MALDON HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONERS
Printable pdf Minutes of Meeting 22 March 2022
MINUTES OF MEETING – Tuesday, 22 March 2022, held at the Maldon Little Ship Club
PRESENT:
Jim Dines (Chairman)
I Hiner (Vice Chairman)
M Gibson (Treasurer)
N Cardy
G Courtney
John Dines
P Ellum
N Harrisson
A Wiseman
42 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from M Gibson, K Lagan, D Patient.
43 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST
There were none, other than those declared during the meeting.
44 MINUTES – MEETING 25 January 2022
The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 25 January 2022 were formally received. It was AGREED that the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 25 January 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.
45 MATTERS ARISING
Minute 41 Item a)
Risk Assessment from Active Training for the Triathlon event 10 July 2022.
G Courtney commented that previously it had referred to a lake rather than the Harbour. N Harrisson stated that MHIC must have a correct risk assessment before the Triathlon could go ahead. Jim Dines would email Active Training.
N Harrisson queried the state of the tide for the event. Jim Dines stated that it was optimum given the constraints of the time frame for the event.
46 CLERK’S REPORT
Item 1. Harbour Dues Paid
Invoice payments had been received from:-
Centaur – Thames Sailing Barge Trust,
Lady of Avenel – Heritage Marine,
Earn – Landbreach,
Blue Mermaid – Blue Mermaid Trust,
all by the discount cut-off date.
Passenger Returns had not yet been received from Topsail so an Invoice could not be raised. However, a Bank Transfer of £1000 had been received from them.
The Clerk read out the email from Topsail dated 31 January 2022 querying the relevance of Passenger Returns and asking that the financing of the Harbour Commission be reviewed.
Jim Dines made a Declaration of Interest as Topsail is a customer of his business.
P Ellum suggested a letter clarifying that the sum received from Topsail was regarded as on account and requesting their Passenger Returns.
There was discussion of MHIC as a statutory body and its compass.
Item 2. Notices to Mariners
The River Bailiff had asked that Notices to Mariners should be sent to him at least two weeks in advance of an event to give enough time for publication on the Maldon District Council website.
Item 3. Zoom Meetings
At previous meetings it had been suggested that some meetings could be by Zoom. The Commissioners would have the next meeting on 10 May 2022 as usual at the Maldon Little Ship Club.
Item 4. Triathlon
D Patient had emailed concerns regarding the Triathlon. See Minute 45 above.
47 TREASURER’S REPORT
The Treasurer had emailed that only the Insurance premium and Clerk’s salary had been paid out since the last meeting
a) Harbour Dues 2022 – 2023
There was discussion regarding sources of Harbour Dues and methods of charging. Points raised included:-
the need for the public to realise that the Commissioners worked on a voluntary basis;
the need to enforce harbour dues;
comparisons with other ports;
the commitment to and monitoring of any charging scheme;
collection of fees;
the difference between commercial and private harbour users;
whether vessels were in or out of the water.
Discussion identified the need to keep any system simple. Methods of publicising a scheme were suggested. The impact of charges on vessel owners and boatyards was considered and whether there should be an element of voluntary contribution.
A Consultation and Review of Harbour Dues would be put in place. P Ellum would draft a notice to be circulated. There was further discussion of the future of the Commission without harbour dues.
With respect to Harbour Dues 2022, it was AGREED that they remain the same as the previous year. Note: there had been no increase since 2016 and in 2020 the charges were waived.
b) Annual Estimates
These were reviewed. Expenditure would include insurance, the Clerk’s salary, expenses including stationery and minor consumables, and buoy replacement which was estimated at about £600.
48 BUOY REPORT
Inspection carried out afloat on tide, 16 March 2022.
Harbour Limit Port – Good condition. Old style light fitted.
Note as previously reported close proximity of BSC Yellow racing buoy, 20 m approx upstream.
Harbour Limit Starboard – Good condition. (New galvanised centre fitted 9/12/21.)
No 9 Stbd – (Fibreglass buoy) NEW small mechanical impact damage seen mid side. Further examination required. Photo taken. Bottom weedy and slight bird fouling.
No 10 Port – (Heavy fibreglass buoy) Good condition. Slight bird fouling. Additional bird scaring required.
No 11 Stbd – (Fibreglass buoy.) Good condition. Slight bird fouling.
No 12 Port – Good condition. Old style light fitted. (New galvanised centre fitted 9 December 2021.)
No 13 Stbd – The number 3 degrading at bottom, as previously reported. Buoy OK.
No 14 Port – (Fibreglass buoy.) Good condition. Some bird fouling on top. cleaned as possible.
No 15 Stbd – Good condition. Old style light fitted.
No 16 Port – Good condition.
No 17 Stbd – Slight damage to the number 1, as previously reported. Buoy OK.
No 19 Stbd – The number 9 has blisters under. Buoy and light muddy. Cleaned.
Note: Harbour Limit Starboard and No 15 buoys reported inverted after “gales” in mid February. Buoys righted and checked/cleaned Saturday, 19 February 2022 with Commissioner N Cardy using his dory. Lights – operation to be checked when possible.
49 DREDGING PROTOCOL
The draft of the MHIC Dredging Protocol was circulated. The Clerk would forward the original request email from Rachel Holtby, Senior Nature-Based Solutions Marine Consultant, ABPmer, 7 February 2022 to Commissioners.
50 PLANNING APPLICATION
FUL/MAL/20/00483 Demolition of former mill, erection of two blocks each accommodating four Class E units, conversion of former Granary into four Class E units and the erection of a block of nine apartments and two retail units. Location: Former Mill Station Road Maldon Essex.
Deadline 25 March 2022.
This was discussed, including potential loss of quayside. I Hiner had emailed Commissioners with a suggested response. The Clerk asked that a request for Maldon District Council to follow the Marine Management Organisation’s South East Inshore Plan Policy walk-through be included. The Clerk would send a response would be sent to MDC Planning Department.
51 UPDATE ON GIG CLUB PONTOON
Jim Dines had completed all MMO licensing requirements and the fee had been paid.
52 UPDATE ON ACTIVE TRAINING MALDON TRIATHLON 10 JULY 2022
See Minute 45 above.
53 UPDATE FROM MALDON DISTRICT COUNCIL
Nigel Harmer, MDC River Bailiff had emailed emailed “The second Personal Water Craft purchased by the Council was delivered to Essex Police Marine Unit last week. This is in addition to the double trailer delivered to the Unit in January. The two PWCs will be used primarily in and around the Blackwater as well as other coastal areas around Essex.
The works in connection with the slipway at the end of Main Road, St Lawrence have been completed. The slipway, which was for many years a source of conflict on the Blackwater has been removed and replaced by steps, providing pedestrian access to the beach at Stone, and removing the unregulated access to the River Blackwater by visitors to the area. This is a positive step towards a safer Blackwater and has been supported by HM Coastguard, Essex Police and the Parish Council.”
There was discussion regarding unregulated launch sites.
54 URGENT ITEMS OF BUSINESS
Item a) I Hiner announced that he would be retiring from the Commission. John Dines raised the issue of continuing maintenance. There was discussion. This would be added to the Agenda of the next meeting. There was a need to write a specification for the work.
Item b) N Cardy stated that the Queen Galadriel dry dock would be moved.
Item c) Dredging. N Cardy stated that this was complete and would start again before November.
Item d) G Courtney asked about the buoy that had been placed too close to the MHIC Harbour Limit buoy. Jim Dines would establish its latitude and longitude and ask Blackwater Sailing Club to move it.
Item e) Jim Dines expressed concern at the amount of time he was away working and stated, therefore, that he would stand down as Chairman.
The Clerk would email Commissioners prior to the next meeting as a reminder to consider nominations for Chairman and Vice Chairman.
Item f) Vacancies for Commissioners. The Clerk would prepare an advertisement.
The Chairman closed the meeting a 9.05 pm