MALDON HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONERS
Printable pdf Minutes of Ordinary Meeting 12 August 2025
Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Commissioners, Tuesday, 12 August 2025 at 7.00 pm.
PRESENT:
David Patient (Chairman)
P Ellum (Vice Chairman)
Dave Hansford (Treasurer)
C Anderson
M Chapman
John Dines
A Fluker
A Wiseman
7 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from N Cardy, Jim Dines, N Harrisson, C Swann, C Wilson.
8 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST
There were none, other than those declared during the meeting.
9 MINUTES – ORDINARY MEETING AND ANNUAL MEETING 17 JUNE 2025
The Minutes of the Ordinary and Annual Meetings held on 17 June 2025 were formally received. The Minutes were AGREED.
10 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE ORDINARY MEETING AND ANNUAL MEETING 17 JUNE 2025
There were none.
11 CLERK’S REPORT
Item 1. Commercial Harbour Dues Options. Commercial operators had been contacted and Option choices ie pax or tonnage had been established. All operators had stayed with their previous choice.
Item 2. Trinity House Inspection. Following their inspection on 8 July 2025, Trinity House confirmed the aids to navigation were in good and efficient order.
Item 3. MDC Liaison Meeting. The next meeting will Wednesday, 17 September 2025 at 1400 hrs.
Item 4 Walk at Northey. The walk led by Katy Gilchrist, National Trust, on 9 July 2025 was attended by 15 people including Commissioners and their contacts, MDC Officers and Cllr Andrew Lay.
12 TREASURER’S REPORT
2025 accounts approved by Lambert Chapman – Chartered Accountants
No outstanding invoices for payment.
£435.00 spent to date on navigation maintenance
Bank Account stands at –
Community Account £3965.53
Business Account £13548.63
Total £17514.16
Figures include Salary and tax payments
There was vote of thanks to the Treasurer for his work.
13 HARBOUR MAINTENANCE AND STATE OF BUOYS
A buoy inspection was due shortly (Thursday, 28 August 2025). There have been no reported faults with the buoys since the last buoy report.
There was a vote of thanks to John Dines for his work with the buoys.
14 BLACKWATER SAILING CLUB BUOY, HERRING POINT
Email from Joe Bird, Rear Commodore, BSC
“We’d like to place a yellow race mark somewhere in the vicinity of Herring Point, outside the main channel, on the Northey side of the river, in as deep water as possible. If you use What3Words, the location would be ///think.outs.constrain. Lat/Long would be 51.72278° N, 0.70860° E”.
The co-ordinates had been checked by P Ellum and a follow up email would be sent to Joe Bird.
15 REPORT BACK FROM MALDON DISTRICT COUNCIL LIAISON MEETING
D Patient read out the Notes of the MHIC/MDC Liaison meeting of 17 June 2025, especially noting wreck removal.
A Fluker had notes from D Spring regarding further testing of silt for contaminants which shows some concerning results. D Spring had said that dredging would not commence for some while. P Ellum reviewed his findings on PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) which he had delivered to the Liaison meeting. A Fluker stated that MDC were going to have a stakeholder meeting. The Clerk would contact D Spring to ensure Commissioners were included as statutory consultees.
D Hansford asked if MDC had asked their Consultants for clarification. P Ellum had drafted a letter that MDC could use to initiate discussion with NT. The Clerk would follow up with D Spring.
16 SILTATION STEERING GROUP
D Patient reviewed the situation which was that the Environment Agency proposed that the Siltation Steering Group would continue on an ad hoc basis. The Clerk would prepare a letter to MP Sir John Whittingdale to inform him of this and asking for his support in moving forward with discussion with the EA.
17 DREDGING AND WRECK REMOVAL
N Cardy reported that there are still 8 more barge loads of stones to complete the base for the lighters at Northey Bird Island which should be completed in the next 2 weeks. It is hoped to place lighters at Northey in September.
MDC had removed wrecks to be broken up. Another abandoned boat has been anchored in the Back Channel since MHIC’s last meeting.
18 MARINE MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION
An email had been received from Marie Canny, MMO:-
The Marine Planning Team at the MMO are currently reaching out to stakeholders involved in the ports & harbours sector to discuss the spatial data and activities of port and harbour authorities. In particular, we are interested in gathering information regarding dredge & disposal activity within port & harbour limits, as well as the spatial boundaries for Statutory Harbour Authorities.
In response, the Clerk had contacted Marie Canny. The Maldon Dredge Protocol 2025 would be sent to her.
19 NON-COMMERCIAL HARBOUR DUES
D Patient visited contributors. Jim Dines (Downs Road yard) and N Cardy (Landbreach) would contribute as per 2024. C Swann (CRS Marine) had also offered to contribute. A Riva at Maldon Chandlery Yard had asked for a summary of the work and costs of MHIC. D Patient would liaise.
20 MALDON TRIATHLON, SUNDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2025
As last year, John Dines would supply a RIB with D Patient accompanying. There is a flag identifying MHIC and yellow flashing lights. Active Training would be invoiced the same amount as last year.
21 MHIC EMERGENCY PHONE
This was still with C Anderson. No calls had been received.
22 INSTAGRAM
M Chapman reported 411 followers (previous meeting 378), made up of coastal organisations and individuals.
23 WEB CAMS
This is on-going.
24 URGENT ITEMS OF BUSINESS
Item a) N Cardy reported that the pontoon wreck which was burying itself in the mud has been brought to the attention of MDC. The Clerk would remind D Spring and N Harmer.
Item b) A Fluker reported that the new owner of The Smokehouse, Cromwell Lane, had written to the Crown Agents regarding buoys outside the premises. A Fluker and P Ellum would inform him that it is not part of the MHIC jurisdiction.
Item c) The Clerk proposed a date for the 2026 Joint River Users and Safety Meeting of Tuesday, 3 March 2026 (no MDC meetings show on the calendar for that date) and would go ahead with arrangements.