Southport Case Study
Overview
A complete chronological record of the SIBA investigation into Southport BID governance. Every analysis, report, FOI request, and contact event, in sequence.
Every factual claim is sourced from publicly available documents. SIBA welcomes corrections from any party named or referenced and will publish responses in full.
4
Analyses
2
Reports
15
FOI Requests
10,000+
LinkedIn Impressions
Easter Sunday, 5 April 2026Analysis
Investigation begins
A single question: where does the Southport BID levy money go? A BID business plan read on a phone. The first Companies House searches. Cross-referencing of director networks begins.
7 April 2026Analysis
How BIDs Breed Cronyism by Design
The founding structural analysis. The BID model does not just enable cronyism. It requires it. Published in full with no named allegations.
Read7 April 2026Analysis
Southport's BID Treasurer Is an Active Director of the Town's Biggest Hospitality Group
Companies House confirms Geoffrey Wareham is a registered active director of Mikhail Hotels and Leisure Holdings Limited while simultaneously serving as BID Treasurer. No termination has been filed.
Read7 April 2026Analysis
Southport BID's Contracted Media Partner Is Also Paid by Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group
Andrew Brown's Stand Up For Southport holds a paid contract with Southport BID and, in his own words, also provides paid media and PR services to Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group. Both organisations are covered without consistent disclosure.
Read7 April 2026Analysis
Which Businesses Does VisitSouthport.com Actually Promote?
A manual review of editorial content on Southport's publicly-funded tourism platform. Four seasonal pages. Every mention. Every link. Zero independent restaurants or pubs. One commercial group on every page.
Read7 April 2026Report
Where Does Southport BID Spend Your Levy?
A line-by-line breakdown of Southport BID's 2024-2029 Business Plan budget. £448,211 collected in year one. All figures sourced from the BID's own published documents.
Read8 April 2026Contact
Direct contact received demanding removal of published content
A phone call was received from a named hospitality group chairman. Removal of published content was demanded. The content remained published. The contact is documented in full.
Read8 April 2026Report
The Council Officer Running Southport's Tourism Platform
Mark Catherall is Sefton Council's Service Manager for Tourism. He runs Visit Southport and sits on the BID board as the council's formally appointed representative. This report documents the structure.
Read9 April 2026FOI
15 Freedom of Information requests submitted to Sefton Council
Requests covering BID ballot integrity, declarations of interest, meeting minutes, procurement decisions, COVID grant recipients, media contractor payments, and Town Deal governance. All submitted through WhatDoTheyKnow and on the public record.
ReadApril 2026Commercial
SIBA Digital launched commercially
The Southport investigation becomes the founding case study for a national governance audit methodology. Digital governance audits and OSINT for BIDs, councils, and major developments across the UK.
Read5-7 May 2026FOI
FOI statutory deadlines: Sefton Council responses due
Requests 1-8 are due by 5 May 2026. Request 9 is due 6 May. Requests 10-15 are due 7 May. Every response will be published in full on this site.
Read