MALDON HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONERS
Ptintable pdf Minutes of Meeting 25 November 2025
Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Commissioners held at the Maldon Little Ship Club on Tuesday, 25 November 2025 at 7.00 pm.
PRESENT:
David Patient (Chairman)
P Ellum (Vice Chairman)
Dave Hansford (Treasurer)
N Cardy
Jim Dines
John Dines
A Fluker (District Councillor)
N Harrisson
A Wiseman
40 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from C Anderson, M Chapman, C Swann, C Wilson.
41 DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST
A Fluker stated that he was a District Councillor. Otherwise, none other than those declared during the meeting.
42 TO CONSIDER THE RE-APPOINTMENT OF NANCY HARRISSON WHOSE PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT ENDED ON THE 16 JUNE 2025
On being duly proposed and seconded it was AGREED Nancy Harrisson be reappointed as Commissioner.
43 TO CONSIDER THE RE-APPOINTMENT OF NIGEL CARDY WHOSE PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT ENDED ON THE 20 OCTOBER 2025
On being duly proposed and seconded it was AGREED Nigel Cardy be reappointed as Commissioner.
44 TO CONSIDER THE RE-APPOINTMENT OF JAMES DINES WHOSE PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT ENDED ON THE 16 JUNE 2025
On being duly proposed and seconded it was AGREED James Dines be reappointed as Commissioner.
45 TO CONSIDER THE RE-APPOINTMENT OF MANDY CHAPMAN WHOSE PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT ENDED ON THE 16 JUNE 2025
On being duly proposed and seconded it was AGREED Mandy Chapman be reappointed as Commissioner.
46 TO CONSIDER THE RE-APPOINTMENT OF CLINT SWANN WHOSE PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT ENDED ON THE 29 JUNE 2025
On being duly proposed and seconded it was AGREED Clint Swann be reappointed as Commissioner.
47 MINUTES – ORDINARY MEETING
The Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 30 September 2025 were formally received. The Minutes were AGREED.
48 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE ORDINARY MEETING 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
Minute 31 (2025) re upended buoy. Kevin Fuller would be contacted.
49 CLERK’S REPORT
Item 1. Non-Commercial Harbour Dues. Payments had been received except from Maldon Chandlery and Chandlers Quay. Maldon Chandlery had been chased and payment is expected early w/c 24 November 2025.
Chandlers Quay had not been invoiced yet pending liaison with Colin Wilson.
Item 2. Port Marine Safety Code Compliance. Compliance forms from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency would be available from 1 January 2026. The deadline for submission was 31 March 2026.
Crouch Harbour Authority was running Webinars regarding compliance. The Clerk had signed up for one on Weds 26 November 2025. There were Webinars available on Weds 26 November and Mon 1 November 2025. The Crouch Harbour Authority Letter with sign up links had been forwarded to the Commissioners.
Item 3. Notice to Mariners, Saturday and Sunday, 3 and 4 January 2026. Notice to Mariners for the Harkers Yard Gig Match Sunday, 4 January 2026 had been drafted. Details of the MLSC Row were pending from the organisers. A Joint Notice would be issued soon.
50 TREASURER’S REPORT
Bank Account stands at –
Total £18,974
Payment from Foreshore Boatyard (formerly Marine Chandlery) expected, £700.
Invoice from auditors was awaited.
51 HARBOUR MAINTENANCE AND BUOY REPORT
The Contractor’s launch had been out of action for over a month and it would be a further 2 weeks before it was back in the water. John Dines would wait until the launch was available then would lift buoy No 13 to repair lugs. He had instructed the Contractor to wait on further work until this could be arranged.
52 COMMERCIAL HARBOUR DUES RATES FOR 2026
This was discussed. P Ellum and John Dines were in favour of keeping same as last year. N Harrisson enquired if operators had been warned of a rise in 2026. N Cardy was in favour of an increase and A Fluker considered that rates should keep pace with inflation. D Hansford suggested that a decision would depend on the 2026 budget which was not yet available. It was decided to defer this item until the January 2026 Commissioners’ meeting.
53 DREDGING AT THE QUAY. REPORT ON STATUS WITH MALDON DISTRICT COUNCIL
D Patient reviewed the situation. MHIC refuted MDC’s claim that it was MHIC which was responsible for dredging at the Quay.
Jim Dines had offered to help if MDC were going to apply for a washing licence. He met with Nigel Harmer, River Bailiff, on 16 October 2025 (approx) to put the application together and Sue Green, Assistant Director for Customer Services and Service Delivery, would submit it to the Marine Management Organisation.
P Ellum had not yet received a response from MDC regarding MHIC’s challenge to the MDC Barrister’s response and advice.
Dredging at the Quay. Sue Green had notified A Fluker that MDC were meeting with MMO this week (date unspecified) in connection with MDC’s application to MMO.
P Ellum reported on his meeting (25 November 2025) with D Wilkinson, Chief Executive, and Councillor K Lagan – who had not been fully-briefed by S Green. It was agreed that P Ellum would inform MDC that a Commissioner would be willing to attend the meeting to voluntarily assist. It was agreed that any decision on use of MHIC’s authorisation for the Quay dredging would now have to await the outcome of MDC’s MMO application but MDC would again be informed that any help by MHIC would require MDC’s written confirmation that the Quay dredging was not MHIC’s responsibility. P Ellum would circulate draft communication.
54 DREDGING
N Cardy reported that Essex and Suffolk Water dredging was finished for the year. In January 2026, there would be 32 loads, commencing at the top end opposite the Quay.
55 SILTATION STEERING GROUP
D Patient and P Ellum had discussed and agreed the first meeting should take place next year. Sir John Whittingdale MP had written to the EA on the subject. Sir John could be a guest at the first meeting with the Agenda addressing how the Group would continue.
56 TRIATHLON
John Dines and D Patient reported back on the Triathlon, Sunday, 21 September 2025. All went well. Initially the race buoys had been blown out of position but this was rectified.
57 MHIC LIAISON MEETING WITH MDC, 10 DECEMBER 2025, ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA
D Patient, P Ellum, N Cardy, A Fluker and the Clerk would attend. The Clerk would write to inform MDC and invite D Wilkinson and S Green, as well as D Spring and N Harmer. The Agenda items to be Dredging and Boats in the Creek.
58 MHIC EMERGENCY PHONE
This was still with C Anderson.
59 INSTAGRAM
M Chapman continued to manage this.
60 WEB CAMS
C Wilson would liaise.
61 URGENT ITEMS OF BUSINESS
Item a) John Dines enquired if MHIC would be at the Gig Race on Sunday, 4 January 2026. D Patient would attend with John Dines.
Item b) Jim Dines reported that the boat flying the pirate flag was currently at Heybridge Creek.
Item c) N Harrisson enquired if there was a further boat in the Back Channel.
Apologies for meeting 6 January 2026. Jim Dines gave his apologies, would not be able to attend.