4 • Visit us @ www.ChampNews.com S The <strong>Champion</strong> • Wednesday 9 January 2013M T only £35FULL SERVICEfrom£85MASSIVE SAVINGSON TYRESSCARISBRICK NEW ROADSOUTHPORTPR8 5HRTELEPHONE:01704 538163Take a look at these helpful planners...Available for FREE DOWNLOAD nowat champnews.comHi QTYRESB&QALDIMcDonald'sSouthporttowncentreTESCOBirkdale‘Pupil premium’is set to benefittown’s studentsReport byStephanie O’ConnorSTUDENTS in Southport areset to benefit from a £1.8million ‘pupil premium’which, it is hoped, will‘transform the lives’ ofdisadvantaged youngsters.Liberal Democrat educationminister, MP David Laws,announced that schools inSouthport will be given theextra ‘Pupil Premium’funding, which targets extramoney to schools accordingto the number of childrenfrom disadvantagedbackgrounds each has.In Southport, an estimated1,813 pupils are eligible forthis extra funding, meaningthat local schools are set tobenefit from an additional£1,786,340 to supportdisadvantaged children.The Pupil Premium coversany primary or secondaryschool pupil that has beenregistered for free schoolmeals in the past six years.For 2013/14, the Premiumwill be worth £1.65 billionnationally, or £900 per pupil,Haydn Preecein total.Local Lib Dem educationspokesperson, Ainsdale’sCouncillor Haydn Preecesaid: “The pupil premium is afantastic policy that ismaking a real difference inschools throughout the NorthWest.“It is making a substantialimprovement to the lives ofmany local young people. Iam passionate that we domore to make sure thatchildren are not held back bypoverty and disadvantage.“For too long, socialbackground has been adeciding factor in a child’schances for the future. Thismoney does not just help thepoorest children, it helpsevery child. Fewer childrenfalling behind means a bettereducation for everyone.”Schools Minister, DavidLaws MP said: “We arealready seeing across thecountry how the PupilPremium is making adifference to children’s lives.“The funding that the NorthWest has received today isthe result of LiberalDemocrat campaigning forthe needs of children.“Extra tuition, better ITresources and closer workwith parents are all examplesof how the Pupil Premium isbeing used to support themost disadvantaged pupilsand benefit all theirclassmates too.“That’s why I’m so pleasedthat, next year, we’ll beextending the Pupil Premiumto another half a millionchildren, and increasing themoney that schools get to£900 per pupil.”Man, 22,in courton kidnapchargeA SOUTHPORT manhas been chargedwith kidnap atSefton Magistrateson January 4.Stuart Holmes, 22,of KensingtonAvenue, allegedlykidnapped CharlotteConway, also ofSouthport, and wasbailed to appear atLiverpool CrownCourt on January 18for a preliminaryhearing.Theft andfraud chargesadmittedA 34–YEAR–oldSouthport man hasadmitted theft andfraud charges.Alex Cunninghampleaded guilty atLiverpool CrownCourt to stealingjewellery and cashand also admittedtwo fraud chargesinvolving makingfalserepresentations todispose of property.Cunningham wasfurther remanded incustody to awaitsentence on January21.Keep healthy this winterIt’s New Year and people are determined to stick by their resolutions –whether it is eating more healthily, stopping smoking, becoming more activeor taking up a new pastime. In Sefton, don’t feel you have to do this on yourown. By calling Healthy Sefton you will be directed to activities and teamswho can keep you and your family’s health and wellbeing on track.The Healthy Sefton number – 0300 100 1000 – isavailable from 8am to 8pm every day as well as BankHolidays.Calls to 0300 numbers cost the same as calls to localnumbers and can also be part of inclusive minutespackages.Through Healthy Sefton:Find out what pharmacies carry out free health checksfor people aged 40 to 74. They check for signs ofcoronary heart disease and diabetes as well asidentifying lifestyle habits which may increase the riskof developing circulatory disease.Find out what non-medical programmes are out therethat can improve your mental wellbeing. From creativeand arts-based activities to physical sessions, thereis plenty going on to boost how you are feeling aboutyourself.Find out what physical activities are available in Sefton.At Active Sefton leisure centres and community venuespeople can choose from a range of activities to keepevery member of the family busy.Read on to fi nd out about another service accessedthrough Healthy Sefton which is free to people in Sefton.Remember it is 0300 100 1000 to make a healthy call.Benefits from stopping smokingSmoking is the main cause of COPD because it infl amesthe airways. It also means second hand smoke canincrease the risk of loved ones developing COPD.The good news is that in Sefton your local NHS StopSmoking Service (SUPPORT) can help anyone wantingto quit cigarettes. Thousands have already benefi tedfrom going to the team’s start-up sessions throughoutthe borough – and you can too. Once you stop smokingthe benefi ts kick in straight away as breathing improves.It was the prospect of developing breathing problemsthrough smoking that prompted Suzanne, aphysiotherapist assistant at Southport and FormbyDistrict General Hospital, to get help from the SUPPORTteam who provide a service at the Town Lane hospital.“I had tried lots of times before to stop smoking but Istarted to get short of breath so I made my mind up toquit. That’s when I went to see the stop smoking nursewho comes to the hospital and since I stopped I’venoticed a difference in my breathing,” explains Suzanne,who has her sights set on running in the Race for Life.Going to SUPPORT - rather than quitting on your own– increases your chances of successfully stoppingfourfold. Call Healthy Sefton on 0300 100 1000 to findyour nearest clinic.In partnership with Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust, NHS Sefton, Sefton Council and Sefton CVS“I am determinednot to start smokingagain” declares LesSnr. He is pictured(left) with MaureenMackay, smokingcessation nurse andson, Les.Another happy client with the stopsmoking service is Les from Bootle.Family, friends and work colleagueshave all been amazed that the 62-yearoldhas successfully packed insmoking after more than 40 years.Before going to SUPPORT, Les sufferedfrom chest infections, coughing,wheezing – and snoring. “When I usedto go to bed I was wheezing. But sinceI stopped smoking I am not like thatanymore and my wife even says I havestopped snoring!” explains Les. Hiswife remarks: “I never thought I’d seethe day when he would stop smoking.Les used to cough but I haven’t heardhim cough at all. I can’t believe it.”With the money he has saved fromquitting smoking, the couple wereable to go on holiday to Newquay lastsummer.“I am determined not to start smokingagain and they have been great atthe stop smoking clinic. They havesaid to me to keep coming if I wantto,” comments Les, who has beento the service’s clinics at LitherlandTown Hall and May Logan Centre,Knowsley Road. Les’s determinationto stay smoke free has been one of theinspirations for his son to follow in hisfootsteps. Now Les Jnr is also enjoyingthe benefi ts of stopping smoking aftergetting help from the SUPPORT teamat May Logan.“I thought if he could do it then socould I,” says Les Jnr, who lives inLitherland with his partner.Anyone wanting help to stopsmoking can come along to anyof the team’s start-up sessions,which are at community and healthvenues throughout Sefton. The teamappreciates it is hard to quit the habitand encourage previous clients toreturn. Even if you have tried to stopsmoking several times before stoppingsmoking is the best thing you can doto safeguard your health and thosearound you.1115494
The <strong>Champion</strong> • Wednesday 9 January 2013Council reservesare ‘spoken for’...but MP calls for local authority to bemore transparent about its financesby Natasha YoungSEFTON Council has deniedit is sitting on millions ofpounds of cash reserves whileit continues to make cuts.MP, John Pugh, called forthe authority to be moretransparent about itsfinances and publish a full‘Revenue Budget’ book,which he says was lastprinted in 2004–05, claimingthere is “considerable spin”coming from both the counciland the government over thebudget.He told the <strong>Champion</strong> that,following the announcementthat Sefton’s grants would bereduced by a further 2.2%,which the council estimatewill add £7m to its deficit, thesituation was a “loadeddialogue of the deaf with thecouncil talking about ‘thebudget gap’ and thegovernment talking aboutcouncil ‘spending power’.”He added: “It is not obviouswhy a small reduction in‘spending power’ leads tosuch a ‘massive budget gap’.“I have no doubt that thecouncil is facing reductionsand a tough budget roundbut it does not help thatSefton has not since 2005published a full revenueJohn Pugh with the lastRevenue Budget bookbudget. They were a model offinancial transparency andnow are just as selective ascentral government is.”In September last year theLiberal Democrat raised thequestion in Parliament ofwhat reserves and balancesare registered with theDepartment for Communitiesand Local Government forSefton Council.He was told that the localauthority had £18.5m tied upin ‘school reserves’, £41.4min ‘other earmarkedfinancial reserves’ and £3.7min ‘unallocated financialreserves’.The MP’s commentsfollowed recent reports in thenational press on councilJANUARY <strong>SALE</strong>✁cuts, in which CommunitiesSecretary Eric Pickles said:“It is unacceptable that somecouncils are stashing awaybillions, turning town hallsinto Fort Knox, whilst at thesame time threatening to cutfrontline services.”A Sefton Councilspokesperson dismissed theclaims that the council haslarge amounts of moneyavailable in reserves, statingthe ‘other earmarkedfinancial reserves’ were all“spoken for” in projects suchas the Switch Island Link, TheAtkinson and Decent Homestransfer to One VisionHousing.Meanwhile the ‘unalloca–ted financial reserves’ is saidto be set aside for “emer–gencies and unforeseencircumstances.”As for the council’stransparency, the spokesperson added: “We dopublish the budget in full andit’s regularly updated tocabinet, but the minute detailJohn Pugh is looking for is inthe past and impractical.”Sefton Council’s leader,Labour councillor PeterDowd, hit back at Mr Pugh’scomments and said: “We’rehaving the most transparentand open budgetary processwe’ve ever had and he’s twoyears too late.”SHOEMASTERat the Market HallYour recession beating heel bar - Quality shoe repairs & key cutting serviceLadies HeelsRepairedonly£3.95Winter griprubber stick-onsoles - LADIESFitted £5.95Gents HeelsRepairedonly£6.95Winter griprubber stick-onsoles - GENTSFitted £6.95CUT THE COUPONCUT THE COST!Offers valid with vouchers up to Saturday 31st January 2013FOR A FAST EFFICIENT QUALITY SERVICE AT LOW PRICES CALL NOW ATSHOEMASTER AT SOUTHPORT MARKET HALLKing Street, Southport(opposite Coronation Pub)Yale PatioUPVC KeysCut only£1.95 eachHALFPRICEEngravingService✁1115518Swww.champnews.com/pixonlineYou’ll fi nd thousands of local photos herePixonlineHad an accident?Visit us @ www.ChampNews.com • 5We offer a no win no fee service, which meansyou keep 100% of your compensation.We have a proven track record over many years.Our clients receive the highest level of compensationas quickly and as stress free as possible.0800 694 6660Family services -Flying the Flag for You and Your FamilyLIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE 0151 227 4545Your KitchenTRANSFORMEDDoors, Drawer Fronts, Handlesand Worktops changedfrom £1200 to £1600– including fitting!For a Free,No Obligation Consultation,please phoneNEW LOOK KITCHENSnow on01704 233777AINTREE FORMBY HESWALL HUYTON KIRKBY MAGHULL WEST KIRBY 111210811154561115397
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