Archived decisions

Contact: David Evans tel 01489 576387 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report covers the proposed annual increase in the basic rate of Harbour

Dues for the River Hamble for 2009.

2. Recommendations

2.1 It is recommended that the River Hamble Management Committee

advises the Harbour Board that:

a. the increase in the basic rate of Harbour Dues for 2009 for vessels kept afloat and dry-sailed vessels over 6 metres length overall should be set at the RPI rate for May 2008, namely *.*% (to be completed when the May RPI is published on 17 June 2008).

b. the rate of Harbour Dues for dry-sailed vessels up to 6 metres length overall should remain unchanged.

3. Background

3.1 For several years, the annual increase in the rate of Harbour Dues for vessels

kept afloat has been set at the annual RPI +1%. In 2007, the Harbour Board agreed that the May RPI figure should be used each year. Last year, the increase in Harbour Dues for 2008 was therefore 5.3%. This has resulted in a small surplus for the financial year 2007/2008 and it is therefore recommended that the increase for 2009 should be limited to the May RPI figure only (namely *.*% - to be completed when the May RPI is published on 17 June 2008). The difference to annual Harbour Authority income attributable to dropping the additional 1% increase amounts to about £5,000.

3.2 It should be noted that the actual changes to the various rates for vessels kept afloat will differ as a result of adjustments introduced by the Harbour Board in 2007, due to be phased-in over a five year period.

3.3 The rate of Harbour Dues for dry-sailed vessels under 6 metres length overall

was set at £5 per metre (or part thereof) when these charges were introduced in January 2006. An annual increase in line with RPI+1% would amount to about £0.25p per metre per annum. It is recommended that the present rate should be retained for at least another year and reviewed again when the rates are set for 2010 (by which time the accumulated increase might justify an increase to £6 per metre.)

4. Impact Assessments

4.1 The services provided by the River Hamble Harbour Authority have been the

subject of a full Equalities Impact Assessment and this report does not affect the delivery of these services.

5. Conclusion

5.1 Despite the recent practice of increasing Harbour Dues in line with RPI+1%,

the current relatively healthy state of the Harbour Authority finances does not justify this size of increase for 2009 and it is therefore proposed to limit the increase to RPI only.