After “unimaginable” tragedy, an emergency reconstruction fund is to be set up

Sefton Borough Council is expected to approve the rebuilding fund at its next cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Sefton Borough Council is expected to announce a new emergency fund to provide support to victims of the horrific stabbing on July 29 and the riots that followed. The fund will cover a range of needs including psychological support, repairs to property and also any losses suffered by local businesses.

Sefton Parish Council reconvenes after its summer break on Thursday 5 September and will hold a full Cabinet meeting to set the agenda for the remainder of 2024 and beyond. Discussion points include Sefton's child poverty strategy, financial management updates for 2024/25 and approval of commercial contracts.

But alongside more conventional business, Sefton Council leader Marion Atkinson has used her powers to bring forward an urgent agenda item relating to the Southport knife attack. Elected members are now expected to approve an emergency relief fund for those affected by the tragedy.

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Alice Da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, tragically lost their lives in the knife attack. Eight children and two adults were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Sefton Borough Council described the horror that unfolded on St Lukes Road in late July as “unimaginable” and something that has brought devastation and despair to the local community and beyond.

The local authority continues to offer therapeutic support to residents and has worked with community groups and schools to reassure parents and families as children return to school this week. Southport Learning Partnership has published an open letter signed by headteachers from across the town, including those at Farnborough Road Primary School, Churchtown Primary School and Marshside Primary School, which each of the three girls attended.

The aim of the letter and other support measures is to restore a sense of safety and inclusion and to let people know that help is available. The council has already committed to providing immediate and long-term support to all affected families and communities and is continuing to consider further measures – including a dedicated psychological trauma support service.

As part of these ongoing relief efforts, the local authority plans to establish a Southport Business Recovery Fund to support businesses that have been affected since the tragic events at Hart Space in Southport. Targeted financial support will be offered to all affected businesses and organisations in the Hart Street and St Lukes Road areas of Southport, and long-term economic solutions will also be explored.

Merseyside Police have imposed closures for several weeks while investigations are ongoing and it is estimated that up to 20 businesses on Hart Street have been forced to close due to the police cordon. InvestSefton officers, Councillor Atkinson and council leader Phil Porter have been in touch with businesses in the affected areas to seek their feedback and offer support.

The Cabinet meeting is expected to allocate half a million pounds to local businesses that suffered losses as a result of the attack. The InvestSefton team has drawn up a priority list which highlights a number of immediate needs, including funding for much-needed repairs caused by the disturbances in Southport on 30 July.

Measures will be taken to improve footfall and provide safety to residents and visitors. A compensation budget will also be set up to cover revenue losses due to closures and cancelled orders.

The local authority recognises that the overall economy in Southport has been severely impacted, but the immediate priority for support is for those businesses that have had to close due to lockdown. These businesses would have access to the first round of funding immediately, and the second round of financial support will be made available to businesses in the surrounding area.

An initial £500,000 will be made available, drawn from existing council funds. InvestSefton will work with businesses to support them through the application process and work out reimbursement rates for any losses incurred. Council officials will also visit each business that has been forced to close and understand their situation to ensure the fund is accessible and fair.