I HOPE all readers had a peaceful Easter and had chance to enjoy the sunshine safely. 

If you’ve been able to do so, I’m sure like me you’ve found it a massive boost to be able to see friends and family outdoors after what felt like a very long winter. 

We just need to make sure we all keep doing all we can to stay safe. 

Almost 100,000 St Helens residents (at the time of writing) have now had at least one vaccination dose which is just fantastic – thank you so much to the NHS, Council staff, Saints stadium staff and volunteers for running such a brilliant system, and thanks to each and every person who has done the right thing and got the jab.

St Helens Star:

St Helens resident Sarah Platt has her vaccine

  • The government have confirmed that pubs, hairdressers, shops, gyms and more can reopen from next week which I know is a huge relief to the hundreds of local businesses who have had to keep their doors closed for so long. 

The council held a meeting online last week to hear from many of them about the challenges they face with reopening and to discuss how we can help them and customers get back safely.

We’ll be making these listening events a regular thing and we’ve already pencilled in the next one for May.

St Helens Star:

St Helens town centre

It’s an important part of us building back better that we listen to local employers and do all we can to help them. 

  • As readers will know there are elections on May 6 for the council, Metro Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner. 

It might not be at the forefront of your mind at the moment but they’re important elections as we work to help residents, businesses and essential services recover from an extremely difficult year.

Whoever you’re voting for, consider doing it by postal vote if you aren’t already registered for one.

It’s safe, secure, and you can vote early (the first ballots will be sent out mid-April). 

To register for a postal vote visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/elections, email elections@sthelens.gov.uk, or call 01744 676464.

These will be the last ever local elections in St Helens carried out in ‘thirds’ – from next May we will have ‘all-out’ elections after Labour proposed the move to improve democracy and save public money.

It will also be the last elections on the current ward boundaries. 

The final consultation on the Boundary Commission proposals for changes to wards across the borough will close on Monday April 12 – and there are quite a few changes proposed.

To view the plans and have your say before the deadline visit www.lgbce.org.uk. 

Best wishes to all Star readers.