Concerns as cost-cutting council proposes to 'stop pumping water to maintain canal'

In an effort to make savings, the council has proposed to ‘reduce or cease temporary water supply’ to the canal

Concerns have been raised over a cost-cutting proposal to ‘reduce or cease’ a temporary water supply to Sankey Canal. Huge savings proposals have been identified by Warrington Borough Council.

The proposed budget for 2025-26 – which is set to be approved at a meeting on Monday – totals £208.045 million. It includes £30.4 million of savings.

The wide range of savings proposals include a proposal to ‘reduce or cease temporary water supply’ to Sankey Canal, which is planned to save £120,000 in 2025-26.

A council spokesman said: “Since the closure of Fiddlers Ferry, the council has been providing a temporary water supply to Sankey Canal. This budget option will consider ways the cost of this can be reduced, and only applies to the Warrington section of the canal.”

But concerns have been raised.

Cllr Helen Speed, Liberal Democrat, said: “While there are many commendable savings, some proposed cuts raise serious concerns. For instance, there are plans to stop pumping water to maintain the Sankey Canal, yet no impact assessment has been conducted.

“Reducing resources for environmental protection can only harm the wildlife and biodiversity and we simply haven’t been provided with enough information about these cuts to determine their safety.”