Wirral Council is to proceed with a search for an outside operator to take over the running of Wirral Watersports Centre at West Kirby marine lake.
It follows an eight week public consultation, which the local authority says resulted in around 60 per cent of the 439 people who responded being in favour of the plan.
A decision notice on the council’s website states: “The Council is committed to retaining a Watersports offer at the Wirral Watersports Centre, however the provision of Watersports is a “non-standard” and more specialist leisure provision.
“A healthy market of specialist Watersports providers exists that would likely be able to retain, grow and develop the existing offer.
“Additionally, the Council cannot afford to continue to subsidise the existing operation at the site, and outsourcing provides a unique opportunity to eliminate the existing level of subsidy and provide an over and above level of income to the Council through leasing of the asset and licencing of the lake.”
The council says work undertaken earlier this year showed “significant interest from local, regional and national organisations” in running the facility.
When it launched the consultation, Wirral Council said: “Rising costs, reduced usage, and ageing facilities mean we need to explore new ways of delivering these services that offer better value and long-term stability to ensure the service can continue to be provided.
“In order to improve the service, reduce costs, and make it more sustainable for the future, we are proposing to explore options to outsource the operation of the Water Sports Complex and the delivery of water sports on West Kirby Marine Lake to an external operator.
“Any new provider would be expected to build on the existing offer, expanding access to water sports for current users while also creating a modern, inclusive, and accessible service that meets the needs of all our communities.”