founder has died aged 90

THE SDP founder and Liberal Democrat Peer, Baroness Shirley Williams, has died peacefully in her sleep, aged 90, in the early hours of this morning. She was 1 of the original 4 Labour politicians who split to form the Social Democratic Party and later became the 1st SDP member elected, in a 1981, in a Sefton By-elections, in Crosby, Merseyside. Soon after she became involved in the SDP - Liberal that lead to the formation of the Liberal Democrats, when both parties finally merger fully. This also lead her to become the President of the newly formed Liberal Democrats and later serving as its Leader within the House of Lords for 3 years from June 2001. Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, called the news of Williams' death:- "heartbreaking for me and for our whole Liberal Democrat family." She was highly respected my many within Sefton for her razo sharp political mind combined with her personal warmth. She liking nothing better than engaging in debate with people and politicians and her legacy will source of inspiration for those who follow her in her footsteps. She was definitely someone to look up to and admire.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Invites Bids for UK Community Renewal Fund

THE Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) is seeking bids from organisations wishing to access funding from the ₤220m UK Community Renewal Fund. The Government has introduced the fund as it prepares for the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, in 2022, which will replace EU Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF). The intention of the Fund is:- "to support people and communities in need across the UK. It will invest in skills, communities, businesses, and by supporting people into employment."

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has been designated as a lead Authority by the UK Government. As a lead Authority, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is responsible for:-

► Issuing the invitation to bid.

► #Receiving bids.

► Selecting the bids that will be sent to UK Government for consideration.

► Paying grants to successful projects and managing their performance.

Speaking about the Community Renewal Fund, Frank Rogers, Chief Executive of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said:- "I'd like to encourage organisations from across the Liverpool City Region to look carefully at the criteria and consider applying to the Community Renewal Fund. Our focus now is on rebuilding our economy as we emerge from the Covid19 pandemic, so we need to ensure that we wring the last drop from every funding opportunity and submit the best projects we possibly can to this competitive Fund."

The invitation to bid covers the whole of the City Region, but applicants should note that, within the City Region, St Helens is the only place identified amongst the Government's 100 "priority places" across the UK.

As lead Authority, LCRCA will invite, assess, prioritise, and submit bids to Government. Projects should apply for a minimum value of ₤500,000. As 90% of funding available through the UK Community Renewal Fund is revenue funding and only available in 2021/22, projects should be predominantly, or exclusively, revenue based.

Projects must be delivered, and all activity completed, by 31 March 2022. Confidence that funding will be spent within that timeframe will be 1 of the key criteria in assessment.

In selecting the bids that will be forwarded to the UK Government for consideration, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will prioritise those that have the greatest potential to deliver against the following key local growth priorities:-

► Investment in skills.

► Investment in local business.

► Investment in communities and place.

► Supporting people into employment.

► Bids must be submitted by Noon, on Monday, 17 May 2021,

The UK Community Renewal Fund is a competitive process and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the UK Government will not enter into discussions with bidders. For more information, visit UK Community Renewal Fund for the - Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, at:- LiverpoolCityRegion-CA.Gov.UK.

Operation of the Adult Social Care Market

CARE England, the largest representative body of independent adult social care providers, has called for a spotlight on outcomes rather than processes in the way in which care is commissioned. Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:- "With the Public Accounts Committee's great standing and reputation for holding bodies to account we hope that this inquiry will encourage a change in commissioning processes in order to support provider sustainability. The Covid19 Pandemic has accentuated the importance of creating markets that support rather than undermine the adult social care sector's development."

In its submission to the Public Accounts Committee's inquiry into the operation of the adult social care market, Care England sought to stress that a new reality has been imposed upon the adult social care sector as a result of Covid19. Existing funds and commissioning models have however thus far proved incapable of responding to this new reality. Thus, a commissioning system needs to be created that is responsive to the needs of the sector, both in terms of Continuing Healthcare and Local Authority funded rates.

The Public Accounts Committee's inquiry will examine how adult social care is currently provided and structured; DHSC's effectiveness in overseeing the market and holding providers to account; and its understanding of future demand, costs and alternative delivery models; the impact of Covid19 on the market and the sector's financial sustainability. Martin Green continues:- "We need a new vision for adult social care, 1 that focuses on moving from a crisis orientated system to 1 that is asset based and maintains choice, autonomy and control for people as much as possible. It must also deliver services that are connected to the heart of local communities. For too long, adult social care commissioning has, in many parts of England, served to merely undermine provider sustainability."

University of Liverpool staff vote to strike against job cuts

UNIVERSITY and College Union (UCU) members at the University of Liverpool, on Friday, 9 April 2021, have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over job cuts. 84% of members who voted supported strike action, with 90% backing action short of a strike, which could involve a marking and assessment boycott.

The University is planning to slash up to 47 teaching and research jobs in the faculty of health and life sciences, with world leading academics; including those doing work on Covid treatment; at risk of being made redundant.

The proposed job cuts follow a long standing dispute between UCU and University management over the use of flawed data on research and grant income to assess performance. These metrics are now being used to select for redundancy. This practice has been widely criticised by experts, including the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and the authors of the Leiden Manifesto for Research Metrics.

UCU said that the job cuts are shameful and unnecessary, and ridiculed University management's claim that slashing staff will improve research performance. The Union said it is united in anger and opposition to the cuts, and that the overwhelming vote in favour of strike action shows its members at Liverpool are prepared for sustained industrial action.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said:- "This outstanding ballot result shows that our members at the University of Liverpool are ready to strike in solidarity with those whose jobs and livelihoods are at risk, and they now have an overwhelming mandate to do so. These job cuts are shameful, unnecessary and completely self defeating. The University's claim that slashing staff will improve research performance is absurd, and shows how detached management has become. It's not too late for the University to reverse these plans for compulsory redundancies, avoiding strike action and further damage to its reputation. We urge it to change course."

University of Liverpool UCU branch president Anthony O'Hanlon said:- "This is the largest industrial ballot action turnout in the history of the branch and sends an emphatic message that this brutal and senseless attack on jobs will not be tolerated. There is still time for management to step away from these disastrous proposals. If it fails to do so, there will be sustained industrial action."

Sefton Council support as non-essential shops and other businesses start to open

WITH restrictions on the opening of non-essential shops and other businesses from today, Sefton Council's Environmental Health Team is urging everyone to continue distancing, wearing face covering, maintaining ventilation, where possible and keep washing their hands thoroughly and frequently.

Peter Moore, Sefton Council's Head of Highways and Public Protection said:- "Today is a big day in starting to open up the Borough and take some first steps in the huge task of getting the local economy back on its feet. We appreciate the huge amounts of work that Sefton's businesses have put into preparations for re-opening and making sure they have all the safety measures required in place. However, this is just the step and we all need to remain careful and continue to follow all the safety measure to protect ourselves and others."

Help and support for businesses available from Sefton Council's Environmental Health team who can be contact at:- ETSContact@Sefton.Gov.UK or by calling:- 08451400345.

To help businesses keep their employees and customers safe, the Government has produced 14 guides covering a range of different types of work and workplace, which can be found at:- Gov.UK/WorkingSafely.

They include information for close contact services such as:- hairdressers, barbers, beauticians, for construction and other outdoor, as well as factories, plants and warehouses.

Heritage locations, hotels and guest accommodation, laboratories and research facilities and offices and contact centres are also covered. And there is guidance for people who work in, visit or deliver to other people's homes and the performing arts.

Mr Moore added:- "We would advise that business owners and managers across Sefton check the Government's latest guides to make sure they are operating as safely as they can, but the Council's Environmental Health team is also keen to work with them and provide advice and help."

Further information about support for Sefton businesses is available at:- Sefton.Gov.UK/BusinessSupport.