Contact: Tony Clatworthy, tel 01489 576387

email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report summarises the activities and events on the river from 27 June 2003 to date. It also briefs Members of progress with various projects being undertaken.

1.2 The River Hamble Harbour Authority has a strong focus on achieving the Corporate Aims of Hampshire County Council and this report reflects the following aims: Aim 1: Maximising life opportunities; Aim 2: Stewardship of the environment; and Aim 5: Improving services.

2. Report

2.1 The river has been patrolled daily by the duty staff from 0600 hours through to 2200 hours. From 5 September the Harbour Office commenced the winter routine and was manned from 0700 hours to 1830 hours. Every Sunday has been very busy, with good weather encouraging another last trip of the season. The Harbour Staff have responded to a number of incidents throughout the period, and those of note are reported below. A full record of responses carried out by patrols is attached as Appendix 1.

Incidents

2.2 At approximately 2115 hours on the evening of 31 July 2003, a patrol discovered a cow stuck in the mud in the upper Hamble. The RSPCA was immediately contacted, which then called Hampshire Fire and Rescue. A total of 38 people were involved in the rescue of the animal, finally removing the cow from the mud at 0130 hours.

2.3 On 3 August the patrol pumped out a 12.2 metre vessel found sinking on the public moorings. The vessel was in imminent danger of sinking as the water was up to deck level. The vessel was removed from the water and the owner informed.

2.4 On 24 July a patrol boat rescued a drifting yacht found at the entrance to the river, a HUNTER Delta 25 foot that had broken free. The vessel was secured and the owner informed.

2.5 On 2 September two small fishing boats were seen illegally fishing in the area of D12-13. As the patrol officer was single handed he was unable to carry out any further investigation. Fisheries Protection was called, which met the two vessels when they arrived back at their dock on the River Itchen.

2.6 On 7 September an elderly boat owner, whilst getting aboard his boat, fell from his tender into the river. He had been returning to his vessel alone. He was in the water for half-an-hour before being rescued and did not have a life jacket on.

2.7 On 25 September Ocean Scene came alongside the Harbour Master's Jetty at Warsash to allow a casualty to be taken off in an emergency situation. The casualty was an 80 year old gentleman who had suffered a stroke. Harbour Authority staff gave immediate first aid until the arrival of the ambulance.

2.8 On 5 October a petrol fuel spill was reported from Port Hamble. At first it was believed to be a large spill, therefore the Fire and Rescue was requested to attend the scene. The incident occurred during a refuelling operation from a road tanker. The barge was closed for 24 hours to allow for residual fuel evaporation and it was confirmed that approximately only 5 to 10 litres had been lost. The Harbour Authority has now inspected the updated risk assessment and re-written the operational procedures and staff training programme.

2.9 On 5 October a 40 foot vessel sank whilst alongside the Elephant boatyard outer pontoon. The vessel was successfully recovered with the aid of divers and lifted from the water.

2.10 On 18 October, at approximately 12.50 pm, the yacht "McCloud" collided with a yacht on fore and aft moorings (HB95c) "Mina". The harbour patrol took photographs of the damage and contacted the owner of "Mina" to inform him.

2.11 On 1 November a vessel (33 foot yacht) broke away from its moorings and was driven ashore in the high winds. It was re-floated on 2 November.

2.12 On 1 November a vessel (30 foot) broke away from its moorings and was found partially adrift by the harbour patrol and re-secured.

3. Daniel Nolan

3.1 Sadly, following an investigation by the police and the conclusion of DNA testing, it has been confirmed that the human remains found on the south Dorset coast were those of Daniel Nolan, who went missing from the Hamble Jetty on the night of New Year's Day 2002.

4. Maintenance

4.1 Winter maintenance has commenced, with vessels moving off in prearranged blocks. Moorings have been made available on the visitors' pontoon for any displaced vessels and pontoons.

4.2 Upper Hamble Country Park jetty has been the subject of vandalism and damage caused by fires and barbeques. The planking has now been replaced by patrol staff.

4.3 Maintenance to the Solent School of Yachting buildings, including the re-painting of the workshop, small building, metal gates and posts, has now been completed.

4.4 Both Harbour Authority patrol vessels have now had the plastic screens replaced with toughened glass, and the dory has been winterised and placed in the workshop.

5. Closed Circuit Television

5.1 The tender process is now ongoing and phase one of the project will be completed early in 2004.

6. Maintenance Piles and Associated Works

6.1 The maintenance piles at Warsash have now been replaced with new wooden piles. The piles have been driven and spaced to accommodate smaller and medium-sized vessels. Larger vessels will also be able to lay alongside comfortably. Harbour staff will fix a depth gauge to two piles indicating water level from the base of the pile. The Harbour Office has received a complaint that the edges of the piles are too severe. Investigations will take place with a view to rounding off the edges at minimal cost.

6.2 Beacon No. 7 has now been drawn and replaced with two metal piles, with the "Welcome to the River Hamble" sign fixed between the piles. The twin piles have been moved approximately 21 metres west into 1.5 metres of water chart datum.

6.3 The plastic pile removed from Beacon No. 7's location has been re-driven to replace the temporary starboard hand mark at the ferry hard Warsash side. The triangle will be removed from the redundant marker and banded to the new post.

7. Boat Count and Allocation of Moorings

7.1 The Harbour Authority is currently carrying out a boat count of all vessels on the river. The boat count will be subject to the agreement of the Eastleigh and Fareham Borough Councils' Local Plans and also the interests of the Crown Estate. Navigational safety will also be fully considered before any available capacity is allocated.

7.2 There is likely to be a huge demand for any moorings that the Harbour Authority may be able to allocate. The Authority must act strategically, allocating the moorings from conflicting demands likely to arise from commercial operators, yacht clubs and the public waiting list. The Authority must balance the needs and interests of the marinas, boatyards, yacht clubs and public moorings. Requests for moorings initiated from proposed developments must be managed between the larger marinas, the smaller operator and the added value given by the yacht clubs to their moorings for members, and the large waiting list for public moorings.

7.3 Members are therefore invited to discuss how apportionment between these various sectors should be strategically allocated. Balancing the interests of the marine-based industries with clubs and public moorings will not be an easy task, and the following is proposed as a focus for discussion:

(i) 50% to commercial operators;

(ii) 25% to yacht clubs; and

(iii) 25% to public moorings.

7.4 It is also suggested that the next step, after the above has been decided, should be to approach the two borough councils, as the local planning authorities, and the Crown Estate to seek endorsement of the proposed allocation and underlying rational, so that it will become a joint policy statement. This will give it added weight when dealing with any future proposals.

8. Schedule of Decisions

8.1 A schedule of formal decisions made by the Executive Member for Environment is attached to this report as Appendix 2.

9. Dredging Plan

9.1 The works order for phase 1 of the Dredging Plan has been placed with ABP mer at a total cost of £12,065. The cost to the Harbour Authority of phase 1 is £3,500. The timescale will hopefully mean completion of phase 1 by the end of February 2004 at the latest. A meeting of the steering group will then be held to confirm the way ahead and if the Harbour Authority's remaining share of £8,700 will be required. New legislation is awaited which may impact on whether phase 2 actually occurs.

10. Visitors' Centre/Solent School of Yachting Building

10.1 Hampshire County Council's Professional Services have been requested to carry out an investigation of all reasonable business options available, and work is well underway. From this investigation a business plan will be written and decisions will then be made. Attached to this report as Appendix 3 is the option appraisal progress report from the consultancy.

11. M27 Run-Off

11.1 The M27 Run-Off has been the subject of discussions with the Environment Agency and the Highways Department as part of the progression of the Estuary Management Plan. The Harbour Authority is in the process of passing the file to English Nature which will progress further enquiries with the Highways Agency.

12 Oils Spill Response

12.1 Following an oil spill exercise held in Southampton water, BP has requested the return of the four oil booms that have been positioned at the entrance to the river. It would like to use them to protect the Hamble Common as a permanent barrier for any spill from the terminal jetty. Before allowing the booms to be returned it was confirmed with the MCA that the River Hamble Harbour Authority's Oil Spill Reaction Plan for a spill was satisfactory, and conformed to the MCA's requirements without the BP booms. There was also a meeting with the Harbour Authority's tier two contractor, Oil Spill Response Limited, to confirm that the BP booms were not required for any planned response that it might have. Following positive responses from both organisations and the Harbour Authority confident that the river would be protected, BP was allowed to collect the booms.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

8425H/TC

APPENDIX 1

RESPONSES TO INCIDENTS May 2003 through to October 2003