Council to run water complex; Centre could open next month.

Byline: NICK MORETON 

A MOTHBALLED pounds 9m watersports complex will be run by council bosses, it was agreed last night.

Sefton councillors yesterday agreed to put forward pounds 30,000 required to part-open Sefton Water Centre, at Crosby Marina.

It means groups such as Crosby Sailing Club, scouts and guides can begin using the facility by the end of September.

The next phase of the project will see the fitting-out of the complex with pounds 700,000 of furnishings and equipment by March 2010, using already approved grants.

It will cost the council pounds 25,000 to operate the centre for the rest of this year.

Future operating costs are likely to be in the region of pounds 170,000.

Sefton Water Centre was completed ahead of schedule in March.

But a legal wrangle with Liver pool-based charity Greenbank, the partner originally set to operate the facility, led to delays in its opening.

After severing its links with Greenbank last year, the council will run the centre itself and open it as a matter of urgency, despite the charity insisting yesterday it "remains passionate and committed to operating this fantastic building".

Council leader Tony Robertson said: "We want to get it up and running as soon as we can.

"If we had not got things moving and taken some action to do so, then there was this danger it was going to lie unused for a period of time and that would be in nobody's interest.

"I went and had a look at the building with other councillors last week to fully understand the detail and it is a very nice building - but it is just a shell.

"It still needs to be fitted out."

Under council proposals, the centre would be a round-theclock base for disabled youngsters, while providing "significant community use for sport, recreation, leisure and social activities".

It would also provide short breaks and overnight stays.

CAPTION(S):

Members of Crosby Sailing Club outside Sefton Water Centre