Agenda item

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting of the Barmouth Consultative Committee held on 23 October 2017.

 

(Copy enclosed)

 

 

Submitted:     Minutes of a meeting of the Barmouth Harbour Consultative Committee held on 23 October 2017.

 

Resolved:       To accept and approve the minutes as correct, subject to the following amendments:

 

Item 6(b) – Reference was made to the minute and Cllr. Rob Triggs wished to note that there was no strop failure.

 

In response to the above, the Maritime and Country Parks Officer explained that the documentation needed to be reviewed and he stressed the importance of receiving current and correct evidence regarding the condition of the moorings.    He added that every boat owner had a responsibility to ensure that moorings were fit for purpose.   It was confirmed that the Council's moorings were suitable and of a high standard.

 

In response to a query regarding the risk to the Council with the condition of moorings, the Maritime and Country Parks gave an assurance that there was no risk at all to the Council.  However, it was emphasised that it would be a cause of concern, and would have an impact on the insurance premium of boat owners, if the privately owned moorings were not up to standard with relevant evidence to back this up.  

 

Matters arising from the minutes:

 

(a)    Item 6(d) - Maintenance

 

It was noted that the Senior Harbours Officer and the Harbour Master could update Members on the winter maintenance work programme.

 

(b)    Resolution (b) in Item 6 - Emergency Telephones

 

In response to an enquiry from a Member, the Maritime and Country Parks Officer explained that the Emergency telephones service had not been used for over two years and that mobile phone signals for 999 was available in each of the locations where these telephones are sited except for Porth Ceiriad in Dwyfor.

 

Resolved:       To convey to the relevant Cabinet Member, the Consultative Committee's approval to remove the Emergency Services Telephones at Barmouth and Fairbourne due to the costs involved and the lack of use.    

 

(ch) Item (iv) - Parking Safety

 

The Maritime and Country Parks Officer reported that he and the Senior Transport Officer had discussed the section of land coloured with yellow lines near the SS Dora building and he had received confirmation that it was part of the parking order.    The owner of any vehicle parked on the area in question would receive a parking ticket from the Enforcement Officer.

 

It was added that no further decision had been made regarding a road adjacent to the compound.

 

(c)    Events

 

It was reported that the minute was misleading in terms of organising events in the Harbour and that the minute should read that "organisers should contact the Maritime Service first to get permission to hold activities".   

 

(dd) Cordoned-off activities area

 

The Maritime and Country Parks Officer reported that the area under the bridge, near the old lifeboat station had been identified as an activities area and that a row of yellow buoys would be placed there to keep boats from this specific area, and to trial this for a period.   It was explained that there was no other area available and the water had not been identified as bathing water.   The need for competition organisers to undertake risk assessment was emphasised in order to ensure the safety of competitors.

 

 

 

 

(d)    General tidiness and storage around the Harbour

 

The Maritime and Country Parks Officer reported that it was important to ensure cooperation with commercial Harbour users in order to ensure general tidiness around the Harbour. In response to a query by a Member, it was explained that the situation was not the same as Aberdyfi harbour where the Coastguard Agency's inspectors (MCA) noted that there was a need to tidy-up the area around Aberdyfi harbour quay. 

 

(e)  Powerboat / Personal Watercraft Exclusion Zone

 

Stemming from a concern highlighted by a Member regarding the statement in the minutes of the previous meeting that there was no risk to the public if the buoys were not be reinstated to mark the bathing zone, the Maritime and Country Parks Officer reported that only a very low number bathed in the zone in question and the view of the Maritime Service was not to use buoys to mark the zone and the risk was low as boats did not navigate close enough to the shore in this area. The Harbour staff will keep an eye on the area in question over the summer months and report on their observations.  

 

It was added that the Service placed buoys up the estuary near Caerddaniel in order to reduce risk, however, it was laborious and costly to reinstate them on station daily as well as the fact that a substantial number were lost annually.