Work of the Hamble Estuary Partnership (HEP)

The HEP is an independent partnership organised by the River Hamble Harbour Authority to advise the River Hamble Harbour Board. This group of harbour users and other interested parties meet twice a year to discuss important issues facing the River Hamble and facilitate priority projects.

Advisory role to River Hamble Harbour Board

The River Hamble Harbour Authority is part of Hampshire County Council. We have approved some changes to its constitution regarding the River Hamble. One of these changes is to allow the Chair of the Hamble Estuary Partnership unrestricted access to the Harbour Board. The Chair of the HEP will not be a full member of the Board and does not have a vote. They will have the right to report on the views expressed by the members of the HEP on any matter on the Harbour Board agenda.

The following terms of reference for the Chair of the HEP describe the boundaries of this arrangement.

• They shall have the right to attend all formal meetings of the Harbour Board
• They shall have the right to address the Board to express the views of the partners of the HEP on any matter on the Harbour Board agenda
• Where partners of the HEP have expressed disparate or conflicting views on a particular subject, the Chair of the HEP shall ensure that the full range of such views is reported to the Board
• Board members and Harbour Authority officers shall have the right to ask questions of the Chair of the HEP
• They shall have the right to address questions to members of the Board.
• They will not formally be a member of the Board and will not be entitled to a vote
• They shall be bound by the local government Code of Conduct in respect of all their dealings with the Board
• They will not be remunerated for this role, but will be entitled to claim legitimate travel expenses for their attendance at Board meetings

Addressing runoff from the M27 road bridge

When constructed in the 1970s, the M27 motorway bridge was not fitted with runoff interceptors. Therefore, any surface liquids on the motorway drain directly into the river rather than being diverted into an alternative drainage or storage system.

The ongoing runoff from the M27 is not resulting in the river failing water quality standards, despite elevated heavy metal concentrations have been noted in the mudflats under and adjacent to the bridge. However, it is the threat of a large-scale spill that is most concerning.

The Highways Agency has installed pollution response equipment, but the concern remains. The Chairman of the HEP has been in recent correspondence with the Highways Agency but action is yet to be agreed.

Priority projects

Project ideas are delivered or facilitated by the Hamble Estuary Partnership (HEP).

To help members know who to contact about any issues, HEP have produced a document identifying the different organisations who have an interest or responsibility relating to the River Hamble.

Topic sheets

HEP have also produced topic sheets to provide information and context for some of the ongoing issues on the river.

Topic sheets have been produced for:

• availability of parking adjacent to public hards
• changes in recreational boating
• climate change
• coastal flooding
• number, availability, and cost of mid-stream mooring
• the rich archaeology of the River Hamble
• the rick of a large-scale pollution event in the River Hamble
• too much seaweed

The work of HEP will now focus on the condition and ownership of the public slipways and hards in the river.