Sefton Council Dismisses Administrative Failings at Southport Airshow 2023

Despite passengers leaving stationary cars stuck on the Coast Road and walking, gridlock to Formby and a beach made unuseable due to high tide, Sefton is insisting that there were no administrative failings in the organisation of last week’s Southport Airshow 2023. 

In answers provided at the September full council meeting to opposition leader, Cllr John Pugh (LD), the Council has agreed to provide a report on the event to go to a council scrutiny committee, but has admitted no failures and dismissed any possibility of compensation. Cllr Marion Atkinson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said compensation was not appropriate and denied any failings on the Council’s part.

“It was a disappointing response.” said Cllr.Pugh ,” It’s good we will now have a proper report. I think we all know that organising events can be a nightmare and that Sefton can normally manage them well, but this time there were lessons to be learnt as certain obvious problems did not appear to be anticipated or were worse than expected.

 I spoke to people who were regulars, but who struggled this time to get to an event that they had paid a fair old sum to attend. Marion said in response to me that the “advice is always to set off early” - but many did and still experienced major difficulties. 

I find the attitude that the Council can't make mistakes, and at least apologise, puzzling" .