Petition calls for price cut for Morecambe splash park and free public toilets

A petition has been launched calling for cheaper ticket prices at a Morecambe splash park and for public toilet fees to be scrapped.

The Change.org petition has been created by Charlie Edwards, a Conservative Morecambe county councillor.

County Councillor Edwards wants Lancaster City Council to "reduce prices for fun things" and wants the Happy Mount Park splash park cost to be cut to £1 for LA1-LA6 residents.

He also wants soft play at council venues including Salt Ayre Leisure Centre to be reduced to £2 for LA1-LA6 residents, new family play passes to be introduced, and for public toilets to be free.

In response, a Labour city councillor said they are "working with the Friends of Happy Mount Park to raise money to make the park more accessible for everyone".

The online petition by County Councillor Edwards (below), who represents Morecambe South, has had 164 signatures at time of writing.

It says: "Morecambe has some amazing facilities, but they should be affordable for all.

"This petition is aimed at Lancaster City Council, who maintain a number of public spaces in Morecambe including Happy Mount Park, the Promenade and Salt Ayre Leisure Centre. 

"Over the past few years, despite the cost of living crisis, the prices to access things like soft play and splash parks have gone up and up. 

"These facilities should not be seen as cash cows for the council: but fun and healthy activities accessible for all. 

"In other areas, there are cheaper prices for local residents, and the ability to buy family and monthly passes. The council may find that introducing these measures may actually increase revenues. 

"There is also a need for better public toilets in the park. They are kept in a terrible condition and you have to pay 40p to use them! This can cause many issues for those with health problems, and just makes a family day out even more expensive.

"There are not many Changing Places for dads either - we recognise that dads do their fare share of child care and they need places to change nappies too.

"We also want to encourage the three councils, County, City and Morecambe Town Councils to support and promote events aimed at families and free for all, such as the Kite Festival, Baylight and Vintage by the Sea.

"So, we the undersigned, want to call on Lancaster City Council to do the following:

"Reduce prices for fun things: 

"Make splash park £1 for LA1-LA6 residents 

"Make soft play £2 for LA1-LA6 residents 

"Introduce family play passes 

"Start a four year programme to upgrade every park in the District 

"Scrap charges on public toilets - introduce advertising & sponsorship instead 

"Invest in more changing spaces - especially for dads 

"Invest in family events throughout the year."

Councillor Joanne Ainscough, Lancaster City Council cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services (pictured below), said in response: “Happy Mount Park is visited by tens of thousands of people every year from all over the north west and is one of the resort’s most popular attractions.

“Just a few weeks ago the park once again retained its Green Flag and it is a tremendous success with its combination of play areas, open spaces and beautiful grounds proving popular with all ages and all year round. We’re keen to make sure it stays that way and are always looking at ways we can make improvements.

“The park’s Changing Places toilets opened just last year and have already proved to be a great asset, providing more disabled people with the opportunity to experience the park and promenade in comfort.

“Where other local authorities may have had to close facilities due to the financial situation in which local government finds itself, we know that facilities such as the Splash Park are valued by our communities.

“That’s why, rather than mothball the non-statutory facility as others may have chosen to do so, we kept it open and it has continued to prove popular.

“We’re now working with the Friends of Happy Mount Park to raise money to make the park more accessible for everyone, especially disabled children.”

Earlier this year, Lancaster City Council, owners of Happy Mount Park, increased the cost of a children's splash park ticket from £2 to £4 as part of a wide-ranging increase in fees and charges at council facilities.

Read more: Row breaks out over plan to double price of Morecambe splash park tickets for kids - Beyond Radio

The council said the rise will "bring pricing broadly in line with the cost of a swimming session at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre".

Councillor Andrew Gardiner, leader of the Conservatives on the city council, slammed the price rise during a council meeting in February.

"You're going to do away with the word 'happy' from Happy Mount Park," said Councillor Gardiner.

"A 100% increase for a bit of fun. Little kids in the summer and we take their fun away. It's disgraceful."

In reply, Councillor Phillip Black, Labour leader of the city council, said: "As far as I'm concerned we are a victim of the gross incompetence of a decade or more of Tory governance and it has left us having to pick up the pieces for somebody else's mess.

"You want to talk about, isn't it a shame that fees and charges are going up in this service or that. We know exactly what the root cause of that is, and it is nothing to do with this council."

Lancaster City Council is run by a coalition cabinet of Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat councillors.

The council has laid the blame for having to cut budgets and increase charges at the feet of the previous Conservative government, due to the massive drop in local authority funding over the 14 years the Tories were in power, as well as the rise in inflation.

Read more: Car parking charges and garden waste fees to rise in Lancaster City Council budget proposals - Beyond Radio