Eastbourne MP Appeals to Southern Water CEO For Splash Pad Funding

Josh Babarinde, Member of Parliament for Eastbourne, has met with Southern Water’s Chief Executive, Lawrence Gosden, to negotiate wider community payback following the company’s repeated failures in the town.

During the meeting, Mr Babarinde urged them to 'give back to our community' by funding the re-opening of the much-loved Splash Pad in Prince’s Park this summer. 

The Splash Pad, which is free to use, hugely popular, and a vital space for children and parents, particularly during the school holidays, has been described as a “lifesaver” for families.

This is part of Mr Babarinde’s wider campaign to secure funding to reopen the Splash Pad. And follows Eastbourne Borough Council’s £10,000 commitment towards the project earlier this week.

The Eastbourne MP has on several occasions raised the need for water companies to compensate the Eastbourne community in the House of Commons.

Mr Babarinde has also approached executives at South East Water to explore how the Splash Pad could be made more environmentally sustainable, including through the use of water-recycling measures to reduce water wastage.

In a statement Mr Babarinde MP said:

“The Splash Pad is a much-loved community asset, used by thousands of Eastbourne families each year.

Over the last several months, I have been negotiating with Southern Water for wider community payback. 

My discussions with Southern Water's CEO were firm but constructive and I hope they will confirm very soon if they will meet my request to help fund the Splash Pad this summer”.