Sefton's Funding Balance in Question: Southport Pier vs Strand Shopping Centre

After £3 million is spent on largely exploratory work on the Pier, according to the latest published figures Sefton is planning to spend ONLY £107,000 in the following year despite the Pier requiring over £12M worth of repair work. 

The Council is reluctant to re-open the Pier until all the work is done.

 In contrast it is planning in the same year (2024-25) to spend three times as much (£370,000) on the Strand Shopping Centre as part of the Sefton capital programme. (1)

“ I would like to think these are nor serious figures, “ says Opposition Leader on Sefton, Liberal Democrat John Pugh, “because at this rate on Sefton own figures it will 90 years to get the job done. There must be a bigger commitment than this and perhaps it’s taking time for the penny to drop.

 There seems an over-optimistic belief that external funds will appear to totally plug the gaps”.

At last week's full council meeting Labour councillors passed a motion asking the government to cover not just the repair costs but the ongoing maintenance costs. (2)

“ I think expecting Whitehall to maintain our pier forever and a day and all the other piers in the land is at the extreme end of optimism”, says Cllr Pugh. “ Whether next year's chancellor is Rachel Reeves or Jeremy Hunt, I can’t see them agreeing to that !” 

Welcome though any government money would be, the worry is that lack of realism and hoping something will turn up will be an excuse for the Council to do little and blame others. Meanwhile the Pier stays closed and the public despair.” 

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