St Helens Council

Our #Gritting team are invisible highway heroes who often work deep into the night and early hours to treat more than 178 miles of local road network to keep key routes moving in freezing conditions. With an amber weather warning for ice and snow in place from 6:00am on Saturday until midnight on Sunday, the team will be out again a number of times over the weekend. If you need to make essential road journeys this weekend, please take extra care and leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front. For more information on our winter maintenance service, including a full list of roads that we grit, visit: https://orlo.uk/Omzy9

As well as work going on in Blackbrook, clean up operations have also been carried out elsewhere across the borough today after heavy rainfall on New Year’s Eve led to localised flooding. Burrows Lane in Eccleston was one of the other areas affected, with our highways team working closely with local company Pure Utility Solutions to pump the flood water away. Only Gorsey Lane now remains closed, with all other roads reopened after being swept, gritted and having their gullies/drains cleaned. Gorsey Lane will be reviewed again on Friday. If you’re experiencing problems with flooding: - If there is a risk to life, call 999 - If your home or business is at risk of flooding, call St Helens Borough Council 01744 676789 - Environment Agency Floodline: 0345 988 1188

Council Officers, partners, volunteers and members of the community were out helping West End Road residents today following the damage caused by the New Year's Day floods in Blackbrook. St Helens Borough Council Leader, Councillor Anthony Burns and Place Based Lead from Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action, Annie Lawrenson, tell us more about the clean up operation👇

Congrats to all those on the King's NY Honours list including Roy Heppenstall, President of the Newton-le-Willows Sea Cadets unit who get a British Empire Medal. Susan Jee, a non-executive director of Nuclear Restoration Services, from Newton-le-Willows, also gets an MBE.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Councillor Brian Spencer. Councillor Spencer, who was 77-years-old, was first elected to council in 1980 and served in the Sutton and Bold, then latterly in the Sutton South East ward from 2022 in a career spanning more than 40 years. He was the Leader of St Helens Borough Council from 2006 to 2010 during his time as a councillor. More: https://orlo.uk/eXxwy

Volunteers from the project team delivering the regeneration of St Helens town centre have worked together to support The Standing Tall Foundation as it provides Christmas gifts and toys for the most vulnerable families in the borough. An event held in a marquee at Willowbrook Hospice saw volunteers help wrap, pack and deliver more than 1500 presents to be distributed amongst 50 local schools identified as having pupils with the greatest need as well as homeless families, ensuring the most vulnerable children have something to open on Christmas day. Volunteers from the town centre project team were organised by the main contractor VINCI Building, which is delivering the regeneration scheme for St Helens Borough Council and ECF, a partnership between Homes England, Legal & General and Muse. Charlie Eke, Executive Officer at the Standing Tall Foundation, said: “At the Foundation, we’re dedicated to providing for those who have the least in St Helens, especially at this time of year where hardship is often felt the most. We’re thankful to see so many like-minded volunteers help support our initiative and make the day the tremendous success it was.” Councillor Richard McCauley Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth & Regeneration at St Helens Borough Council said: “We are so often reminded at this time of year of our duty to support our communities’ most vulnerable constituents in whatever way we can. Social value extends to every corner of St Helens and the Standing Tall Foundation sets an excellent example of this, providing essential support year-round to our town’s most vulnerable, we’re so pleased to see the town centre project team immerse themselves in such an important initiative.”

Kind-hearted residents, businesses and organisations have once again come together to ensure some of the borough's most disadvantaged families can enjoy their Christmas by donating thousands of items and pounds to our annual gift appeal 🎁 During the past week, a team of volunteers have been busy playing Santa’s Elves, putting this year's contributions into more than 700 bundles ready to be distributed in time for Christmas Day - with St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Nova Charlton, among those to offer their time to help out ❤️🎄❤️ Full story: https://orlo.uk/Vw1eb

The first ever Teenage Market in Earlestown brought out crowds who were keen to support budding entrepreneurs from across St Helens Borough. The market raised almost £3,000 for the stallholders collectively, with more than 400 products bought on the day 🛍️ Full story: https://orlo.uk/hKuqY

Earlier today, at this afternoon’s Combined Authority meeting, Cllr Anthony Burns, Cabinet Member for Net Zero, updated the CA on our progress to become a net zero city region by 2035. Watch the video to find out more:

We want every child in St Helens borough to have the very best start in life. That's why it's the focus of our latest public health annual report. ‘The Best Start in Life’ report focuses on the steps we are taking to support children and their families, and the challenges the borough faces to provide children with that vital help and support. It highlights the work our three Family Hubs and the supporting network of children’s centres have done, with them being instrumental in providing targeted support for families to address inequalities and curb their impact. Read more about the public health annual report at https://lnkd.in/euz3S3bb