In August 2021 and again in January 2022 we wrote about the Council’s lack of attention to our precious coastline.
We had hoped that over these past 2 years some progress would have been made but the latest report from the Council shows that little has happened.
On 7th November 2023 the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration & Skills) received a paper from the Assistant Director of People (Operational In-House Services) on the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Annual Report.
The report deals extensively with details of flooding across the Borough but scarcely mentions the condition of the unique 22 mile long coastline.
Under the Coast Protection Act (1949) Sefton Council was designated as a Coastal Protection Authority and as such has powers and responsibilities to protect and maintain the Sefton coast.
During the last 12 months the Council notes that maintenance has been undertaken to:
Crosby Sea Wall
Repairs are underway to the railings and promenade, both of which are ongoing issues.
Crosby Navigation Markers
The Trinity House inspection flagged the need to replace a navigation marker on the Alt training bank, this has been commissioned along with painting of a marker on Far Moss Pool outfall, Hightown.
Coastal Defence Inspection
Both hard and soft defences have been inspected although no commentary is offered on the findings..
Establish a plan for Crosby and Hightown shoreline
Consultants have been appointed to undertake a review of both Crosby and Hightown and consider funding and detailed designs. The brief and the timescale are not disclosed.
Curiously, the report totally omits any reference to the encroachment of sand across the promenade south of the Coastguard Station or, more importantly the erosion of the coastline north of the Coastguard Station which is putting at risk the major foul water sewer running from Hightown to the treatment centre at Sandon Dock.
We have to look to a separate report to Cabinet on the Council’s Capital Programme to learn further. This report, for example, mentions that:
"The planning of the interim work on the Crosby coastal defence is well underway and the review of the main scheme has commenced as well via the Council’s consultants."
Capital budgets have been set aside for what is described as “Coastal Erosion and Flood Risk Management “
2023/24 = £1,285,194
2024/25 = £1,916,883
2025/26 = £ 898,000
However, the report fails to differentiate between the budget for routine flood alleviation and for coastal works.
Meanwhile, United Utilities has produced its own Business Plan for 2025 to 2030 which shows that they are:
“Investing £12.7 million in coastal defences at Crosby to protect vital sewer infrastructure from erosion by the sea. Our investment with partners will also protect up to 169 homes from flooding.”
Sefton Council are not ignorant of the risks of flooding and breaches of the coastal defences. Sefton Council’s Local Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy 2022-2030 mentions, for example:
• Breaches of the secondary sea defences in Crossens in the 1970’s which caused inundation of 110 properties.
• In 2014-2014 Winter storms resulted in the loss of 11 m of coastline at Crosby (average erosion rate of approximately 1-2 m per year)
• In 2020 Storm Ciara caused a loss of approximately 10 .3 m of coastline from Cabin Hill, south of Formby Point .
The Risk Management Strategy notes that Sefton currently has both an eroding and accreting coastline erosion. The coast is protected by a variety of hard and soft sea defences . Soft defences, such as the sand dunes in Formby, offer a degree of protection but can be vulnerable during storm events, which can erode several metres of dunes during a single event.
The Strategy report continues:
“Current sea walls and embankments are designed to protect against both flooding and erosion . Coastal erosion does pose a risk to the sustainability of current natural defences, as well as the potential loss of important habitats (e .g . dune systems at Formby point) . Furthermore, some of Sefton’s hard defences are reaching the end of their design life and potentially pose a risk if they are not sufficiently maintained or replaced.”
In other words, Sefton Council is aware of the condition of the sea wall at Crosby but has not stated how they plan to prevent its further deterioration through maintenance or replacement. Just as with Southport Pier, and many of its other buildings and structures, this Council has again failed to maintain its important assets Doubtless the excuse will be a shortage of staff or funding. However, the Council’s Risk Management Strategy lists 7 funding sources including the Environment Agency and other Partnership Funding.
So why is Sefton Council not bidding for funds from the 7 sources it has itself listed?
When other local councils such as Wirral are well under way with their £19.7m coastal protection works at West Kirby, why are Sefton Council lagging behind?
Why are they reluctant to tell us how they are interacting with United Utilities to protect our coastline from serious erosion in the north and from encroachment of sand to the south?
The clear message is that Sefton’s Labour Council has again demonstrated its inability to maintain its property, failed to bid for funding to safeguard essential infrastructure, and failed to keep the public informed of its plans for our once magnificent coastline.
Sefton’s Labour Council cannot be trusted to safeguard our coast.
