Agenda and minutes

Harbour Board - Tuesday, 4th May, 2021 2.00 pm

Venue: Virtual - Online meeting. View directions

Contact: Corporate and Community Services 01271 388253

Note: If you wish to attend the Harbour Board meeting please email memberservices@northdevon.gov.uk by noon 30th April 2021. This will be a virtual meeting and will be conducted in line with The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020. Please be aware that when you take part in a virtual meeting your phone number and/or your email address will be visible to councillors and officers of North Devon Council attending the committee but will not be visible to members of the public or others. This is required to allow you to be identified on Microsoft Teams, the software used by the Council to hold virtual committees, and will not be used for any other purpose by the Council. For more information, or to exercise your rights, please see www.northdevon.gov.uk/privacy.

Items

No.

Item

Virtual meetings procedure - briefing and etiquette

Chair to report.

Minutes:

The Corporate and Community Services officer outlined the virtual meeting etiquette and procedure to the Board and attendees and confirmed the Members of the Board and Officers present.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Campbell and Mr Cleary.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 2nd February 2021 PDF 223 KB

(attached)

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2021 (circulated previously) be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Items brought forward which in the opinion of the Chairm should be considered by the meeting as a matter of urgency

Minutes:

The Chair reminded Members that there was a Special Harbour Board meeting on 5 May 2021 at 11 am to discuss the appointment of an Independent Member to the Board.

Declarations of Interest

(Please telephone Corporate and Community Services to prepare a form for your signature before the meeting) Items must be re-declared when the item is called, and Councillors must leave the meeting if necessary)

Minutes:

The following declarations of interest were announced:

Councillor Fowler – all items as was a boat owner and member of the Ilfracombe Yacht Club.

Quarterly Designated Person Port Marine Safety Code Audit Report - Ilfracombe and Lynmouth Harbours PDF 48 KB

Report by Health and Safety Manager (attached)

Minutes:

The Board noted the Designated Person Port Marine Safety Audit report – Ilfracombe and Lynmouth Harbours (circulated previously).

The Designated Person confirmed that the Marine Safety Management System was working effectively, ensuring compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code.

The Designated Person gave the Board the following highlights:

Ilfracombe – actions completed

· The Audit of both harbours was carried out on 6^th April 2021

· The Boats In had been completed safely on 1^st and 2^nd April 2021

· The Trinity House aids to navigation audit had been carried out on 22^nd February 2021 and everything was found to be in order

· The work to the new Fenders on the First Landing had been completed

· Planning permission had been submitted to replace the existing ladders along Quay wall and Old Quay Head with the addition of protective fendering

Ilfracombe – risk management

· There were no non-conformities found in the three topic areas that were audited this quarter; Consultation and Consensus, Enforcement and Open Port Duty and Setting Dues

· A bulge in the wall at Stone Bench was being monitored for future remedial works, the senior engineer was aware of the situation

· The new CCTV installation had taken place and the Harbour Master was very impressed with the quality of the new system

Lynmouth – actions completed

· The work to fit a new galvanised hand rail to the wall opposite the steps, at the Rising Sun pub, off the slipway down to the Harbour had been completed

Lynmouth – risk management

· With the legal status of Lynmouth Harbour still being looked at, the majority of the internal audit matters did not apply

· Storm damage had been sustained to the Causeway in February 2021. Access into the Harbour had been cleared of debris to mitigate any immediate risks to users but long term plans for Capital Programme repair work would need to be submitted to the Council via a business case to the Project Appraisal Group

· The remedial works to the lower steps was still pending due to the weather and tide conditions not permitting works to be carried out but it had been noted there was no further deterioration of their condition

· Likewise remedial works to the quoins along the edge of the slipway were pending due to weather and tide conditions

· A worn white line needed repainting at the top of the slipway

In response to a question about the replacement of the pole to the Aid to Navigation light on the sea end of the Harbour Arm at Lynmouth. The Harbour Master replied that as we were the Local Light Authority we were under obligation to repair faults. It was hoped to replace the pole with a quarter folding pole.

In response to concerns raised about the installation of the new CCTV cameras. The Harbour Master advised the Board that no cameras were directed at private property, planning permission was not required to install them as the installation came under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act ... view the full minutes text for item 6.

Marine Safety Plan

Harbour Master to report.

Minutes:

The Harbour Master advised that the item was missing the word management, so should read Marine Safety Management Plan. There was no update to give.

Aids to Navigation Update

Harbour Master to report

Minutes:

The Harbour Master reported that all ok and not update to be given.

Harbour Security Update

Harbour Master to report

Minutes:

The Harbour Master updated the Board members in relation to the Harbour Security.

The following updates were given:

· With the new CCTV system installed any security incidents could now be tracked back

· Ilfracombe Harbour wasn’t currently International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) status but with the arrival of the world’s largest Cruising Tall Ship, The Golden Horizon visiting Ilfracombe on 29^th July 2021 ISPS status would be reinstated

· The maximum passenger capacity would be 225 and it was not known at this stage if the Cruise ship was fully booked, it wasn’t anticipated that there would be too much disruption caused to local operators

· Temporary restricted areas would be zoned off with external security measures in place

10.

Infrastructure Update

Harbour Master to report.

Minutes:

The Harbour Master updated the Board in relation to Infrastructure.

The Harbour Master gave the Board the following updates:

· No major works were planned for the financial year 2021/22

· A bid to the Fisheries and Seafood fund had been made for works at the Cove and the provision of toilet facilities for the fishermen within their compound

· Was looking into changing the handrails around the harbour and had found a Company who used a composite material designed for the Marine environment. Planning permission had been submitted and would be heard at the July Committee

· In the process of updating the signage around the Harbour

11.

Future Projects

Harbour Master to report

Minutes:

The Harbour Master advised there were no further updates to be given.

12.

Harbour Community Forum Update

Chair of Harbour Community Forum to report

Minutes:

The Chair of the Ilfracombe Community Forum sent his apologies he could not be present and that there was no update to give.

The Chair invited Kevin Harris, Clerk of Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council, to address the Board with updates from Lynmouth Harbour.

Mr Harris gave the following updates:

· When the weather allowed the white lines at the top of the slipway in Lynmouth would be repainted

· They were looking at options for the replacement of the red light pole

· During the storms in February 40 metres of the causeway had fallen off into the harbour. A visit from the senior engineer confirmed a safety survey would need to be carried out to determine the effects of the missing causeway. Legal were looking at the deeds of covenant to ascertain whether the causeway had to be reinstated to its previous condition as originally gifted to the town