Sefton Council Pressured to Increase Budget for Pier Refurbishment Amidst £72M Conference Centre Project

Opposition leader on Sefton Council, Cllr John Pugh has written to the Sefton’s Chief Executive and the Leader of Sefton Council suggesting they amend Sefton Council’s capital programme to set aside sufficient funds to make significant and timely progress on Pier refurbishment.

Next week at the full council meeting the budget for the forthcoming financial year will be set, including the Council’s building work programme-  a year in which the Council is due to start work on the £72M Conference Centre right by the closed pier.

  “There is already just under £3M in the capital budget for new planks, “ says Cllr.Pugh , “ but that is most unlikely to be spent if no money is found for the ironworks and might end up being used to deal with any cost overruns on the Conference Centre.

It is financially relatively easy for the council to add to the £3M it has already allocated and make a start on full refurbishment either at the landward or seaward end, bringing hope to the town. To leave it another year to rot will only add to the eventual bill.”    

Sefton is in discussions about financial support with the Heritage Lottery, having got nowhere with the government, and I personally would advise them to apply for the maximum £10M grant. However, no formal bid has currently gone in and it’s two years since the Pier closed !  

Waiting in hope for another year or so would be accepting at least 3 +years of decline and decay with added damage to the town’s image.”

Last year during the setting of the Sefton budget the Liberal Democrats tried to amend the capital budget to get work started on the Pier. 

Cllr.Pugh said , “ I’ve been on Sefton long enough to recognize that the Labour administration will always vote down opposition amendments, however sensible,  which is why I’m encouraging them to come up with their own amendment. 

Frankly it does not matter who gets the credit. Progress is what matters and showing that the council values its asset. We cannot afford simply 'waiting for lotto’ .