Advisory
Body to
Navigation
House, the Docks, Sharpness,
Minutes of a meeting held on Tuesday 12 July
2011 at Navigation House, Sharpness
Present: See attached list
Apologies:
1 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the Advisory Body meeting held on
2
MATTERS ARISING
(i)
Hovercraft
Don Sutherland commented that he was impressed by
the responsible attitude of hovercraft users who would be holding events at
Other members
commented that a number of organisations, including Gloucestershire Fire and
Rescue, had acquired hovercraft after the 2007 floods, but had found that they
were not particularly useful locally under normal conditions.
3
UPDATE FROM GHT
(i)
GHT Annual Report
A draft of the text
of the annual report had been circulated to members. The final version would be formally presented
to the
Edmund Dorman
commented that GHT had had another solid year and used a modest surplus to
invest in the upgrade of two aging aids to navigation. This meant that all its aids to navigation
were now modern, conformed to the highest navigational and safety standards and
would require minimal maintenance for a number of years.
The level of traffic
to Sharpness continued to be buoyant and GHT had been able to maintain its dues
at the current level in the year ahead.
Problems in the
Pilots’ National Pension Fund, which had the potential to impact on GHT’s
finances, continued to be of concern but no liability, if any, had yet been
quantified.
Members commented on
a number of points from the report.
·
Don Sutherland
commented that another review on environmental development was due in 2015 and
the Government would still need to meet the renewable energy targets to which
it was committed. Two commercial groups
were seeking private funding for a barrage and there was backing from the Welsh
Government. Therefore, the barrage
scheme might yet re-emerge. GHT’s formal
position was that it would provide relevant information to any organisation and
work to keep Sharpness viable as a commercial port.
·
New Beacons
Several members
commented that the new tower replacing the buoy at Counts was difficult to see
as it tended to blend into the background.
Mike Johnson explained that it was properly painted as a north cardinal
mark and intended to mark the main navigation channel for the benefit of
commercial shipping. He conceded that
the new beacon looked very different for leisure sailors used to the old buoy
and was not as conspicuous as he would have liked. Some modifications had been made by adding
boards to make it more visible and details of the new mark had been promulgated
widely so that river users should know what to expect.
(ii)
Marine Officer’s Report
A report summarising some recent
activities had been circulated. Mike
Johnson also reported some other
issues.
·
Fishing Engine at
Aylburton
There had been a
number of incidents over the years when small vessels had come to grief on this
large steel fishing structure. The owner
had finally agreed to erect a conspicuous mark on the shore and this would be
indicated on the relevant nautical chart and a Notice to Mariners issued.
·
Floating Debris
Quantities of
floating debris, including large trees and all sorts of rubbish, had been
reported in the Wye, where it had damaged boats and moorings, and also in the
·
Generate publicity about the problem: eg BYCU newsletter
·
Encourage groups eg local sailing clubs to organise ‘litter picks’
·
Involve the Marine Conservation Society* which campaigns to ‘clear our
seas of the rising tide of rubbish that is dangerous to sea life’
It was thought it
would be best for each organisation to contact relevant organisations
individually: a mass of correspondence on the same subject would perhaps have
greater impact.
(iii)
Stakeholder Lunch
Edmund Dorman asked
what members thought of the Trustees’ Stakeholder Lunch in January when there
had been an opportunity for leisure and commercial users of the harbour to meet
informally. Those AB members who had
been able to come had found it very useful and had enjoyed networking with
representatives from other organisations.
They recommended a repeat performance if the
(iv)
Future of Advisory
Body
Gordon Craig initiated a discussion on
the future direction of the AB and how best to support
and challenge GHT.
Members
were reminded that the AB had grown out of the User Forum. This had been created in 1996 to bring
together a large number of organisations and individuals with an interest in
the creation of GHT’s byelaws, which were eventually confirmed in 1998. The forum had morphed into the Advisory Body
under GHT’s 2002 Revision Order and had agreed the following aims and
objectives at that time:
To
bring together representatives of bodies who use, operate in or have an
interest in the Gloucester Harbour within a framework which enables them to
consider matters substantially affecting the management, maintenance,
improvement, conservation or regulation of the Gloucester Harbour and its
navigation.
·
Be a focal point for
Gloucester Harbour-wide interests and the public in order to convey information
and advice to and from the Gloucester Harbour Trustees
·
Encourage and facilitate
close working relationships between all those involved in the management of or
with an interest in the Gloucester Harbour
·
Provide information and
recommendations to the
·
Create mechanisms and
provide opportunities for improving communications, understanding and
co-operation between managing agencies, users and local people.
Members were to be drawn
from representatives of the following organisations:
·
riparian local authorities
including riparian parish and community councils
·
water recreation users
·
commercial shipping, port,
docks, wharfingers and shipping agents
·
sand dredger operators
·
environmental agencies
·
fishing and angling
interests
·
owners and operators of
major infrastructure adjoining or adjacent to the Harbour.
GHT confirmed that these interests/organisations were
invited to the meetings, though many did not respond any more. AB members agreed that it would be useful to
circulate representatives asking whether or not they still wished to be
involved with the AB. A leaner, more
targeted body would perhaps be more effective.
Edmund
Dorman and Mike Johnson explained that GHT’s work mainly impacted on commercial
shipping and GHT tended to liaise direct with the port operator when problems
arose. However, particular leisure-user
interest groups were often contacted when issues affecting them arose, for
example in the drafting of the safety guidance notes for small craft. Stakeholders did not have to wait for AB
meetings to raise issues. GHT welcomed
direct contact from members and would take appropriate action if required.
In
addition, when appropriate, more general issues, such as GHT’s safety
management plan or consultations from other organisations on which GHT had been
asked to comment, could be brought to the AB for a view.
AB members agreed that the AB
would be more effective if it reverted to the original pattern of six-monthly meetings
in May and November, with the possibility of the stakeholders’ lunch as an
extra bonus.
They would discuss these
issues further at the next meeting in November.
4
OPEN FORUM
·
Weirs at
Llanthony and Maisemore
Stephen Phillips,
as a canoeist, was concerned about the state of these weirs and the Upper Partings
which were overgrown. Mike Johnson
confirmed that the river beyond the weirs was the responsibility of the
Environment Agency and British Waterways who should be reminded of the public
right of navigation of both partings and volunteered to help Stephen with his
approach to these agencies.
·
Blue Book
Don Sutherland
reported that a new edition of this publication, which gave details of
harbours, anchorages and other useful information about cruising in the
·
BCYU would also
be promoting a local ‘Three Peaks Yachting Race’ next summer when teams would
sail from Portishead to Minehead, climb Selworthy Beacon, sail on to Mumbles,
climb Arthur’s Seat, then on to Lundy for a yomp round the island, before
finishing at Ilfracombe. Apart from
being a fun challenge, it was hoped that this would raise the profile of the
Severn Estuary as an exciting sailing destination.
·
SES
Don Sutherland
reported that he had been involved in the making of a short video film promoting
stakeholder involvement in the Severn Estuary for the SES. This had been funded by the World Wildlife
Fund. He commented that this had been
enlightening experience and he had had the opportunity to meet many local
interest groups.
·
Coastguard
There was concern
about the future of local coastguard services under the current review.
·
Chepstow
Henry Hodges reported
that the former Fairford Mabey shipyard land was likely to be sold for housing. Not only might this mean the loss of
industrial activity including the sand berth, but there might be an increase in
recreational activity and perhaps pressure to build proper access to the river.
·
Beachley
Alan Stanley
reported that the new SARA station at Beachley had now been officially opened
and was in action. Mike Johnson
commented that problems were encountered from time to time in launching GHT’s
boat there and SARA should bear in mind that GHT also had an operational need
to use the slipway.
·
Weather
Station/Tide Gauge
Mike Johnson reported that a tide
gauge and weather station was now up and running at Sharpness and real-time data could be accessed through
GHT’s website.
5 DATE OF
* Marine Conservation Society, Unit 3,
Meeting
commenced: 19.00
Meeting
concluded: 21.15
ADVISORY BODY
MEETING –
Present
Jean Hanks Gloucestershire
Association of Parish & Town Councils (
Nic Price Maritime
Volunteer Service
Graham Turner Minsterworth Waterski Club
Don Sutherland RYA (South West) / BCYA
Colin Crick
Henry Hodges Chepstow
Town Council
Alan Stanley SARA
Stephen Phillips British
Canoe
GHT
Edmund Dorman Chairman
Mike Johnson Marine
Officer
Rosemary Elsey Clerk
to the Advisory Body
Apologies
John Christie Lydney
Yacht Club
Martin Quaile
Fred Larkham Larkham
Ships
Copies
for Information
Matthew Riddle South Gloucestershire Council
Colin Evers Gloucestershire
Association of Parish & Town Councils (
Robert Williams Tintern Community Council
Keith Hadley Severn
Estuary Fishermen’s Association
Bill Payne
Hartley Everett Severn
Estuary Fishermen’s Association
Andrew Blake Wye
Valley AONB
Sue Howard Countryside
Council for
Charlotte Pagendam Natural
Stuart Ballard
Paul Hooper Inland
Waterways Association (Glos/Hereford Branch)
Bob Breen Severn
Sands Ltd
Paul Senior Environment
Agency
Dane
Jon Phillips Government
Representative
Jim Clune
Capt Jerry Stanford Bristol
Port Co
Steve Grist D
& B Shipping