THERE IS ANOTHER WAY APART FROM CLOSURE

A LOVELY WELL MAINTAINED GOLF COURSE OR AN AREA OF LAND LEFT UNCARED FOR, OVERGROWN THAT COULD ATTRACT FLY TIPPERS, MOTORBIKES AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR?

Wirral council have proposed a list of cuts in their budget proposal for 2022-2023 as a result of a £27m deficit. Many of the proposed cuts identified include cuts to leisure and recreational services including golf.

The council proposes to close Brackenwood Golf Course in its budget proposal having only committed to investing in the courses over the next 8 years just prior to the pandemic in 2018-2019. In 2021-2022 budget proposal Wirral council again proposed to close all 4 municipal courses in an attempt to create a balanced budget. However, following a labour budget amendment the courses were again saved.

Brackenwood Golf course is an area of open green space in Bebington that is within greenbelt. As long as it is used for leisure and recreation the greenbelt remains land remains safe for everyone. The golf industry has seen a boom since the sport returned on 29th March and as such Club, individuals, societies and groups enjoy the outdoor space and sport that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life and of all ages right through to well past retirement. Many do not have the financial resources to afford joining many of the private clubs at £1000+ per year and many call Brackenwood their home.

However, there is another way which saves the course, preserves the greenspace within the green belt, keeps jobs and maintains a healthy active space for local Wirral residents, Brackenwood Golf Club members and visitors to the area.

We petition for Wirral council to consider and actively engage on either of the following proposal that form this petition;

• Review the service of golf and produce a strategic plan to remove the subsidy faced by Wirral residents as a result or
• Permit another operator (preferably a Community Interest Company CIC) to continue to run the service for the people of Wirral on either a license agreement or as the government's CIPFA report stated, on a community asset transfer.

There has been interest from alternative operators to maintain the service and we encourage Wirral council, through this petition to ensure that Brackenwood Golf Course and the greenbelt land on which it resides isn't lost as a service or as greenbelt and remains for the people of Wirral.