GOLFERS using Liverpool’s municipal golf course in Allerton should be given the chance to run the links as a social enterprise, the council’s Liberal Democrat leader Richard Kemp says.
It follows the city council’s announcement that the proposed disposal of the golf course has been put on hold.
Mayor Anderson says the council can no longer afford to operate the popular course, and wants a new operator to take over.
Cllr Kemp says the delay could open the door to a different solution, and he has written to Assistant Mayor and Culture Cabinet member Cllr Wendy Simon.
He tells Cllr Simon: “In my view the council should immediately start to negotiate with the golfers about them taking over the course. They were not given a chance to establish a social enterprise to run the course because the city council was hell bent on a purely private sector solution.”
He is asking the council to give an assurance that this course of action will be pursued amongst others that the council should be considering.
Councillors were told city council officers have been in negotiations with Glendale Golf regarding the running of Allerton Golf Course since end of January 2014 and negotiations had been proceeding well.
Five weeks ago, just a week before the anticipated go live date of 1stApril, Glendale Golf produced a list of 13 new points to be negotiated, all but one resolved with the council.
The one outstanding issue was Glendale Golf’s insistence in closing the course for 100 days per year for commercial reasons at their own discretion in addition to any ‘bad weather’ days. This would have meant the course potentially being closed to the public for a third of the year, contrary to the ‘Pay and Play’ service required in the contract.
Both legal and procurement advised that this was a significant material change to the contract requirement of Liverpool City Council and therefore not allowed.
Officers have over the last four weeks sought to come to a suitable compromise with Glendale Golf.
“Despite our best efforts to arrive at a suitable conclusion, Glendale Golf have today confirmed that they are unwilling to negotiate on their requirement to close the course for 100 days at their discretion and no longer wish to pursue the running of Allerton Golf course. Discussions have now been terminated,” said council community services official Louise Gray.
She added: “Arrangements have been put in place for the council to continue with the running of Allerton golf course whilst appropriate alternative arrangements are sought. Officers have been meeting Allerton Golf Club members to appraise them of the situation.”
