Is Sefton Headed for a Financial Meltdown? Inside Councillor Pugh's Fearful Forecast

A warning that Sefton could be facing a perfect financial storm unless it changes tack has been issued by opposition leader on Sefton , Liberal Democrat councillor, John Pugh. 

He is predicting that Sefton will be facing a capital crisis in 2026 unable to fund all its projects unless it changes its plans for the forthcoming year and allocates the right level of resources to the Pier now. 

Sefton has allocated only £107,000 capital for the forthcoming year to the Pier (less than a third of what they are planning spend on the Strand Shopping Centre). (1)

“This will not even cover maintenance and mean that far more has been spent recently on identifying the problems rather than fixing them. The Council claims to be conducting a 'campaign for external funding'   which is effectively acknowledging that currently, they don’t want, can't or are unwilling to use their funds for the full repair. “ says Cllr Pugh

Sefton formally demanded at the last full Council meeting that the government pay also for on-going maintenance. (2)

Cllr.Pugh added- 

“While I do not rule out a Budget time sweetener from a government desperate for votes and welcome any external funding, we need to get real. There’s the risk that if no external funding is acquired very soon and the council don’t act, the Pier problem could get harder to solve.

In 2026 the bills will start coming in for the much awaited Marine Lake Events Centre. 

The decision by the Council not to extend the contract of the current contractor, Kier Construction Group and go out to tender again means only one thing. No-one is now sure that the cost will stay under the £72 M envelope of available funding.

 To be dealing in 2026 with a £12m Pier restoration bill and plugging any cost overruns on the Events Centre, plus pushing on with Bootle Strand canalside development in the same year is a perfect storm and likely to play havoc with the best plans.

I actually have a lot of empathy with anybody struggling to deal with development projects in the current climate, but I think that the Council can make life easier for themselves. "

Cllr.Pugh is proposing that the Council’s Capital Budget for 2024-2025 be amended to include a minimum £6m allocation this year for the Pier, enabling a full restoration and re-opening of at least half the Pier in 2024 (shoreside or beachside).

“If external funding is secured, it’s a bonus, but we need strategy that looks like it can work and spreads costs sensibly. Restoring the Pier in sections works both from the engineering and financial perspective. It may be the panto season, but frankly we can’t just bank here on the government playing the fairy godmother.  "

ENDS

(1) https://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/documents/b31317/Supplementary%20Agenda%20-%20Revenue%20and%20Capital%20Budget%20Update%2002nd-Nov-2023%2010.00%20Cabinet.pdf?T=9 
(2) https://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/documents/s118692/Minutes%20191023%20Council.pdf