Grinch Takes Christmas Signs

WITH business struggling to survive after the credit crunch, the last thing you would expect is that on the main week of shopping, before Christmas, Sefton would come out and remove chairs, signs and other material from Lord Street and the surrounding area. Pictured on Thursday, 17 December 2009, you can see Sefton MBC confiscating signs and other items on Lord Street. Sefton said that:- "We are doing this as it is part of the Highways Act. We have confiscated very few boards which mean businesses are getting the message that they cannot have them on the pavement and roads. Businesses keep being warned and we have taken action to keep the pavements clear and safe for pedestrians." Yet local businesses, including the businesses not affected by this latest snatch, say that the majority of 'pavement clutter' were not causing an obstruction. In fact the signs and chairs removed were nearly all next to businesses walls. One of the businesses watched as Sefton workers got out bolt cutters and removed a sign that was tucked in between a wall and two supports. "I can not see how this was causing an obstruction? They have just removed it with out any thought. It was fixed so it could not fall over. Also people could walk past as the gap it was in, people can not walk in anyway!" The next door business who did not have any items removed added "This latest episodes is just a kick in the teeth for us all. Why do we even try to survive?" Another complained as their sign was in the area they had paid the council for the usage of, but to no avail. "We paid to have seating and other items on the pavement, but they still removed it! It makes no scene... They have left some signs in very dangerous locations and removed easy targets that are not a problem. How can we get customers when they take things far to far?" Even shoppers were stunned. One elderly lady after asking what was going on commented:- "It is shocking. I live in Chester and they are not like this! I love Southport, but over the last few years it has been going downhill and I can now see why." A blind shopper also butted in adding:- "They blame us? These signs and items have never affected me! The council is over reacting again!"

Do you agree with Sefton's actions? Email us now to news24@southportreporter.com.

Above un-removed sign on a for more dangerous location.

Number spending second Christmas on the dole almost doubles in North West

THE number of people in the North West spending their second Christmas on the dole has almost doubled to more than 25,000 this year, a TUC analysis of labour market statistics revealed on  Wednesday 23 December 2009.  The TUC analysis shows that the number of people in the Region claiming Jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) for over 12 months has increased by 89 per cent from 13,700 in December 2008 to 25,880 in November 2009.   The analysis reveals that seven local authority areas in the North West each now have more than 1,000 long-term JSA claimants, compared to just two in December 2008.  And 23 local authority areas have seen their jobless tally more than double in the last year.  Pendle is the worst unemployment black spot, with the number of JSA claimants soaring by 236 per cent in the last 12 months to almost 1,000.  Liverpool has the highest number on the official dole queue with 4,680 claimants – a rise by almost a third with an extra 1,000 claimants signing on.  Those people spending their second festive season on the dole, will find it tough to stretch their benefits far enough to have even a half-decent Christmas, says the TUC.  Even the most frugal shopping trip to the supermarket, selecting the cheapest frozen turkeys, potatoes and Christmas puddings, would set families back over £100, without even taking into account the cost of a tree or presents.  A weekly individual JSA of £64.30 is not going to buy much Christmas cheer, the TUC says.  Most long-term unemployed people do not claim the dole. Although the number of people claiming JSA for at least 12 months is just over 200,000 nationally, the total number of people out of work for at least a year reached 620,000 in October 2009, and is expected to increase further.  NW TUC Regional Secretary Alan Manning said:- THE number of people in the North West spending their second Christmas on the dole has almost doubled to more than 25,000 this year (2009), a TUC analysis of labour market statistics revealed.  The TUC analysis shows that the number of people in the Region claiming Jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) for over 12 months has increased by 89 per cent from 13,700 in December 2008 to 25,880 in November 2009.  The analysis reveals that seven local authority areas in the North West each now have more than 1,000 long-term JSA claimants, compared to just two in December 2008.  And 23 local authority areas have seen their jobless tally more than double in the last year.  Pendle is the worst unemployment black spot, with the number of JSA claimants soaring by 236 per cent in the last 12 months to almost 1,000.  Liverpool has the highest number on the official dole queue with 4,680 claimants – a rise by almost a third with an extra 1,000 claimants signing on.  Those people spending their second festive season on the dole, will find it tough to stretch their benefits far enough to have even a half-decent Christmas, says the TUC.   Even the most frugal shopping trip to the supermarket, selecting the cheapest frozen turkeys, potatoes and Christmas puddings, would set families back over £100, without even taking into account the cost of a tree or presents.  A weekly individual JSA of £64.30 is not going to buy much Christmas cheer, the TUC says.  Most long-term unemployed people do not claim the dole. Although the number of people claiming JSA for at least 12 months is just over 200,000 nationally, the total number of people out of work for at least a year reached 620,000 in October 2009, and is expected to increase further.   NW TUC Regional Secretary Alan Manning said:- “Christmas is an expensive time of year for everyone, but the 25,000 people in our region spending their second Christmas on the dole face even greater financial hardship. While others are enjoying their Christmas food and presents, those reliant on JSA will struggle to afford much Christmas cheer. The figures show that the recession has really kicked in here in the North West and that ordinary people are now paying the price for the recklessness of the City and the Wall Street financiers and bankers which caused this global downturn. Every job loss is a human tragedy, but when people are out of work for over a year they risk being permanently scarred by joblessness. Government investment has kept unemployment well below the levels reached in previous recessions, but there can be no room for complacency. The Government should extend its job guarantee for young people to anyone out of work for 18 months to stop people getting mired in semi-permanent joblessness.”

Liverpool schoolchildren escaped unhurt after driver has fatal heart attack

PUPILS aged between 14 and 18 have escaped a fatal crash‎ in Germany. The children were skiing for a week in Austria before the fatal crash that is thought to have happened after the driver died at wheel.

The vehicle was on hire from Newcastle-based Keiths Coaches and it is understood the driver had worked for them for many years and was very experienced.

Astonishingly and miraculously none of the staff or pupils were not injured as the coach span out of control and ploughed into the central reservation of a motorway in Karlsruhe.

Headteacher Margaret Rannard of West Derby Comprehensive said that:- "It's terribly, terribly sad. My thoughts go out to the family of the driver and to our pupils who got to know him."