Member Article

Sefton golf course upgrade contracts opportunities

Sefton Council is inviting firms within the region to submit ideas for planned improvements to Southport and Bootle municipal golf courses.

The borough’s cabinet have approved a ‘soft market testing’ exercise to gauge private sector interest in the two facilities and encourage broad ideas about their future.

The process does not mean the courses are up for sale and the brief is clear that any proposals must involve investment and an improved ‘golf offer’.

It is also stressed that any new arrangement must maintain public ‘pay and play’ opportunities, reasonable prices, access for the community and the potential to introduce new people to the game.

Both golf courses need varying levels of investment and Sefton is open to any suggestions in the context of an economic climate where the council does not have any resources to carry out significant improvements.

The council will not be bound to enter into any agreement after the market testing exercise, and the process is seen as an invitation for ideas, which might then be further explored.

Cllr Peter Dowd, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “This is a very open brief in order to not stifle any ideas or proposals, but ultimately we want to improve these popular golf courses and make them viable for the long-term future.

“Ideally, we would want to see ideas that may bring about broader economic benefits, create jobs, and help in the wider regeneration of both Bootle and Southport.

“Of course, unless we test the market, we will never know what opportunities exist but we are hopeful that this exercise will flush out several suggestions that can then be explored in more detail.

“As always we intend to be as open and transparent as possible and any formal proposals would need to go through our normal political processes including consultation wherever appropriate.”

The ‘expression of interest’ exercise will last 10 weeks and be advertised in golf-related media and other relevant media channels.

To register an interest and to access a prospectus providing information about the two courses, visit the ‘opportunities portal’ at www.thechest.nwce.gov.uk.

The closing date for the submission of development opportunity ideas and partnership proposals is Monday, January 13, 2014.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .