Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual (MS Teams)

Contact: Marie Bartlett  Email: democratic.services@iow.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

27.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 127 KB

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2020.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2020 be confirmed.

28.

Declarations of Interest

To invite Members to declare any interest they might have in the matters on the agenda.

Minutes:

Councillor Graham Perks declared an interest as he was the Local Member for Ventnor Harbour.

29.

Public Question Time - 15 Minutes Maximum

Questions must be put including the name and address of the questioner by delivery in writing or by electronic mail to Democratic Services at democratic.services@iow.gov.uk, no later than two clear working days before the start of the meeting. Therefore the deadline for written questions will be Friday, 12 March 2021.

 

Minutes:

No public questions were received.

30.

Finance Reports pdf icon PDF 291 KB

To receive the finance reports for Newport and Ventnor Harbours.

Minutes:

There had been a reduction in berthing fee income at Newport Harbour on previous years due to Covid-19; Ventnor Harbour is a smaller harbour and there was a comparatively smaller overspend predicted.

 

The Harbour Revision Order would enable officers to look at leasing of buildings and maximise annual income, valuations were being sought on properties and leases were due to expire over the next calendar year.

 

Clarification regarding the contract for seaweed removal at Ventnor Harbour was given that the contract was two years and would expire on 31 March 2022.

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the finance reports be noted.

31.

Report of the Senior Harbour Master

31a

Get well Plan pdf icon PDF 130 KB

Minutes:

The senior Harbour Master advised that work had progressed since the agreement of the Harbour Revision Order had been received. Draft general directions had been produced and once legal had agreed them they would be circulated to the committee and Newport Harbour User group for comment prior to general consultation.

 

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the get well plan be noted.

31b

Senior Harbour Master Report pdf icon PDF 613 KB

Minutes:

The Senior Harbour Master advised the Committee that the main risk to the harbour was Covid-19 restrictions, staff had been furloughed from 12 January 2021, daily checks had been continued by the Senior Harbour Master. The Committee had received training from Marico.

 

Concern was raised regarding an incident that happened on Newport Quay where someone had fallen into the river and asked if safety railings could be installed to prevent this from happening again. Officers advised that they had not received full reports regarding the incident and believed that this could be due to the increased level of use around the riverside centre being used as a vaccine centre.

 

Questions were raised regarding the potential of Ventnor Harbour and if further investigation into the seaweed issue were being looked at, the committee were advised that the seaweed issue had been ongoing since it was built, and it was believed that significant investment was needed or grant funding, officers agreed to provide the local member with updates regarding this issue.

 

The Committee were informed that dredging in Newport harbour would commence from Monday, 29 March 2021 for up to ten weeks, this would remove silt and improve the channel depth from Medina Way to the Premier Inn.

 

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the Senior Harbour Master report be noted.

32.

Harbour Authority Activities Annual Report 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 181 KB

To receive and approve the annual reports for Newport and Ventnor to be submitted to the Department for Transport.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods advised the Committee that this was an annual report for both Newport and Ventnor harbours. There were a couple of incorrect dates contained within the report, paragraph 11 should read 1 July – 11 August and paragraph 15 should read March 2020.

 

The reports showed previous activity up to March 2020 and had been approved by the Council’s auditors. The Committee asked that the name of Ventnor harbour be consistent through the report in future years.

 

Questions regarding the increase showed in the finance for Ventnor Harbour, officers advised that this was due to renegotiation of contracts and details would be provided to the Committee regarding this.

 

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the annual reports set out in appendices 1 and 2 be approved and submitted to the DfT.

33.

Harbour Revision Order

To receive an oral update from the Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods.

Minutes:

The Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods advised that the Harbour Revision Order came into force on 10 March 2021, officers thanked the team for their perseverance on this matter.

 

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the Harbour Revision Order be noted.

34.

Newport Harbour Masterplan

To receive a verbal update from the Director for Regeneration.

Minutes:

The Director for Regeneration advised the Committee that receiving the Harbour Revision Order (HRO) was a significant milestone, and thanked officers for their part in achieving this. The HRO would enable the opportunity to grant leases and attract funding from government. Flood risk assessment advised by the Environment Agency had commenced and a report expected in April 2021, this would enable the masterplan to become a supplementary planning document.

 

Levelling up funding connected with projects that would begin during this financial year, these were few and an ongoing schedule of improvements to the harbour walls and potential opportunity to bid for funding for this if it can be started in this financial year.

 

The masterplan was in three phases, one to five years identified individual sites and necessary infrastructure improvements, years 6 to 10 and then 10 to 15 years.

 

RESOLVED:

 

THAT the Committee be given an informal briefing on the scheme.

 

THAT the Newport Harbour Masterplan be noted.

35.

Members' Question Time

A question must be submitted in writing or by electronic mail to Democratic Services no later than 2pm on Monday, 15 March 2021.

Minutes:

There were no Member questions received.