Following reports in local media concerning Southport Pier, Conservative Group Leader, Mike Prendergast has spoken about his party’s concerns regarding this crucial part of Southport’s offering.
Councillor Prendergast said:
Like everyone in Southport, I am very concerned about the current state of our iconic pier, and the fact that it still remains shut as we enter the crucial summer season. Many local businesses rely on the pier to bring in visitors and increase footfall.
Over a prolonged period of time, the pier has been neglected and allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.
We are now at a point where it is potentially unsafe and is still closed to the public. £3 million has been allocated to repair the wooden boards, but the entire structure now appears to have been neglected and is in need of urgent repairs as otherwise works regarding the wooden boards would surely have started.
At a recent planning meeting about the new theatre and convention centre, one of our Conservative Councillors, Councillor Joe Riley, made this very point and highlighted the fact that the pier is currently closed, which is bad enough, and if it was allowed to fall into a greater state of disrepair then the pier may well have to be closed permanently or, even worse, demolished.
The pier is one of our most iconic attractions, and part of our heritage.
We’ve already seen in Southport, how our heritage has been allowed to fall into disrepair under a Sefton Labour administration that neglects our town, this can clearly be seen with the Victoria Baths which is in a terrible state and this has happened in other parts of Sefton as well.
I’ve seen comments online, indicating that we in the Conservative group should not be raising the shocking state of the pier and its closure as an issue.
I will make no apology for all of our Councillors, standing up for local residents and businesses in Southport, and across Sefton, and trying to ensure that our heritage is preserved. We are on the side of local residents and businesses.
The comments about the pier were made at a planning meeting where a multi-million pound investment in new infrastructure in Sefton was being approved, following Southport’s Conservative MP, working to get £38.5 million in Town Deal funding for Southport.
Right now, though, we’ve got a situation where Sefton Labour, can’t even look after our existing assets. We are calling on Sefton Council to ensure Southport Pier is repaired and reopened as soon as possible. It is not acceptable to have it shut for so long.
Conservatives in Southport are investing in our future to create jobs and prosperity. Labour aren’t even able to look after what we’ve already got.
We won’t stand idly by while Sefton Labour continue to neglect our town, and allow our pier to fall into further disrepair.
