Marine Director’s Annual Report

16 March 2010

1. In many ways, this year has been the most challenging of my time as Marine Director, as I will explain.

2. The year has been dominated by Warsash Sailing Club’s section 31 objection to Harbour Dues. After a long wait, the Department for Transport scheduled a Public Enquiry to be held at the end of October last year. However, the Harbour Authority and Warsash Sailing Club recognised that it was in nobody’s best interests to incur the considerable cost of a public enquiry, so a Select Committee was established, chaired by Councillor Woodward, to consider the issues raised by Warsash Sailing Club and to make recommendations to the Harbour Management Committee. The establishment of the Select Committee was widely publicised and two of its sessions were held in public. Harbour users were given every opportunity to make their views known and eight did so. The Select Committee’s full recommendations were published earlier this year and there will be an opportunity for you to comment on them later this evening. They will be considered by the Harbour Board next week.

3. Turning to matters of governance, the Harbour Board has now been in existence for almost five years and last year saw the expiry of the initial term of office of the first of the independent Board members – Dr Susie Tomson, the member with environmental expertise. The position was duly advertised but the appointments panel was unable to recommend any of the applicants for the role. We re-advertised and Dr Tomson kindly agreed to stand for a further period of four years.

4. We have continued with the series of ‘Meet the Harbour Board’ evenings where a number of representatives of stakeholder groups can meet with members of the Harbour Board in an informal setting to discuss any concerns which they may have. A total of three meetings have been held to date.

5. There have been a number of staff changes since the last Forum – most significantly, Tony Clatworthy has tendered his resignation as Harbour Master and I am currently filling the roles of Marine Director and Harbour Master. Richard Lawton left us last year and was replaced by Paul Worthington. We have just appointed three seasonal coxswains for this summer and I am sure that you will see them out on the water come rain or shine.

6. Looking at some of our other activities:

6.1 The Harbour Authority’s Business Plan and budget for 2010/11 has been agreed by the Harbour Board.

6.2 The Port Marine Safety Code was re-issued in October last year and now includes a requirement for a Safety Plan for Marine Operations which we are in the course of producing.

6.3. In response to proposals by ABP for a major capital dredge in Southampton Water and the Solent, the Harbour Authority, working on behalf of all river users, submitted its views to the Marine & Fisheries Agency . The Harbour Authority is working closely with ABP to ensure that sufficient monitoring and mitigation is provided to protect the interests of the River Hamble and all its users.

6.4 Our statutory Port Waste Management Plan, co-ordinated by the Harbour Authority on behalf of all clubs and marinas on the river ensuring sufficient waste facilities are provided for all river users, has been approved by the MCA. Please continue to inform us of any suggestions you may have regarding provision of waste facilities.

6.5 We continue to ensure that all staff are fully trained to the required level for oil spill response, and that our equipment stocks are maintained.

6.6 Now that the Marine and Coastal Access Act has passed into law, we have been involved in the consultation process and workshop regarding the secondary legislation for the licensing for marine works.

6.7 We have carried out our three yearly navigational safety consultation. As a result of comments received, we have been working to update the dinghy and gig racing risk assessment and Code of Practice. Consultation with the affected Clubs and organisations is ongoing.

7. The flow of applications for Harbour Authority works consent has slowed again this year, probably as a result of the recession, with the following having been processed:

• Several maintenance dredging applications
• Deacons Boatyard – extension to revetment
• Warsash Maritime Academy – capital dredge
• Warsash Sailing Club- pile replacement, Shore House Jetty

8. We have been working on a programme for the Asset Enhancement Reserve, more of which later this evening.

9. Harbour Authority staff have been involved in many routine activities, including:

• The Annual Harbour Master’s Charity Pursuit Race for dinghies took place last year and is scheduled for 10 July this year.
• We continue to work on the safety of the Bursledon Regatta, and for Warsash Sailing Club’s November 5^th celebrations.
• We have worked with the Hamble River Combined Clubs on the preparation of the latest edition of the River Hamble Directory, copies of which are available to take away this evening.
• We have continued with the management of the mid-stream moorings and the moorings Waiting List (on behalf of the Crown Estate). We have also devoted a considerable amount of time assisting the Crown Estate with the management of their winter pile maintenance programme, which starts tomorrow (17 March).

10. On the financial front, we have seen a 1% reduction in the basic rate of Harbour Dues for 2010, which I am sure will be welcome news during these hard financial times. Visitor numbers for last year were again down slightly, but income has been maintained by maximising the use of the visitor berthing facilities during the winter months. I am anticipating a modest surplus at the end of this financial year.

11. There has been a great deal happening on the environmental front:

11.1 The Environment Officer has provided a comprehensive briefing programme for members of the Harbour Board, Management Committee and Select Committee on our statutory environmental responsibilities.

11.2 She continues to run the highly successful Streamlined Consents Group, recognised nationally as an example of best practice. This is a chance for people wishing to undertake works in the marine environment to meet informally with consenting bodies prior to an application being made and marine consents sought.

11.3 She also continues to provide support to the Hamble Estuary Partnership (HEP). The work of the HEP is currently undergoing a review: the original management plan has now expired and members have been setting out their aspirations for the future management of the river that the HEP could help facilitate, and the type of services they wish to receive from the HEP in future. A new independent HEP website is planned.

11.4 Finally, it is worth pointing out that the Harbour Authority is one of many members of the Solent Forum, and that we take a very active role on the Nature Conservation and Recreation Sub-Groups, both of which are important with regard to discussing future policy proposals for the harbour and the wider Solent.

12.Turning to activities on the water:

• Last year we revised the roster arrangements for the patrol officers, to further enhance efficiency and availability. Based on the lessons learned, we have made some further changes for the forthcoming year.
• The ‘no-boating’ area on the Hamble side which was trialled last year was a success and will be re-instated that summer. Consideration is being given to a similar scheme on the Warsash side.
• Initiatives to deal with youths diving and swimming from public jetties continue through our close liaison with local police and PCSOs

13. On a broader front, the Management Committee has considered a report on car and trailer parking in the Hamble and Warsash, and will continue to exert pressure on local authorities to do what they can to improve the situation. Improved facilities for trailer parking have already been put in place on the Warsash side, thanks to close co-operation with Fareham Borough Council.

14. Training and exercises have continued throughout the year to ensure that all staff are trained to react in the event of a real incident. In the last year these have included regular training for man overboard, first aid and firefighting, in addition to the oil spill response training already mentioned .

15.Overall, it has been a year of huge uncertainties, but we have generally been successful in what we do. We have made substantial progress towards resolving some of the more contentious issues which we face, and I hope that we can now look forward to a period of stability when we can concentrate our efforts on keeping the harbour safe for everyone who uses it.

David M Evans
Marine Director and acting Harbour Master
River Hamble Harbour Authority.

Marine Director’s Annual Report

24 March 2009

1. It has been another extremely busy year, with a number of notable successes and some interesting challenges.

2. Once again, I will start my Annual Report with matters of governance:

Firstly, there have been some changes which should further broaden the range of advice available to the Harbour Board to better inform its decision-making. The Chairman of the Hamble Estuary Partnership (currently Dr Steve Fletcher) is now able to provide advice directly to the Board , in order to pass on the views of individual partnership members. And we have two additional members on the Management Committee: David Jobson, representing all berth and mooring holders, and an additional County Councillor, Colin Davidovitz. Both these changes were approved by the County Council last year and have now been fully implemented. The past year has also seen the completion, for now at least, of the work of the Trust Port Study Group, culminating in a meeting between Peter Nicholson, Chairman of the Study Group, and Cllr Ken Thornber, Leader of County Council. The County Council remains firmly of the view that the River Hamble should remain as a Municipal Port and that the current governance arrangements are fit for purpose.

3. We have also instituted a series of ‘Meet the Harbour Board’ evenings where representatives of stakeholder groups can meet with members of the Harbour Board in an informal setting to discuss any concerns which they may have.

4.The Harbour Authority continues its close involvement with the British Ports Association through membership of their Leisure Ports and Municipal Ports working groups, enabling us to keep abreast of new legislation and ensure that we can maximise our influence as a major leisure port and leading municipal port, helping to influence proposals for change, before they happen.

5.Looking beyond governance issues:

5.1 The Harbour Authority’s Strategic Plan has been reviewed and re-affirmed by both the Management Committee and the Harbour Board, and a new Business Plan for 2009/10 has been agreed.

5.2 After a great deal of work, renegotiation of the Crown Estate lease for the Hamble and Warsash jetties, the visitors’ pontoon and the Fishermen’s jetty is almost complete, with a very favourable outcome for the Harbour Authority.

5.3 The flow of applications for Harbour Authority works consent has slowed a little this year, probably as a result of the recession, with the following having been processed:

• Jetty and pontoon at Land’s End House
• Lobster Quay pontoon at Warsash Sailing Club
• Bank stabilisation at Eastlands boatyard
• Additional pontoons at Eastlands boatyard (for which consent was denied by the Harbour Board).
• Jetty and pontoon at Myrtle Cottage
• Changes to the fuel berth at Port Hamble
• Several maintenance dredging applications

5.4 Details of applications for Harbour Authority works consent continue to be routinely posted on the Harbour Authority website, along with an invitation for interested parties to view the plans and contribute to the risk assessment process.

5.5 We have also reviewed and increased the charges for works consent applications, in an effort to ensure that the developer pays an appropriate sum for the work which the Harbour Authority does on his behalf.

6. Harbour Authority staff have been involved in many routine activities, including:

• Two Port Marine Safety Code Audits have been completed since the last Forum, with good results, and the Harbour Master is continually updating the Safety Management System. The Harbour Master will shortly be initiating his three-yearly safety review, to which stakeholders and other interested parties will be invited to contribute.
• We have continued to work closely with the organisers of Hamble Week and the Bursledon Regatta to ensure that these important events are conducted safely.
• We have worked to ensure that dinghy sailing within the River continues safely, by insisting that the Code of Practice is updated annually. All clubs and organisations have now signed up for 2009.
• The Annual Harbour Master’s Charity Pursuit Race for dinghies took place last year and the third will be held on 6 June this year.
• We continue to work on the safety of the three firework displays that have now become annual events – Hamble Week – Bursledon Regatta and Warsash Sailing Club November 5^th celebrations.
• We have worked with the Hamble River Combined Clubs on the preparation of the third edition of the new format River Hamble Directory, copies of which are available this evening.
• We have dealt with numerous requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations, which continues to take up a large amount of staff time.
• We still manage the mid-stream moorings and the moorings Waiting List (on behalf of the Crown Estate). The waiting list is still longer than we would like, but there is little which the Harbour Authority can do to limit demand for moorings, particularly as boat owners look for cheaper mooring solutions during the recession. There have also been changes to the arrangements for sub-lets – now known as temporary licences – designed primarily to protect the interests of the permanent mooring holder, particularly where pontoons are involved. The mooring licence has also been revised and will shortly be re-issued in a smart new folder. We have been working closely with the Crown Estate to achieve this. We also devoted a considerable amount of time assisting the Crown Estate to manage their winter pile maintenance programme.

7. On the financial front, we have seen a below inflation increase in Harbour Dues for 2009 and a reduction in the rate of VAT which has been passed on to River users (although some will not feel the effects until later this year). Visitor numbers for the year were down slightly, although much of this can be attributed to the poor summer weather in 2008. However, income has been maintained by maximising the use of the visitor berthing facilities during the winter months.

8. We have spent a great deal of time dealing with the objection brought by Warsash Sailing Club under section 31 of the Harbours Act. We responded formally in November and are now awaiting a reply from the Department for Transport regarding what they want us to do next.

9. There has been a great deal happening on the environmental front:

9.1 The Harbour Authority and the River Hamble Boat Yard & Marina Operators Association have formed a Dredging Plan Working Group in light of the publication of Defra's Maintenance Dredging Protocol. The government is advocating that Harbour Authorities take the lead in this matter. The Hamble group is chaired by the Assistant Harbour Master (Environment) and will be further developing the River Hamble's Dredging Plan to ensure a balance is maintained between future dredging requirements and environmental protection.

9.2 Also, in response to proposals by ABP for a major capital dredge in Southampton Water and the Solent, the Harbour Authority has just submitted its views to the Marine & Fisheries Agency . The Harbour Authority is working closely with ABP to ensure that sufficient mitigation is provided to protect the interests of the River Hamble and all its users.

9.3 The Environment Officer continues to run the highly successful Streamlined Consents Group, now recognised nationally as an example of best practice. This is a chance for people wishing to undertake works in the marine environment to meet informally with consenting bodies prior to an application being made and marine consents sought. The next meeting will be on 12 May 2009.

9.4 The Environment Officer has also taken advantage of an opportunity this year to enhance relationships with the Marine and Fisheries Agency licensing team by inviting them to visit the River. This was an ideal opportunity to give the MFA a good insight into the issues that surround the Hamble, to the benefit of all who become involved in marine license applications.

9.5 We continue to work on our Port Waste Management Plan. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency recommends that Harbour Authorities should be responsible for acting on behalf of all yards and sailing clubs within their jurisdiction to ensure the requirements of the Merchant Shipping (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003 are met. Our Environment Officer has been working with all yards and clubs to explain the requirements and request the necessary data. She is now preparing the report for submission to the MCA.

9.6 Last year, we set up a new initiative aimed at encouraging boaters to recycle on board. Recycling is now a part of everyone’s day-to-day life at home, but less so when we go boating. The Harbour Authority, together with the local authorities of Eastleigh and Fareham, the Green Blue, Hampshire County Council and the Hamble marinas and boatyards have been working together to improve the facilities provided across the river to enable boat users to dispose of their recyclables more easily.

9.7 Information about what you can recycle and facilities provided throughout the Hamble and Solent is available on our website and is provided in a leaflet that can be kept on board to enable crews to plan where to dispose of recyclable rubbish. The Harbour Authority ran a trial with a number of volunteers from Easter to July last year to see how a variety of people manage recycling on their boats. They kept a monthly blog on our website telling us all how they are getting on, including tips on overcoming the main challenges, such as storage of waste on board.

9.8 The Environment Officer also has a remit for archaeological matters on the River and she has been working on links with a variety of organisations to improve mutual understanding of responsibilities towards maritime archaeology. This liaison has allowed clarification of the statutory remits of each organisation, and agreement on the consultation processes for consent applications in these sensitive areas.

9.9 The Environment Officer provides our support to the Hamble Estuary Partnership (HEP) & Hamble Estuary Management Plan (HEMP). The HEP and HEMP is currently undergoing a review: the original management plan has now expired and members have been setting out their aspirations for the future management of the river that the HEP could help facilitate, and the type of services they wish to receive from the HEP in future. New members have been suggested and potential key projects are being investigated.

9.10 Finally, on the environmental front, it is worth pointing out that the Harbour Authority is one of many members of the Solent Forum, and that we take a very active role on the Nature Conservation and Recreation Sub-Groups, both of which are important with regard to discussing future policy proposals for the harbour and the wider Solent.

10. Turning to activities on the water, we have

• Revised the roster arrangements for the patrol officers, to further enhance efficiency and availability.
• Replaced the old sector lights with much brighter units.
• Moved marker piles at Crableck and Swanwick bends to make the main channel easier to follow, particularly at night.
• Tested and procured Jason’s Cradles for each of the patrol boats, to make it easier to recover casualties from the water.
• Increased efforts to deal with youths diving and swimming from public jetties.
• Launched an information and education programme regarding lifejackets and general safety, to include some new signage on and around the River.
• Completed some essential upgrades to the CCTV system, which now works exactly as intended.

11. Finally, on a broader front

11.1 The Harbour Board has provided advice to Hampshire County Council on the potential impact which gravel extraction from the Hamble airfield site might have on the River.

11.2 We have provided advice to Fareham Borough Council on the difficulties of trailer parking in Warsash, and to Hamble Parish Council on car parking on the Donkey Derby field.

11.3 We have had the path to the Harbour Office completely resurfaced to remove a number of trip hazards (paid for, incidentally, by the County Council, not the Harbour budget.)

11.4 In September, we successfully prosecuted the master of a vessel caught speeding on the River. He was fined £460 plus £2000 costs. This was widely publicised and should act as a considerable deterrent.

11.5 We ran two significant public consultations during the year – one on proposed Works Consent Policies and one on a proposal to install safety ladders on pontoons. The results of both consultations were taken fully into account by the Harbour Board before they made their decisions.

12. Training and exercises have continued throughout the year to ensure that all staff and relevant stakeholders are trained to react in the event of a real incident. In the last year these have included training regarding oil spill response, man overboard, fire-fighting and first aid.

13 .Lastly, Patrol Officer Richard Lawton has left us to join the team at Whitby and Scarborough. He will be a considerable loss to our organisation and I am sure that his good humour and helpful attitude will be much missed by River users.

14. So, overall, it has been another interesting and rewarding year. I feel that we are making real progress towards resolving some of the more contentious issues which we face, and I suspect that others will surface during the coming year.

Marine Director’s Annual Report 2008

25 March 2008

The last 12 months have been very busy indeed, dominated in many ways by the on-going debate on the governance arrangements for the River:

Hampshire County Council initiated a governance review last year and it was carried out by independent consultants Royal Haskoning UK Ltd. This was a light touch review, intended to enhance our compliance with the recommendations of the Municipal Ports Review and to make suggestions to ensure that the governance structure works as intended.

The outcome has been debated by the Management Committee and Harbour Board and the recommendations have been refined as a result. The recommendations of the River Hamble Trust Ports Steering Group, under the Chairmanship of Peter Nicholson, were also taken into account. We are currently awaiting the County Council’s final decision on the way forward.

One significant recommendation which is being considered is an enhanced role for the Hamble Estuary Partnership.

In addition to governance issues:

Further work has been done on strategic planning for the Harbour Authority, including budgeting for a reserve fund for the replacement of capital assets when they reach the end of their life. Board members are currently considering options for the enhancement of facilities on the River, although this work is still at an early stage.

The Management Agreement with the Crown Estate has been successfully renegotiated – this is the document which gives the Harbour Master the necessary powers to manage the Crown Estate mid-stream moorings, the waiting list and sub-letting arrangements. We have also been renegotiating the lease under which we rent the sites of the Hamble and Warsash jetties, the Fishermen’s jetty and the Visitors’ Pontoon from the Crown Estate. Negotiations are now almost complete.

We have been busy processing applications for Harbour Authority works consent:

• Swanwick Marina
• The high-level jetty at Universal marina
• A revised scheme for Stone Pier Yard
• Works on the M27 bridge
• Proposed jetties at Parsons Plot and Myrtle Cottage (both in Bursledon)
• Additional works at Eastland’s Boatyard
• Warsash SC – Lobster Quay pontoon
• Maintenance dredging licences

Details of all applications for Harbour Authority works consent are now routinely posted on the Harbour Authority website, along with an invitation for interested parties to view the plans and contribute to the risk assessment process.

We have also developed and published a set of standard procedures for dealing with works consents applications and introduced delegated powers for dealing with simple applications. Work on a set of formal works consent policies is currently underway.

Our website has been completely re-designed this year and now contains much more useful information, in a far more logical structure.

Harbour Authority staff have been involved in a number of other initiatives:

• The Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) has been working on a strategy for the Green Infrastructure of the region and the Harbour Authority has been involved in the process throughout, to ensure that the strategy takes due account of the needs of the River and its users.
• Close involvement with the British Ports Association through membership of their Leisure Ports and Regional Ports working groups enables us to keep abreast of new legislation and ensure that we can maximise our influence as a major leisure port.
• We have continued to work closely with the organising committees of Hamble Week and the Bursledon Regatta to ensure that these important events are conducted safely.
• We have worked to ensure that dinghy sailing within the River continues safely, by insisting that the Code of Practice is updated annually. All clubs and organisations have now signed up for 2008.
• The first Annual Harbour Master’s Charity Pursuit Race for dinghies took place last year and the second will be held on the last day of Hamble Week, Sunday 6 July .
• We continue to work on the safety of the three firework displays that have now become annual events – Hamble Week – Bursledon Regatta and Warsash Sailing Club November 5th celebrations.
• Two Port Marine Safety Code Audits have been completed since the last Forum with good results and the Harbour Master is continually updating the Safety Management System. He is always open to suggestions on how to improve navigational safety throughout the River. The Harbour Authority Website now allows for your comments or ideas to be sent online but we also welcome personal visits to discuss any points you might wish to raise.
• We have worked with the Hamble River Combined Clubs on the preparation of the second edition of the new-style River Hamble Directory.
• We have dealt with numerous requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations, which continues to take up a large amount of staff time.
• We have continued to manage the mid-stream moorings and the moorings Waiting List (on behalf of the Crown Estate). The waiting list is still longer than we would like, but there is little which the Harbour Authority can do to limit demand for moorings. The number of moorings being sub-let through the Harbour Office continues to increase and this helps to ensure optimum usage of valuable moorings.

Supervision Charges were amalgamated into Harbour Dues at the beginning of last year and, since then, a working group of the Management Committee has carried out a review of the differential between the various rates of Harbour Dues. This has resulted in a phased reduction in the differential between the rates of Harbour Dues charged for mid-stream moorings and marinas.

Visitor numbers for the year were down slightly, although much of this can be attributed to the poor summer weather in 2007. The Board is looking at ways to improve the experience of visitors to the River Hamble, and would welcome constructive suggestions from River users.

This year, we have set up a new initiative aimed at encouraging boaters to recycle on board. Recycling is now a part of everyone’s day-to-day life at home, but less so when we go boating. The Harbour Authority, together with the local authorities of Eastleigh and Fareham, the Green Blue, Hampshire County Council and the Hamble marinas and boatyards have been working together to improve the facilities provided across the river to enable boat users to dispose of their recyclables more easily.

Information about what you can recycle and facilities provided throughout the Hamble and Solent is available on our website and will soon also be provided in a leaflet that can be kept on board to enable crews to plan where to dispose of recyclable rubbish.

The Harbour Authority is running a trial with 8 volunteers from Easter to July this year to see how a variety of people manage recycling on their boats. They will keep a monthly blog on our website telling us all how they are getting on, including tips on overcoming the main challenges, such as storage of waste on board.

The River Hamble Harbour Oil Spill Contingency Plan is a statutory requirement. Keeping it up to date is the responsibility of the River Hamble Harbour Authority. This plan has just undergone a 5-yearly review in line with the Regulations, and was approved by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency in July 2007. It is now valid until July 2012.

The Assistant Harbour Master (Environment) attended an Oil Spill Management Course in July to ensure that she was properly trained in reviewing of the Oil Spill Contingency Plan, planning of an exercise and responding appropriately in an actual incident.

In September, an Oil Spill Contingency Exercise took place at Warsash, organised by the Harbour Office and Oil Spill Response Limited. The exercise was designed to confirm the Harbour Authority contingency plan, ensure that Harbour Authority staff are familiar with the plan, to test the response of Harbour Authority’s oil spill response contractors and to complete the three yearly deployment exercise required by legislation.

Finally, we have appointed an additional member of staff (Brett Winslade) who provides weekend cover in the Harbour Office for 36 weekends of the year – existing staff cover the remaining weekends.

So, overall, it has been a busy, challenging, rewarding and occasionally frustrating year, but we have made considerable progress on many fronts. However, we are under no illusions – there is still a lot to do and we would welcome your suggestions on how we could do even better.

Marine Director’s Annual Report 2007

27 March 2007

The Harbour Authority, under the guidance of the Harbour Board, continues to deliver against its mission and primary tasks, which are:

to ensure compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code. This is independently audited every six-months and consistently scored very highly indeed. Our aim is to ensure that the Harbour is safe for everyone who uses it.

to ensure the environmental protection of the harbour which has several important environmental designations: SSSI, Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation. Environmental protection includes oil and chemical spill response and the provision of facilities for the disposal of waste and debris.

The Harbour Authority is funded almost entirely from Harbour Dues and visitors fees, plus a small income from other services such as consents, boat licensing and towage. The Harbour Authority continues to pay Hampshire County Council for some services, such as legal advice and IT support. We receive no subsidies from Council Tax, nor do we provide any income to the County Council.

The last 12 months have been very busy indeed:

The highlight was last week, when the Harbour Authority was awarded ‘Leading Lights’ status by the Department for Transport. I received the award, on behalf of the Harbour Authority, from Minister of State for Transport, Dr Stephen Ladyman. This is a new award for municipal ports to acknowledge those which have done most to meet the requirements of the Municipal Ports Review and implement its recommendations. The River Hamble is one of the first three harbours to receive the award, the others being Workington and Whitstable.

In parallel with this considerable achievement, Hampshire County Council have initiated a Governance Review, as promised, by independent consultants Royal Haskoning UK Ltd, which should be complete by the end of April. This is a light touch review, intended to enhance our compliance with the recommendations of the Municipal Ports Review and to make suggestions to ensure that the governance structure works as intended.

The Governance Review will also take into account the recommendations of the River Hamble Trust Ports Steering Group, under the Chairmanship of Peter Nicholson.

We also acknowledge that we have had some problems. For example, the local government Code of Conduct, as it applies to members of the Harbour Board, has caused some difficulties where several members are unable to vote on certain issues due to having a prejudicial financial interest by virtue of being mooring holders. We are working on ways to minimise the impact of this anomaly as soon as possible.

In addition:

A great deal of work has been done on strategic planning for the harbour Authority, including budgeting for replacement of capital assets, the results of which will be considered by the Harbour Board in May.

We have been closely involved with the Hamble Estuary Partnership in their work to review and update the Estuary Management Plan, the current version of which expires next year.

We have processed a number of complex applications for Harbour Board works consent, including:

• Hamble Yacht Services
• Royal Southern Yacht Club
• ‘Dry-stack’ at Hamble Point
• Pontooning of visitor piles

Details of all applications for Harbour Authority works consent are now routinely posted on the Harbour Authority website.

We have responded to Defra’s Marine Bill consultation. Work has now started on constructing our response to the Marine Bill White Paper issued on 15 March this year. We have also responded to Defra’s Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) consultation and are working on our response to a consultation on the Oil Spill Treatment Products Approval Scheme. We have provided input to the Department for Transport’s consultations on their Ports Policy Review and Small Ports Review. We have also continued our close involvement with the British Ports Association through membership of their Leisure Ports, Municipal Ports and Regional Ports working groups.

The Harbour Master has conducted a wide-ranging public consultation on safety matters on the River and a significant number of changes have been approved by the Harbour Board and implemented as a result. Examples include improvements to the navigation marks on Mercury bend.

Supervision Charges have been amalgamated into Harbour Dues with effect from 1 January 2007, with lower rates of Harbour Dues for marina berth-holders and those on swinging moorings. A review of the differential between the various rates is currently being conducted by a working group of the Management Committee.

Harbour Dues for canoes, kayaks and other vessels not powered by sails or engines have been placed in abeyance, to be reviewed in three years time.

We have continued managing the mid-stream moorings and the moorings Waiting List (on behalf of the Crown Estate). This is now running much more smoothly under the new Moorings Management Agreement with the Crown Estate. The waiting list is still too long, but there is little which the Harbour Authority can do to limit demand for moorings – the solution, if there is one, is in the hands of The Crown Estate. The number of moorings being sub-let through the Harbour Office has also increased dramatically.

The Visitor Strategy has been fully implemented, reducing the number of visitor berths slightly, in favour of permanent berths for those on the waiting list. We are still looking at ways to improve the experience of visitors to the River Hamble, and would welcome constructive suggestions from River users.

A working group was established by the Management Committee to look into the moorings capacity of the River and has reported its findings. There is to be no change for the time being, but there is considerably more work still to be done on this complex issue.

The Fisherman’s Jetty has been completed and is providing a popular additional facility for the public, even though that was not its primary purpose.

The replacement of the Harbour Master’s Jetty in Warsash has been completed, on time and slightly under budget, and now has electricity for visiting yachts and a new sewage pump.

The marking of the main channel off Warsash has been improved with four new starboard hand lateral marks.

We have worked with the Hamble River Combined Clubs over the preparation of a new, much improved, River Hamble Directory.

We have responded as fully as the law allows to a total of eight requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations.

We have consulted on the arrangements for berthing tenders on the Hamble and Warsash Jetties. As a result, the ballot to allocate the moorings for the next 12 months will be held later on this evening. We also want to encourage River users to make more use of the River Taxi – its hours of operation can only be extended if more people make use of the service to ensure that it remains financially viable.

And, finally, a change in our staff. The Assistant Harbour Master (Environment), Emma Beagley, left the Harbour Office staff in February to take up an appointment with a firm of consultants. Her replacement, Alison Crang, has been appointed and is due to start work in May.

Last year I ended with a question – with the benefit of a year to think about it, I will ask again, in the hope of getting an answer:

Is there scope for greater cooperation between stakeholders, in order to develop constructive ideas for the benefit of all River users?