MALDON HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONERS
Printable pdf Minutes of Ordinary Meeting 17 June 25
MINUTES –ORDINARY MEETING, Tuesday, 17 June 2025 at 7.00 pm.
PRESENT:
David Patient (Chairman)
P Ellum (Vice Chairman)
Dave Hansford (Treasurer)
C Anderson
N Cardy
M Chapman
John Dines
N Harrisson
C Swann
A Wiseman
83 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Jim Dines, A Fluker, C Wilson.
84 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST
There were none, other than those declared during the meeting.
85 MINUTES – ORDINARY MEETING 29 April 2025
The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 29 April 2025 were formally received. The Minutes were AGREED with minor correction to Minute 78.
86 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE ORDINARY MEETING 29 April 2025
Minute 72 (29 April 2025) – C Swann would ask Blackwater Sailing Club for the location of their proposed new buoy.
87 CLERK’S REPORT
Item 1. Maldon District Council Liaison Meeting. Daren Spring at MDC had provided a list of suggested dates:- Thursday, 19 June 2025, Wednesday, 17 September 2025, Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Item 2. Visit to Northey. Katy Gilchrist, National Trust, had suggested the following dates with a 6 pm start:- Monday, 7 July 2025, Wednesday, 9 July 2025, Thursday, 10 July 2025, Wednesday, 23 July 2025, Thursday, 24 July 2025. Katy needed to know approximate numbers and would consider parking implications.
Item 3. Trinity House Inspection, 8 July 2025. Trinity House would be carrying out an inspection of aids to navigation on Tuesday, 8 July 2025. They required a name and contact number for that day.
Item 4. Maldon Triathlon. Sunday, 21 September 2025, 1210 – 1325. Active Training had requested a support boat.
Item 5. Maldon Regatta. The date was confirmed as Saturday, 27 September 2025.
88 TREASURER’S REPORT
The end of year Accounts for 2025 had been submitted to the Auditor and circulated to the Commissioners. The surplus for the year was £3227 compared to £559 the previous year and a balance of £15425.
The Community Account stood at £4390 as at 12 June 2025 and Business Account stood at £13948, making a total of £18338.
Clerk’s remuneration had been increased as agreed by the Commissioners.
The Treasurer had responded to the Pensions Regulator’s declaration of compliance. No further action was required
89 HARBOUR MAINTENANCE AND BUOY REPORT
John Dines reported that there was nothing further to add to the report at the previous meeting.
The next inspection was due on Monday, 23 June 2025. It was proposed to lift buoys and clean bottoms with the pressure washer. He suggested that the Contractor add in extra time for this as cleaning takes longer, ie add 2 hours to the invoice. Commissioners concurred.
No 10 buoy – had been cleaned and more bird scarers added.
90 SILTATION COMMITTEE
D Patient reported on the email response (19 May 2025) from the Environment Agency (Tim Poulding) regarding chairing meetings of the Blackwater Estuary Siltation Steering Group, “ . . . we feel that this requirement may no longer be necessary . . . “ “ . . . would encourage the continuation of these meetings although with ESW chairing . . . “
D Patient then read out MHIC’s email to Afsaneh Janbakhsh, (12 June 2025) ESW, outlining the situation and asking her views on continuing on an ad hoc basis but “ . . . it is essential that all parties maintain good communications in order to monitor and record activities.”
There was discussion. N Harrisson and N Cardy expressed concerns as to whether the EA should be allowed to drop the Siltation Group. N Harrisson suggested a further letter be sent to Afsaneh Janbakhsh, ESW, emphasising that the email of 12 June 2025 is without prejudice to the EA undertaking their responsibilities. This was AGREED.
91 DREDGING
Further tests had been undertaken at the Quay around the barges. The results were pending. Also, further testing had been carried out in the normal area of dredging.
P Ellum reviewed the report on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.(PAHs). He had researched PAHs which occur commonly. The findings in the Harbour are slightly above average. He considered that Commissioners should be asking further questions about the results with Maldon District Council, the National Trust and the consultants. The matter would be raised at the forthcoming MDC Liaison meeting.
N Cardy outlined the dredging programme. 14 -15 more loads were expected. He explained that deeper water was developing away from the Channel behind No 10 buoy.
92 COMMERCIAL HARBOUR DUES – 3-yearly review of operators’ choices, pax or tonnage
A letter would go out to Commercial Operators to establish whether they wanted to change their Option for the 3-year period.
93 NON-COMMERCIAL HARBOUR DUES
As last year, D Patient would personally take a letter to the Non-Commercial contributors.
94 FORTHCOMING MALDON DISTRICT COUNCIL LIAISON MEETING 19 June 2025
N Cardy stated that MDC had asked Landbreach to remove 5 wrecks. There was only one left opposite the Quay.
95 TRINITY HOUSE INSPECTION 8 July 2025
John Dines would be the nominated contact.
96 MHIC EMERGENCY PHONE
This was still with C Anderson. No calls had been received.
97 INSTAGRAM
M Chapman reported 378 followers (previous meeting 357).
98 WEB CAMS
This would be followed through at the next meeting.
99 URGENT ITEMS OF BUSINESS
Item a) Northey visit – this was being arranged. The Clerk was liaising with Katy Gilchrist, NT.
Item b) N Cardy reported that the boat (Minute 54, 25 February 2025, and Minute 72, 29 April 2025) had sunk. This matter would be raised at the MDC Liaison meeting.
Item c) N Cardy stated that C Swann would ask H Swann to deal with abandoned supermarket trolleys.
Printable pdf Minutes of Annual Meeting 17 June 2025
Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Commissioners, Tuesday, 17 June 2025 at 7.00 pm.
PRESENT:
David Patient (Chairman)
P Ellum (Vice Chairman)
Dave Hansford (Treasurer)
C Anderson
N Cardy
M Chapman
John Dines
N Harrisson
C Swann
A Wiseman
1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Jim Dines, A Fluker, C Wilson.
2 ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON
On being duly proposed and seconded, it was AGREED that D Patient be elected as Chairman for the ensuing year.
3. ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRPERSON
On being duly proposed and seconded, it was AGREED that P Ellum be elected as Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.
4 APPOINTMENT OF TREASURER
On being duly proposed and seconded, it was AGREED that D Hansford be re-appointed as Treasurer to the Commissioners for the ensuing year.
5 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2024 – 2025
The Treasurer pointed out the importance of the Non-Commercial Harbour Dues contribution, especially coinciding with the arrangement of a contractor for buoy maintenance.
It was AGREED that the Accounts for the year 2024 – 2025 be formally adopted.
6 ANNUAL REPORT 2024 – 2025
The Annual Report was approved subject to some minor amendments.