AGENDA ITEM NO 4
REPORT NO 165/16
ANGUS COUNCIL
ARBROATH HARBOUR JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE – 15 APRIL 2016
ARBROATH HARBOUR – SPRING REPORT
REPORT BY THE HEAD OF TECHNICAL AND PROPERTY SERVICES
ABSTRACT
This report provides details of operations at the Harbour since the previous meeting of the Arbroath
Harbour Joint Consultative Committee (AHJCC), outlines plans for future programmes of works, and
discusses contemporary matters of relevance to harbour activities.
1
RECOMMENDATION
1.1
It is recommended that the Committee agrees to note and approve the contents of this report.
2
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
2.1
Financial Update to End of March 2016
2.1.1
Appendix 1 shows the estimated outturn position as at 31 March 2016 being an underspend
of £135,000k. The Supplies & Services outturn for 2015/16 is lower than budgeted. This is
largely due to the delay in receiving the approvals for dredging operations. The 2015/16
dredging budget underspend shall be subject to a carry forward request into 2016/17 during
the 2015/16 year end process to fund the 2016/17 dredging works in addition to other
infrastructure works. Lower than anticipated fuel purchase costs are offset by lower income
for fuel recharge.
2.2
Oil Spill Contingency Planning and Response
2.2.1
With reference to item 4(a)(ii) of the minute of the meeting of this Committee on 4 December
2015, there has been one Tier 1 diesel spill in the harbour as a result of the pleasure boat
Sea Breeze which sank in the inner harbour in the early hours of 13 February 2016. Harbour
staff deployed absorbent booms and pads around the spill in the location of where the boat
had sunk. The small spill was able to be cleared up by harbour staff using oil spill equipment
at the harbour and there was no need to raise the incident to Tier 2 and call for the services of
the council’s oil spill contractor, Briggs Marine & Environmental Services.
2.2.2
The Sea Breeze was craned from the harbour and is now in Mackay Boatbuilder’s yard while
work is being carried out on it with a view to returning to the harbour. The reason for the boat
sinking is unclear, however and a report on the incident has been prepared by the Harbour
Manager and passed to the Council’s insurance section.
2.2.3
The Council continues to retain the services of Briggs Marine & Environmental Services to
deal with the higher-level pollution incidents. The harbour’s Oil Spill Contingency Plan is due
for renewal in February 2017 and plans will soon be under way be to prepare for this update
which will then last for another 5 years.
2.2.4
The harbour staff maintains adequate qualifications and are fully competent in oil spill
contingency planning and response. All harbour staff’s certification is currently up to date.
2.3
Scottish Ports Meeting
2.3.1
With reference to item 4(a)(iii) of the minute of the meeting of this Committee on 4 December
2015, the last Scottish Ports Committee meeting was on 23 March 2016 in Inverness. The
Harbour Manager did not attend this meeting as the topics were not of direct relevance. When
1
published, the minutes of the meeting will be kept in the harbour office and will be available
for inspection by the members of this Committee.
2.3.2
The next Scottish Ports Meeting will be on 23 June 2016 at Peterhead and as before the
Harbour Manager will assess the relevance of the agenda items in relation to the operation of
Arbroath Harbour and if possible will attend this meeting.
2.4
Pontoon Berths
2.4.1
With reference to item 4(a)(iv) of the minute of this Committee on 4 December 2015, letters
were sent to each person on the waiting list for an annual pontoon berth highlighting their
position on the waiting list, indicating the number of new berths taken up in the last year and
asking if they wish to have their names removed or kept on the list. This has resulted in the
waiting list being reduced by five names. The waiting list currently stands at 40 names.
2.4.2
All boats which were stored in Mackay Boatbuilders over the winter period have now been
returned to the water and taken up their annual pontoon berth. All boats which were taking up
a winter berth on the pontoons have now vacated the pontoons.
2.4.3
At the time of the meeting of this Committee there are three annual berths not renewing for
2016/17 and these pontoon berths are now vacant. The Harbour Manager is currently in the
process of filling these berths with boats from the current waiting list. Six pontoon berths will
remain as visitor berths; the remaining 53 berths will be occupied as annual berths.
2.5
Compounded Berths
2.5.1
With reference to item 4(a)(v) of the minute of this Committee on 4 December 2015, there
have been two further compounded berths granted. The Queensberry (scallop dredger) and
Asterion (creel boat) have been granted compounded berths to fish from and land at Arbroath
Harbour.
3
ENGINEERING MATTERS
3.1
Inner Harbour Gates
3.1.1
With reference to item 4(b)(i) of the minute of the meeting of this Committee on 4 December
2015, there has been no operational problems with the harbour gates since last reported to
the Committee.
3.1.2
The opening and closing times of the gates moved to the summer schedule on 1 April 2016
and will revert back to winter hours on 1 October 2016. Opening and closing times continue
routinely to be posted outside the Harbour Office and on the security gate leading on to the
pontoons, generally one month in advance. The opening times for the dock gates from April
2016 to September 2016 are posted on the Arbroath Harbour page of the Angus Council
website.
3.2
Maintenance Dredging Operations
3.2.1
With reference to item 4(b)(ii) of the minute of this Committee on 5 December 2015, at the
time of writing this report Marine Scotland are yet to approve a new three year licence to
dispose of dredged material at sea.
3.2.2
As part of the licence application a Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) report and
chemical analysis of the silt within the harbour was carried out. The results of the chemical
analysis found a high content of metals such as chromium, copper, nickel and zinc. This is
giving Marine Scotland cause for concern and they requested that further chemical analysis
and particle size analysis was carried out on more samples of silt. The BPEO has also had to
be updated to reflect the results of all the additional analysis and to reinforce that dumping at
sea is the optimum proposal for disposal of the silt. The Council is awaiting confirmation that
the additional steps taken are sufficient to allow Marine Scotland to grant a licence to dispose
of dredged material at sea.
2
3.2.3
Shearwater Dredging Ltd. has been awarded the contract to remove 12,000cum of silt from
the inner and outer harbours as well as the navigational channel. They are expected to be in
Arbroath as soon as the licence is in place and consent has been granted by the Crown
Estate Commissioners.
4
PROGRAMME OF WORKS
4.1
With reference to item 4(c) of the minute of the meeting of this Committee on 4 December
2015, the 2015/16 list of projects has been updated below.
Project/ Nature of Expenditure
Annual Dredging
Revenue budget
Forecast dredging costs
Annual Dredging - net underspend
Boat Hoist
New boat hoist to replace one cradle on
patent slipway
European Fisheries Fund 2013/14 50% grant
50% Council match funding - revenue
dredging underspend
Net underspend
Additional Budget Resources:
Miscellaneous Works
Slipway
Cradle
Repairs
Supplementary Capital allocation
Forecast cost
Net underspend
Arbroath Harbour – Renewal & Repair
allocation
Forecast cost
Net underspend
Welfare Facilities - Supplementary
Capital allocation 2015/16
Forecast cost
Net underspend
Available
Budget /
(Cost)
2015/16
£000’s
Available
Budget /
(Cost)
2016/17
£000’s
126
(8)
118
164
(83)
81
Comments
See paragraph 2.1.1
See paragraph 3.2
Residual underspend to Roads
revenue account, see paragraph
2.1.1
See autumn report 2015
(150)
75
75
0
5
See summer report 2015
(5)
0
19
See paragraph 4.4
(19)
0
30
See paragraph 4.3
(33)
(3)
To be contained in Roads &
Transport budgets
4.2
The above table identifies the 2016/17 projects that have been budgeted for currently.
Options for further projects are being developed, including external funding sources – see
paragraph 4.5 and 5.1.1, for which the budget implications will need to be considered. This
Committee will be kept informed as progress develops.
4.3
Harbour Welfare Facilities
4.3.1
With reference to item 4(d)(iii) of the minute of this Committee on 4 December 2015, a new
self-contained welfare unit is now situated at the harbour for the use by harbour staff. The
welfare unit complies with the Workplace Health (Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992 and has
been funded from the Supplementary Capital allocation.
4.3.2
The arrival of the new welfare facilities has now opened up more room for the workshop
facilities for the harbour staff.
3
4.4
Concrete Works in Mackay’s Boatyard
4.4.1
The Harbour Manager has identified the need to have the south access area into the boatyard
re-surfaced. The soft ground in this area from the access gate towards Mackay’s workshop
will be removed and a concrete road constructed. This work is being funded from the
2015/2016 Repairs & Renewal budget and should be completed before the end of April 2016.
4.5
Crew Room Facilities
4.5.1
With reference to Item 4(d)(ii) of the minute of this Committee on 4 December 2015, the
Property Business Unit developed options for carrying out alterations to the existing crew
room facilities which will accommodate two additional toilets and two additional showers
within the existing footprint of the crew room (See Appendix 2). The Harbour Manager in
conjunction with the Service Manager (Roads) has reviewed the options, to which costs are
currently being developed by the Property Business Unit. This Committee will be kept
informed as progress develops.
5
OTHER ITEMS
5.1
NESFLAG
5.1.1
With reference to item 4(d)(i) of the minute of this Committee on 4 December 2015, the last
North East Scotland Fisheries Local Action Group (NESFLAG) meeting was in Peterhead on
11 February 2016. The Harbour Manager was unable to attend. An application for European
funding to contribute towards improving the infrastructure of the commercial aspect of the
harbour remains anticipated. As highlighted previously these improvements include the
installation of CCTV, an ice making facility, a refrigeration unit and pontoon walkway around
the quayside of the outer harbour and this committee will be kept up to date as the
programme of the bid process develops.
5.2
RNLI Business
5.2.1
The anticipated launch and recovery trials were carried out by the RNLI between 22 & 25
February 2016 at the location of the existing public slipway. This incorporated the use of a
Shannon class lifeboat, carriage and tractor. The trials were deemed to be a success and it is
understood that a report on the trials has been sent to the RNLI HQ in Poole, Dorset.
5.3
Seafest
5.3.1
Committee meetings continue to be held every month in preparation of this year’s Seafest.
th
The event is scheduled for the weekend of 13 & 14 August 2016. 2016 marks the 20
anniversary of the event. The Seafest Committee is therefore looking at enhancing the
Seafest this year to mark this anniversary.
6
RISK
6.1
The risks associated with the various matters addressed within this report are outlined within
the associated sections 2 to 5 of this report.
7
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1
Any financial implications arising directly or indirectly from this report will be subject to
approvals at the relevant Council Committees in due course. Operational matters will be
funded from the Roads and Transport Business Unit revenue budget.
7.2
The rental incomes accruing from property lets for harbour premises continue to be managed
by the Strategic Director - Communities on behalf of the Council through the Head of
Technical and Property Services.
4
8
OTHER IMPLICATIONS
There are no other implications arising from the proposals in this report.
IAN COCHRANE
HEAD OF TECHNCIAL AND PROPERTY SERVICES
NOTE:
No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
(other than any containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to any material extent in
preparing the above Report.
ROADS/WS/BF
5
APPENDIX 1
Estimated revenue budget outturn as at 31st March 2016
Revised
Budget
ARBROATH HARBOUR
2015/16
£000's
Actual to
@
29/02/2016
£000's
Estimated
Outturn
Outturn v.
Outturn
v.
Budget
2015/16
£000's
Budget
%
Variance
£000's
Expenditure:
Staff Costs
110
101
112
102%
2
47
27
34
72%
(13)
296
127
138
47%
(158)
19
23
26
137%
7
9
1
11
122%
2
GROSS EXPENDITURE
481
279
321
67%
(160)
GROSS INCOME
294
264
269
91%
25
NET EXPENDITURE 2015/16
187
15
52
28%
(135)
Property Costs
Supplies & Services
Recharge Costs (Internal)
Third Party Payments
notes:
Supplies & Services (Outturn):
1/ Accounts for approved carry forward request of £80k from 2014/15 into 2015/16 pertaining to dredging (report
46/15), assume spend £8k in 2015/16 from £126k budget.
2/ Fuel purchase is anticipated to be £55k below £150k expenditure budget, with associated reduction in
recharge income.
3/ Miscellaneous expenditure anticipated to be over by £15k on c. £18k budget.
Third party Payments (Outturn):
2/ Accounts for £10k contribution in 2015/16 to Arbroath Harbour Reserve.
Income (Outturn):
1/ Fuel purchase recharge is anticipated to be £55k below income £152k budget,
2/ Anticipated additional income from property rentals & berth/ fish dues of £30k on total budgeted income of
£142k.
6
APPENDIX 2
CREW ROOM ALTERATIONS – OPTION 1
7
APPENDIX 2 (continued)
CREW ROOM ALTERATIONS – OPTION 2
8