BOURNEMOUTH council has been urged to follow the example of a New Zealand council and abandon the surf reef before any more money is spent.

“The council should tell ASR to go away, put its hands up and apologise to the people of Bournemouth and say ‘we are sorry we wasted £3million of your money’,” said Labour group leader Cllr Ben Grower.

And Independent leader Cllr Anne Rey said: “It’s not been properly managed from the start – I feel the residents of the town don’t want to be paying any more money into this.”

The performance of surf reef contractors ASR was described as “woeful and disgraceful”

after a similar project in New Zealand was abandoned this summer.

South Taranaki council had already spent $1.5million – around £750,000 – when they decided to dump plans for the Opunake artifical surf reef.

Mayor Ross Dunlop said the decision was based on the unfinished project, which was not working as promised, and the fact that the trust formed to oversee the project had been unable to repay its debts.

Mr Dunlop told the Taranaki Daily News the council had taken a risk by supporting something that was innovative and experimental.

He added: “Dr Kerry Black (formerly of ASR Ltd) and his team were very convincing and plausible and they have been able to convince many communities here and around the world of their abilities – their actual performance, however, has been woeful and disgraceful.”

The future of the Boscombe reef has been cast into doubt this week.

The council has admitted contractor ASR will be unable to lay new sandbags to improve the waves this year due to a change in weather conditions.

And it is not known whether they will return in 2012.

ASR were unavailable for comment.