Conservative Leader on Sefton Council, Mike Prendergast, has criticised Sefton Council for the lack of facilities, available to visitors and tourist during the crucial Easter bank holiday weekend.
Mike Prendergast said:
Tourism is crucial to the Southport economy and the wider Sefton economy as well. Many of our local businesses rely heavily on tourism during crucial periods, such as the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Yet, the Labour administration at Sefton Council don’t seem to realise this and businesses in Southport and across Sefton are suffering as a result.
Right now we have a situation where Southport Pier is still closed, Splash World is still closed, there is no parking available on Southport beach because it’s closed to cars and Labour have just increased our parking charges to put off more visitors from visiting Southport and spending their money here.
We also have a bizarre situation where the facilities at Ainsdale Beach are also closed.
The lack of commercial acumen and business nous from the Labour administration, based in Bootle, is quite staggering really, and it’s hurting the economy here in Southport and elsewhere in Sefton.
We’ve already seen what Sefton Labour think of business owners when one of their Southport councillors called them ‘leeches’ at a council meeting earlier this year.
I think that small business owners are the backbone of our local economy and we, as a council, should be doing everything we can to support them, not putting obstacles in their way or criticising them.
At the local elections in May, we really do need a change of administration and a change of direction in Sefton.
Labour don’t care about our area and don’t understand the local economy or how important small businesses are to our community.