Sefton Council has rejected any suggestion that it holds responsibility for a water bill at the centre of a dispute with Southport’s Adventure Coast theme park.
In a statement to OTS News, Adventure Coast’s Norman Wallis said the park’s water meters appeared to have been supplying council-owned land and assets such as Princes Park since 2007.
Mr Wallis said the meters appeared to have supplied Princes Park, the former Princes Park toilets and the bowling greens, all of which he said the park had paid for since 2007. He said leaks had occurred on council land, “including a major leak on a six-inch industrial water main in Princes Park” and others connected to the Princes Park toilets.
The park has gathered “substantial evidence, including photographs, videos, written records, contractor information, billing records and expert analysis” supporting his position that the usage and leaks were not the park’s responsibility according to Mr Wallis. “At its heart, this is a situation caused by historic failures in the management, control and understanding of Sefton Council’s own water infrastructure.”
Mr Wallis said the dispute is a threat to the wider town and called for “a mutually beneficial solution”, stopping short of directly saying that the future of the park was at risk.
Sefton Council responded that while it acknowledged it was liable for a “small proportion” of water usage, which it claims it offered to pay for, it could not “spend public funds on a debt owed by a private business” before further suggesting that there is “significant money owed to the Council” by Adventure Coast.
Mr Wallis was granted a long-term lease by the Council in January 2020. The lease runs for 50 years, with an option for the council to extend it by a further 50, and was intended to unlock private investment in the resort. The rent combines a base figure with a share of the park’s turnover. The financial terms were withheld from publication as commercially sensitive.
Ahead of publication, OTS News was unable to confirm which individual or company is responsible for the lease of the Adventure Coast site, the identity of the party said to owe money to the Council, or who is named on the water bill.
A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: “We accept absolutely no responsibility for the overall significant debt owed by Adventure Coast Southport to its water supplier.
“Furthermore it is wholly inappropriate to suggest that the public pay the utility bill of any private company.
“We acknowledge that a small proportion of water usage as a result of a leak does fall under the Local Authority’s responsibility and we have made a generous settlement offer to pay this fair share.
“This offer was declined by Adventure Coast Southport.
“While we have given repeated support and leniency to Adventure Coast Southport over a number of years, we simply cannot spend public funds on a debt owed by a private business.
“We also continue to liaise with Adventure Coast Southport over significant money owed to the Council.”
Norman Wallis told OTS News: “This is a very sad and unfortunate situation, not only for Pleasureland / Adventure Coast, but for Southport as a whole.
“Since 2007, water recorded through Pleasureland / Adventure Coast’s meters appears to have been supplying Sefton Council owned land and assets, including Princes Park, the former Princes Park toilets, Bowling Greens in King Edward Gardens and potentially other council controlled areas all have been paid for by Pleasureland since 2007. leaks occurred on council land, including a major leak on a six-inch industrial water main in Princes Park and further leaks connected to the Princes Park toilets.
“Pleasureland / Adventure Coast has gathered substantial evidence, including photographs, videos, written records, contractor information, billing records and expert analysis, which supports the position that these leaks and water usage were not the responsibility of Pleasureland / Adventure Coast.
“Despite this, Sefton Council has, in its wisdom, chosen not to resolve the matter promptly or practically. Instead, delays, lack of clarity, and a failure to properly acknowledge have allowed the situation to escalate unnecessarily. Those delays have increased costs, increased pressure, and brought all parties to this very unfortunate juncture.
“We have always sought to deal with this matter in a fair, sincere and amicable way. However, it is both disappointing and regrettable that a matter involving council-owned infrastructure and council-managed land has been allowed to develop into such a serious dispute, with consequences that could and should have been avoided.
“At its heart, this is a situation caused by historic failures in the management, control and understanding of Sefton Council’s own water infrastructure, with Pleasureland / Adventure Coast expected to carry the heavy burden of costs and consequences that should never have been ours.
“The wider circumstances Southport has faced, through events beyond anyone’s control, have already had an enormous impact on the lives, businesses and wellbeing of people across our community. At a time when the town needs stability, confidence and unity, I believe it is more important than ever that all parties pull together, act reasonably, and work towards a solution that protects jobs, supports local businesses, and helps Southport move forward.
“Having worked with Sefton Council for many years in an amicable and constructive manner, we fully understand that the Council must follow proper procedures and that it is under significant financial pressure at this time. However, we sincerely hope that Sefton’s officers and elected members can now find a mutually beneficial solution one that is fair, practical, and, above all, in the best interests of Southport before it’s too late because as we all know as community once something is closed like the Pier and the convention Centre it takes an enormous amount of resources money and time to repair and get open attractions again.”