Wirral Green Party has slammed Wirral Borough Council's (WBC) public consultation on the management of Hoylake beach. Incredibly, both options presented lack approval from Natural England. The consultation therefore represents a waste of public money whilst also undermining community goodwill.
In November 2022 the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee (ECET) agreed to prepare two options for the beach with input from Natural England. One option focused on improving access to the existing sandy beach while prioritising safety for the RNLI. The other aimed for maximum legal vegetation removal for an amenity beach near the promenade.
Both options were to receive Natural England's approval before public consultation. This has not been secured.
"The decision to consult at this stage is extremely poor” said Jane Turner, Co-Chair of Wirral Green Party. "Consulting on options unlikely to gain Natural England's approval erodes community trust. Previous consultations reported to the November 2022 ECET meeting have already explored similar approaches.”
Greens highlight the raising of false expectations among residents who might participate in a consultation only to have their preferred option ruled out on legal grounds.
"We urge WBC to reconsider this approach," adds Green councillor Jason Walsh who sits on the ECET Committee. "Engaging meaningfully with Natural England and ensuring options reflect their legally binding view is crucial for any responsible consultation process. To fail to do so prior to consultation is inept, unacceptable and a waste of public money.”
Contact Jane Turner 07855 426 694 turnershbo@aol.com