BOURNEMOUTH’S cabinet member for tourism said last night that he believed it possible to have the surf reef working again… but accepted he may be wrong.
Cllr Rod Cooper told councillors that he hoped it would be open by late next spring.
He was asked about its future at a full council meeting after the Echo revealed last week that repair and remedial work will not be finished this year.
He told councillors: “I believe that it will be possible to have the surf reef working again, otherwise I would not have authorised the recent spend.
“I accept that I may be wrong but I am reluctant to write off a £3million project that has clearly led to the total regeneration of Boscombe.”
The reef contractors ASR have agreed to come back in spring 2012 to work on the reef for a fourth year because the waves are not meeting performance targets.
Cllr Cooper was responding to questions from Cllrs Anne Rey and Phil Stanley Watts that a full breakdown of costs should be published. He gave the dates of 11 different council meetings where various costs have been given, and said the total so far paid to ASR is £1,625,355.
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