Meeting documents

Weymouth & Portland Harbour Management Board
Wednesday, 20th March, 2019 2.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber - Weymouth & Portland Borough Council. View directions

Contact: Elaine Tibble 01305 838223  Email: etibble@dorset.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

40.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Members are required to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and the Council’s Code of Conduct regarding disclosable pecuniary and other interests.

 

Check if there is an item of business on this agenda in which the member or other relevant person has a disclosable pecuniary or the disclosable interest.

 

Check that the interest has been notified to the Monitoring Officer (in writing) and entered in the Register (if not this must be done within 28 days).

 

 Disclose the interest at the meeting (in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct) and in the absence of dispensation to speck and/or vote, withdraw from any consideration of the item where appropriate.  If the interest is non-pecuniary you may be able to stay in the room, take part and vote.

 

For further advice please contact Rob Firth, Monitoring Officer, in advance of the meeting.

 

 

Minutes:

Steve Pitman declared an interest as a member of Weymouth Sailing Club.

41.

URGENT BUSINESS

To consider any items of business which the Chair has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be specified in the minutes.

 

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.

42.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 99 KB

To approve the minutes of the meetings of 5 December 2018 (already circulated)

 

To receive the minutes of the Harbour Consultative Group meeting of 19 February 2019

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2018 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

 

The Chair of the Harbour Consultative Group presented the minutes of the meeting of 19 February 2019.  He re-iterated the enthusiasm of the group to continue meeting in the current form.  The Harbour Master advised that the PMSC stated that there should be a Consultative Group.

 

43.

HARBOUR MASTER UPDATE/PMSC ISSUES pdf icon PDF 108 KB

To consider the ongoing activity of the Harbour Office and any Port Marine Safety Code issues

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Harbour Master presented his update, standing items and PMSC issues report, including an Engineering update and Fisher report update.

 

With regard to the harbour walls, it was noted that an exempt report had been taken to Management Committee.  Members asked it there was a mechanism to present the report to the Harbour Board, if necessary taking out the financial information.

 

With regard to Local Government Review, the Head of Economy, Leisure and Tourism advised that the Corporate Director Legal and Democratic was satisfied that from a legal point of view an interim Duty Holder arrangement could be put in place to cover the period from 1st April 2019 until after the elections in May if necessary.

 

Cllr Huckle would contact the Corporate Director Legal and Democratic and ask him to explain this process and circulate the information to the other Board members. 

 

The Harbour Master was working to ensure that the Harbour Consultative Group was recognised as a Council committee with a formalised agenda and status.

 

Karen Brain announced that regretfully she would be standing down as an Independent Member on the Board.  The Chair thanked her and the other three Independent Members for their years of service to the Board.

 

Members discussed the North Quay site and their wish to see parking included in the plans and it was important to ensure officers were fully aware of this.  The three remaining Independent Members were asked to keep this thought upper most on the table as it was unknown at this stage which councillors would be on the new Harbours Committee.  Parking for the harbour users was vital.

 

Head of Economy, Leisure and Tourism responded to concerns regarding the structure of the new Harbours Committee and advised that the Constitution allowed for 6 councillors and 4 independents.  It was envisaged that the three harbours would work more closely under the new Unitary Authority.

 

The new Harbours Committee would be the Duty Holder, not the Council, and it was hoped to have three consultative groups which would include input from the town councils.

44.

BUDGET MONITORING pdf icon PDF 102 KB

To provide an update of the latest financial forecast for the current year.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Weymouth Harbour Finance and Admin Manager presented the Harbour Budget Monitoring Budget Report for 2018/19.

 

The budget figures were better than expected and in line with year end predictions.

 

It would be decided by the end of April which Asset Management Plan items would roll over to the new financial year.

 

It was proposed by Cllr Farquharson, seconded by Cllr Wheller.

 

Decision:

 

The committee noted the harbour budget was predicted to return a year end surplus of £112,856.

 

The committee noted the predicted year end position of the Harbour Reserve of £1,093,441 of which £977,803 was allocated to the Asset Management Plan

 

45.

WEYMOUTH HARBOUR FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS pdf icon PDF 84 KB

This report captures the key points of a review of financial management of Weymouth Harbour post recent Harbour Revision Order work. 

 

Minutes:

The Harbour Master presented the information report regarding Weymouth Harbour Financial Considerations.  The report captured the key points of a review of financial management of Weymouth Harbour post recent Harbour Revision Order work.   This report would act as a handover document from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to the new Unitary Authority which would be responsible for the harbour.

 

Legally, the three individual harbours within the new Authority, must have their own budget and Harbour Revision Order.  Members wanted to ensure there would be no ambiguity in this area.

 

In relation to the Peninsular Development, this would be passed to the new Authority to drive forward.  Steve Pitman registered his concern that the harbour may get left with the loan liability.  Officers advised that the new Harbours Committee would regulate and closely examine finances, in addition reports stated that any borrowing would be subject to a viable business plan.

 

£250,000 of harbour reserves had been committed to demolish the old ferry terminal building but that would be re-cooperated through car parking income from the land.  The figure had not been included in the budget monitoring report.

 

Decision: that the board noted the contents of the report.

46.

PORT MARINE SAFETY CODE (PMSC) pdf icon PDF 79 KB

This report outlines the 12 monthly review of Weymouth Harbour including the current status of compliance with the principles of the Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC) and advises members of the Full Council as Duty Holders of any relevant information during the period. This report covers the period of February 2018 to February 2019.

Minutes:

The Health, Safety and Welfare Officer presented the twelve-monthly Review of Compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC).  The report outlined the 12 month review of Weymouth Harbour including the current status of compliance with the principles of the PMSC.

 

He was pleased to report that he had made compliance visits every 6-8 weeks to the Harbour Master and the Harbour Office, and he confirmed full compliance with the PMSC.  There had been considerable improvement over the last 5 years which was merited to the Harbour Master and his team.

 

Policies and procedures were still yet to be formed for risk safety management in the new Authority, Officers would need to act quickly as they came to fruition.

 

Accidents and incidents were reported on page 47 of the agenda, in general the harbour was in good shape.

 

There was an update regarding the rail tracks.  DCC had committed £1m to highway improvement and were in talks with Network Rail to agree some contribution to remove the rails later in the year after the summer season.

 

Members expressed concern over the potential loss of knowledgeable staff as part of LGR and sought assurance that the harbour knowledge would be retained.   The Health, Safety and Welfare Officer suggested that it may be an option to rotate the designated H & S person.

 

Proposed by Cllr Farquharson, seconded by Cllr Wheller

 

Decision: That due to Local Government Review and the change of ownership to Dorset Council, the report would not be presented to the current Duty Holder but would act as a handover document from Weymouth & Portland Borough Council.

47.

POINTS/QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS

To discuss any concerns or issues raised by Board Members.

Minutes:

There were no points or questions from Board Members.

48.

WORKPLAN pdf icon PDF 79 KB

To receive the HMB workplan

Minutes:

Members noted the committee workplan. The governance of Weymouth Harbour would transfer to the Unitary Dorset Council on 1st April 2019.  Until the structure of that governance had been decided and confirmed, the workplan and titles would remain the same as the existing structure.  Dates to be confirmed were on the workplan and the Harbour Master would organise Harbour Consultative Group meetings to fit in with these.

49.

Chair's Closing Remarks pdf icon PDF 42 KB

Minutes:

The Harbour Management Board (HMB) would like to note the current good state of operation of Weymouth Harbour as its governance is passed to Dorset Council on 1 April 2019.

 

In respect to the achievement of this position, HMB would like to express its thanks and appreciation to the Harbour Master and everyone in the harbour team for their service. HMB would also like to express its thanks and appreciation to the councillors and independent members, past and present, who have served on HMB.

 

Furthermore, HMB would like to extend its best wishes to those who will take over custodianship of Weymouth Harbour within the new governance arrangements under Dorset Council. HMB hopes the new structure will continue to recognise the unique and vital contribution the harbour makes to the overall economic success of Weymouth, as well as its role in shaping the identity and cultural life of the community.  

 

Finally, HMB would like the new governance structure to note that there has been growing enthusiasm within HMB and across the town for Weymouth Harbour to eventually become a Trust Port so that the harbour’s operation will continue to serve and be guided by the community, while gaining greater independence of action. HMB would encourage the new governance structure to give this possible future due consideration when formulating its plans.  ?

 

Cllr J Farquharson

Chair HMB

 

The Chair thanked Officers and Board Members and a vote of thanks was given to the Chair.

50.

EXEMPT BUSINESS

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following

item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the

meaning of paragraph X of schedule 12A to the Local Government Act

1972 (as amended)

 

There are no exempt items

Minutes:

There was no exempt business.