REPORT OF THE

Cabinet / Leader

PART I

FUTURE GOVERNANCE OF THE RIVER HAMBLE

Interim administrative arrangements for the management of the River Hamble have been operating since 2001 pending the review of Municipal Ports by the Government. Key elements of the arrangements have been:

- Decision making by the Executive Member for Environment


- River Hamble Harbour Management Committee


- River Hamble Harbour Advisory Committee

Following a public consultation exercise between September and November 2004, and consideration of the outcome by the River Hamble Harbour Management Committee on 17 December 2004, the Cabinet, on 24 January 2005 considered proposals to put permanent governance arrangements in place for the River Hamble. The proposed changes are to:

- transfer the responsibility for discharging the County Council's obligations as Harbour Authority from the Executive Member for Environment to a seven person Harbour Board (comprising a Chairman of the Board, the River Hamble Marine Director and two County Councillors, with the remaining three members to have recreational sailing, marine industry and environmental management skills);


- set up an Appointments Panel, the suggested composition of which is detailed in the recommendations below;

- retain the River Hamble Harbour Management Committee as a sub-group of the Board to have strong involvement in scrutiny;


- disband the River Hamble Harbour Advisory Committee; and


- discontinue the informal consultation role played by the River Hamble Executive Member's Group outside of the Constitutional arrangements.

The creation of a Harbour Board will streamline the administrative arrangements and ensure that the decision making process is in line with best practice for discharging Harbour Authority functions.

Meetings of both the Harbour Board and the River Hamble Harbour Management Committee will be open to the press and public, unless otherwise required by law e.g. confidential business, and will be subject to the County Council's normal rules of procedure.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That approval be given to the principle of the establishment of a River Hamble Harbour Board to discharge the County Council's responsibilities as Harbour Authority.

2. That approval be given to the preparation of amendments to the County Council's Constitution to be considered by the County Council.

3. That authorisation be given to the preparation of a Scheme of Delegation and protocols defining the working arrangements between the County Council, the Harbour Board and the River Hamble Harbour Management Committee, this to include provisions for the River Hamble Harbour Management Committee to have a strong scrutiny involvement.

4. That approval be given to the creation of an Appointments Panel for the Harbour Board comprising the Chairman of the Harbour Board, a representative of the Royal Yachting Association, the British Marine Federation, the Integrated Agency and a Member of the County Council (in addition to the Chairman of the Board), and that support be given to the Panel by the County Council's Human Resources Department.

T. K. THORNBER, C.B.E.,

Leader.