WILL they – or should they – come back to finish the job next year?

Bournemouth Borough Council is due to provide an update today on what will happen next with the Boscombe surf reef.

As reported in the Daily Echo, the council has admitted contractor ASR would be unable to lay new sandbags to improve the waves this year due to a change in weather conditions, concentrating instead on repair work before the winter.

It is not yet known whether ASR will return in 2012 to work on improving the £3 million reef.

But opposition councillors have already said enough is enough and called for an end to the saga.

As reported in the Echo, a similar ASR project in New Zealand was abandoned in the summer and the company’s performance described as “woeful and disgraceful” by a mayor.

Independent leader Cllr Anne Rey said no more taxpayers’ money should be spent on the reef.

“The point is the residents now are so sick of this, everyone you speak to just laughs about it,” she said.

Lib Dem councillor Roger West said ASR should “not get a penny” until the reef was working properly.

Tony Williams, executive director for environment and economic services at the council, said: “Given that autumn is firmly upon us, we are now back in discussions with ASR on what work can realistically be undertaken before the weather deteriorates further.”

ASR has continued to be unavailable for comment.