Councillors Prevented from Celebrating Big Summer for Botanic Gardens

WITH it now confirmed that the next full meeting of Sefton Council is not scheduled until September, Meols Ward's Lib Dem Councillors have shared their disappointment at not being able to use the important summer season to promote the fantastic work of the volunteers who maintain Botanic Gardens.

Following the controversial decision to abandon the July meeting, which has been heavily criticised by Lib Dem Councillors and the public, any motions which were due to be heard by full Council in July will not be heard until the September meeting.

This includes:- Cllr. Gareth Lloyd-Johnson's motion:- "Celebrating the Past and the Future of Botanic Gardens After 150 Years'. The motion recognised the 150 Anniversary of the Botanic Gardens opening and "[t]he exceptional work done by volunteers to maintain Botanic Gardens."

The motion also asked that the Council recognise:- "That the Botanic Gardens remind us that heritage is, at least, as important as new development and that the founding principles of the Botanic Gardens, that publicly accessible green spaces are vital, should never be forgotten."

Cllr. Gareth Lloyd Johnson said:- "This motion was timed not only to coincide with the 150 Anniversary, but also to give a boost to the match funding campaign that is underway and very well-deserved recognition to the wonderful volunteers who maintain the Botanic Gardens. It's frankly appalling that the meeting was abandoned and not even attempting to hold another meeting until September just rubs salt into the wound. Everyone associated with the Botanic Gardens deserves to be treated with more respect."

Cllr. Lauren Keith added:- "We expected to get cross party support for the motion as the vast majority of Councillors recognise how vitally important Botanic Gardens is to our local community and local economy. Stopping us from bringing this motion forward in the normal way is another example of poor management by those running our Council."

Cllr. John Dodd said:- "Botanic Gardens remains, due to the incredible efforts of volunteers, the jewel in Southport's crown. What a shame that we have been stopped from celebrating this fact by shoddy decision making at the top of Sefton Council."

Despite National Decline, Liverpool City Region Youth Service Grows Thanks to Vibe UK's Innovative Relationships Model Framework

WHILE youth services across the UK continue to face deep cuts and closures, award winning Vibe UK in Merseyside is bucking the trend; expanding its reach and impact thanks to its pioneering Relationships Model.

Over the last decade, funding for youth work in England has been slashed by over 70%, leaving many communities without safe spaces or trusted adults for young people to turn to. We all know too well that young people are going through some very tough times however in Liverpool, a different story is unfolding.

Vibe UK's Relationships Model places strong, purposeful relationships, at the heart of everything it does; helping young people grow in self awareness, connection and responsibility to others and community engagement. This approach doesn't just improve outcomes; it makes youth work sustainable.

"We know that relationships are the foundation of a young person's wellbeing," says Paul Oginsky, CEO of Vibe UK . "Our Relationships Model gives youth workers the tools to build trust and measure growth and it's proving to be a model others want to learn from."

Despite the pressures facing the sector, Vibe UK has:-

Grown its workforce and commissioned across networks in Liverpool City Region.
Delivered targeted programmes in schools, festivals and justice settings.
Partnered with national bodies to scale the Relationships Model with training and consultancy across the UK.

Independent research from Frontier Economics shows that for every �1 invested in youth work, society gains �3.52 in economic and social value, from reduced crime to improved mental health. Vibe UK's �1.3 million service in Merseyside delivers more than �4.5 million in value annually.

Tim Leaman added:- "Young people need consistency, care and challenge. The Relationships Model makes that a meaningful focus across all of Vibe UK's operations and it's an achievable deliverable even in these tough times."

As the national picture remains uncertain, Vibe UK is showing how innovation rooted in relationships can turn the tide.

Vibe UK are always looking out for socially minded businesses that value children and young people and want to make a meaningful difference to their lives.

What are your thoughts on this news topic? Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook, or Twitter. Please do let us know as we love to hear your views....

News reports located on this page = 2.

Councillors Prevented from Celebrating Big Summer for Botanic Gardens

Despite National Decline, Liverpool City Region Youth Service Grows Thanks to Vibe UK's Innovative Relationships Model Framework