MP secures Southern Water funding to re-open Splash Pad

Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde has secured a commitment from Southern Water to provide the remaining funding required to re-open the Prince’s Park Splash Pad.

The Splash Pad is a council-run water-based playground, highly popular with children and families. It was forced to close last year due to the spiralling costs of water to supply the facility, which reached £25,000 for the summer months. 

Mr Babarinde and Eastbourne Borough Council Leader Stephen Holt launched an appeal for businesses to come forward and sponsor the Splash Pad so that it could re-open. 

Mr Holt pledged up to £10,000 of Eastbourne Borough Council funding to start the appeal.

Mr Babarinde has been in negotiations with Southern Water’s CEO Laurence Gosden, calling on the company to “pay back our community” after its repeated failures to address sewage discharges into the sea and the odour emanating from Eastbourne Water Treatment Works. 

As part of this community payback, Southern Water has agreed to provide the full £25,000 towards the reopening of the Splash Pad.

The funding comes on top of Southern Water’s £23 million investment in Eastbourne over the next four years.

Mr Babarinde has repeatedly raised concerns about Southern Water’s performance, including calling for community payback in the House of Commons. 

Local business Best Demolition has also come forward to provide £5,000 to contribute, and two other businesses have contacted Mr Babarinde to help fund the Splash Pad.  

Mr Babarinde said:

“After extensive negotiations with Southern Water, I’m pleased to have secured the remaining funds from them that we need to get the Splash Pad re-open for the summer. 

Thank you to all those who have promoted this appeal - it is a huge win for families across Eastbourne. 

Southern Water have got a lot more work to do to clean up their act, and I’ll continue holding them to account to ensure their performance improves.”

John Penicud, Southern Water's Managing Director for Waste, said: 

"We know our recent performance in the Eastbourne area has not met the expectations of the community here - and I am determined to put that right.

"As part of this, we are delighted to be providing a significant donation to support the community in this venture, while our wider investment continues across the local network."

Mr Babarinde is now working with Eastbourne Borough Council, Southern Water, South East Water and the company that originally installed the Splash Pad to review how the facility can become more water-efficient to help bring the costs down in future years.