"Confusing and Difficult..." Councillor pushes for a simpler way to report flooding in Southport

WE have interviewed Mike Sammon, who is the Liberal Democrat Councillor for:- Cambridge Ward, in Southport, about blocked rainwater gulleys. The problem is the volume of blocked road drainage systems and the complex way they can be reported by residents.

Over the last few months, Mike Sammon has been reporting many issues affecting his ward and understands this is an increasing problem all over the country.

We are all aware that puddles form during rainstorms, but if the water cannot flow away, it results in standing water issues. The standing water on our roads can pose many safety hazards affecting motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.

For motorists, the standing water prevents tyres from gripping the road surface, causing vehicle wheels to lose traction, resulting in loss of control, steering, or braking ability. It can also obscure dangerous issues, from deep potholes and debris to missing manhole covers, posing a serious risk to cyclists and vehicles.

You also face human issues, as pedestrians may be forced to walk into the road to avoid large puddles, or get splashed by passing cars.

In winter, it can form an extra risk factor for all road users. In freezing temperatures, the pooled water can turn into sheet ice (often known as:- "black ice"), creating extremely dangerous driving conditions. Furthermore, frozen water can also help to break the road apart during freeze-thaw cycles.

It is not just winter when standing water becomes an issue, as it is 1 of the primary causes of road erosion. If water seeps into small cracks in the asphalt, it can weaken the subbase, leading to potholes, and in some cases, sinkholes. If water saturates the ground near the road, it can wash away the soil supporting the road or nearby pavements, leading to collapse or subsidence.

Not only do these issues lead to other problems like structural damage to pavements and roads, but if the road cannot drain the water, it may overflow onto adjacent properties, flooding driveways, gardens, and potentially entering homes or businesses.

This water can pose both environmental and health risks on top of all that. Road runoff often contains:- oil, fuel, rubber, heavy metals, and rotting vegetation, to name a few issues. Blocked gullies can cause this toxic mix to bypass treatment systems and wash directly into local rivers, soil, or groundwater. In extreme cases, the water can be contaminated with infections like:- cryptosporidium, giardia, campylobacteriosis, and leptospirosis.

Even in warmer weather, stagnant pools of standing water can become breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria and mosquitoes, as well as producing foul odours from rotting organic matter (leaves and debris).

These issues are why it is important for blocked rainwater gulleys and other drainage issues to be resolved as quickly as possible.

In Sefton, the Council uses a very old way to report issues that is confusing and difficult to use. Currently in Sefton, if the issue is a blocked drain and it is not causing immediate danger to life or property (for example:- a large puddle on the side of the road), then the Council says you should:- "report it online via the Sefton Council website." On the site, users can report it using the section labelled:- "Report a highway issue" or "Blocked gullies or drains." On the page, it asks you to supply the specific location (street name and nearest house number/landmark) along with photos of the blockage (if safe to take them), plus a brief description of the issue.

For emergencies or urgent issues, the Council says that if a blocked drain is causing flooding that endangers life or property, or if there is a risk of a traffic accident (such as deep water covering a fast road), you should call the Council immediately. You can do this by calling:- 03451400845, from:- Monday to Friday, between:- 8am to 4pm. Out of hours and weekends you should call:- Sefton Arc on:- 01519226107.

But even this confusing list isn't straightforward for getting help. If the water coming from the drain smells of sewage or is entering your home from your own pipes or toilets, Sefton Council says that this is usually a United Utilities issue, not the Council's problem. To get in contact with them you should call:- 03456723723.

This is why Councillor Mike Sammon is trying to get Sefton to introduce a:- "1 stop" reporting app. A single place to report issues via a mobile app would make reporting issues quicker and simpler. It could use What3Words to direct responding crews to the issue and help to identify the problems quicker, so the correct agency can respond.

Currently, Mike Sammon has been personally reporting flooding issues within his ward, like the one on Cambridge Road which we filmed him next to. On Monday, 1 December 2025, he updated us that:- "The issue on Cambridge Road is now marked for clearance." He has also reported issues on roads like:- Bakers Lane and Park Avenue, which have now been cleared.

In recent social media posts, he said:- "I know there are lots of blocked gulleys around at the moment. I'm reporting the worst ones I find, along with any that residents raise with me in Cambridge Ward. It's clear the Council needs to put more resources and urgency into this." Adding:- "Green bin collections have stopped so we really could do with Sefton Council taking them away."

However, it is more than just reporting issues, spotty clearing, and litter picking problems. The lack of leaf clearance and regular drain maintenance is having a major impact on the drainage systems, and this is leading to costly infrastructure damage that overshadows the costs of basic maintenance and cleansing regimes.

It is also increasingly common for maintenance on smaller roads to be forgotten. These small blockages create pressure points within the drainage systems that often lead to bigger problems further down the line. Our drainage systems are increasingly under pressure from house building on many areas that had been used traditionally to contain surface water runoff, so this issue will increase, so better reporting will help to mitigate issues.

This is our interview now on our YouTube Channel, by pressing play below...

It is not just Sefton that is being affected by flooded roads due to blocked drains and gullies are constantly resulting in many of our nation's streets submerged..  Last week, videos were posted all over social media of water flooding roads across Liverpool because the drains simply aren't being maintained in other areas, like in Liverpool. A problem residents in Liverpool are also saying that they report these issues again and again, with no lasting fix.  In Liverpool Councillor Carl Cashman, who represents the Church Ward, on Liverpool City Council has told us:- "Enough is enough. Liverpool shouldn't turn into a lake every time it rains. That's why the Lib Dems are calling on the Council to inspect and clear every gully at least twice a year."

Residents across the City already know the hotspots by heart:-

• Queens Drive; parts are flooded so badly that they are left impassable.
  

• Smithdown Road; pavements and bus stops underwater.
  

• County Road, Walton; shops left dealing with torrents of surface water.
  

• Allerton Road and Mather Avenue; junctions are regularly submerged.
  

• Edge Lane; dangerous standing water near Innovation Park.
  

• Aigburth Road by Jericho Lane; years of deep, avoidable flooding.

The Liverpool Liberal Democrat Leader, Cllr Cashman added:- "These aren't freak incidents; they're the result of neglect. Other Councils manage routine gully cleaning. Liverpool can too.  This isn't going to stop flooding in Liverpool; with climate change and heavier rainfall, it's going to happen, but that doesn't mean we can't manage this better. For the past 15 years, what's missing is leadership. Liverpool deserves better than repeated flooding and constant excuses."

But should these issues be dealt with via a consistent and joined up program, not just in Councils and wards within the Liverpool City Region, but all over the Liverpool City Region?  Also, this is a national issue as well, that is costing us millions in neadless repar bills.

Readers will know we have raised this issue about the pressure on our infrastructure and the issues from under-investment in our services,  especially with climate change. Could this issue be reduced by making all new housing to use grass roofs? This practice has been shown to  slow down water runoff, and as a side bonus they also increase wildflowers, helping butterflies and bees. They now use grass roofs in Europe, like in Germany, where they use them on new builds within low lying areas that are predicted to have flooding issues, or already have flooding issues, plus in areas up stream, within catchments areas for rivers, but why can't we use this type of planning requirement?

Please do email our Newsroom. Email:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook, or Twitter,  and let us know your thoughts on this issue....

MANY of our readers might not know this, but Liverpool currently already has a form of:- 'Tourism Tax' that is operated under the City's Accommodation BID, which runs until December 2027. Following on from the announcement by the Government to grant devolved powers for Regional mayors to introduce an overnight accommodation levy, a new levy will be introduced after that date. We ar told that this feature 2 important distinctions; a levy for the entire City Region and a levy for Air B&B properties.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has welcomed this new power will allow Regions to inject hundreds of millions pounds over the coming decade to build a more sustainable future for their visitor economies.

Steve Rotheram, who is Labour, has been campaigning on the issue for a number of years and recently led a coalition of Mayors from across England in lobbying the Government for a locally administered levy on overnight stays. He says that the campaign's success ensures England will be in step with similar systems in Scotland and other European countries where such a levy is reinvested in tourism, culture, and infrastructure.

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, has explained to us that:- "This is something I've been calling for since I was 1st elected back in 2017. For too long, cities like ours have been expected to compete on a global stage without the basic tools that other places take for granted. Cities like Barcelona and Paris raise tens of millions each year through similar schemes; money that goes straight back into improving the visitor experience and supporting the local people who keep those destinations thriving. Until now, we've had no such option. So I'm pleased that the Government has listened and acted; giving areas like ours the powers we need to support and grow our economies in a sustainable way. Our visitor economy is worth more than £6bn a year and supports over 55,000 local jobs. A modest levy could raise up to £17m annually; money that would stay local and be reinvested in the things that make our Region stand out: our world class culture, iconic events, vibrant public spaces and the infrastructure that ties it all together. It's only fair that those who enjoy everything our Region has to offer play a small part in helping to sustain it."

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed said:- "Tourists travel from near and far to visit England's brilliant cities and Regions.  We're giving our mayors powers to harness this and put more money into local priorities, so they can keep driving growth and investing in these communities for years to come."  

Also commenting on this development the Liverpool Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Carl Cashman has welcomed the news that the long awaited tourism tax; officially the:- 'Overnight Accommodation Levy' can finally be introduced across the Liverpool City Region. But,  Cllr Cashman has raised serious concerns that control of the funding will sit with the Metro Mayor rather than with the Councils that actually generate it.

Cllr Cashman said:- "This money from the levy could be a real boost for Liverpool, but only if the City Council has say on how it's spent locally. Money raised in our city should be reinvested in our city, not siphoned off to plug gaps or bankroll pet projects elsewhere in the City Region. I'm calling on the Metro Mayor to give a clear and unambiguous guarantee that the majority of the money raised in each local authority will be ringfenced for spending in that authority. Liverpool taxpayers and Liverpool businesses deserve nothing less.”

The Lid Dems say that Liverpool's tourism and hospitality sector contributes the largest share of visitor overnight stays in the City Region, and the Liberal Democrats argue that the City must not be left subsidising schemes elsewhere; particularly given previous concerns around high profile mayoral projects that failed to deliver value for money. Cllr Cashman added:- "This levy cannot be allowed to become a war chest for more headline-chasing experiments. If the Metro Mayor genuinely believes in transparency and accountability, he should commit to ringfencing the revenue - no ifs, no buts.”

We are informed that Liverpool's Liberal Democrats will be pushing for formal assurances and a clear funding framework ahead of the levy's implementation.

We understand that work will now begin with local partners, businesses, and tourism stakeholders to co-develop a tailored overnight accommodation levy model for the Liverpool City Region. Funds raised will be ring-fenced for local reinvestment, with priorities including:-

• Supporting major cultural and sporting events.
  

• Enhancing visitor and community infrastructure.
  

• Boosting international marketing and competitiveness.
  

• Developing skills and supporting business growth.

Faye Dyer, CEO ACC Liverpool and board member of Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, commented:- "This is a welcomed acknowledgment by the Government that the UK's visitor economy has significant growth potential, providing it has the right investment. We are looking forward to working with the City Region, adopting a partnership approach between the public and private sector, to develop the most effective way to introduce and implement an overnight accommodation levy. The Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership will be able to best use these funds to deliver the Region's Destination Management Plan, including:- securing increasing numbers of strategically important large-scale business, entertainment and sporting events, that will help accelerate Liverpool's inclusive economic growth and international ambitions.  Building on the excellent work of the Liverpool Accommodation BID, which currently runs until June 2027, we can use existing knowledge and experience to ensure future success."
  
Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool said:- "Liverpool City Region has a vibrant and varied tourism offer, including:- arts, culture, music, sports, nightlife and more; which is 1 of the reasons it's an increasingly popular choice for tourists.  Historically we are a City which embraces visitors from the world over. We've already seen through the Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) model the benefits for the visitor economy by being able to invest in marketing, subvention and cultural activities.  By building on this and working with our business communities, a Tourism Tax can continue to further improve the Region for local people and tourists alike."

Did you know that the Liverpool City Region welcomes more than 60 million visitors annually, supporting a £6.25 billion visitor economy? A modest overnight accommodation levy would raise many millions of pounds locally each year; funding that would be ring-fenced to support cultural events, enhance infrastructure, and strengthen the Region's global competitiveness. Also did you know that international examples and pilot schemes in England have shown strong public support, with surveys in Manchester revealing that 70% of tourists are willing to pay a small charge if it visibly improves services?