A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 3
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Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Contents Chairman’s Overview
4
1 Harbour Activities
6
2 Port Safety
8
3 Dart Harbour Forward Vision
11
4 Progress in 2012/2013
12
5 Financial Position
14
6 The Harbour Board
16
7 Pilots National Pension Fund Deficit
20
8 Dart Harbour Stakeholder Groups
21
9 Dart Harbour Staff
22
10 Young Champion Awards
24
11 Key Contacts and Calendar
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Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
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Chairman’s Overview I am delighted to present Dart Harbour and Navigation Authority’s annual report for 2012/2013. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that this authority has bound a series of annual reports together in one volume.
This is part of our desire to communicate with harbour users in the best way possible in order to continue to build our relationship with you. The report covers the period 1 April 2012 – 31 March 2013, although information given will be up to date at the time of writing. There are some financial figures supplied in these pages, but they do not in any way superceed our published Report of Financial Accounts (2012), which is a separate document.
Board Role The role of the board of Dart Harbour and Navigation Authority (Dart Harbour) is to set and maintain the strategy in place for managing and improving the valuable, stunning and vibrant port that is Dart Harbour. The purview of the board crosses many disciplines in achieving this: safety, policies of port management, the moorings policy, statutory compliances, finance, positioning of Dart Harbour in the ports sector, relationships with outside bodies, and maintaining a staff to uphold these roles to name but a few. Our aim as a collective body is to listen to consensus, not least of which are our stakeholder groups, and use this, our own collective skills, and research to optimise Dart Harbour for current and future river users. 4
Communications More detail on how we aim to achieve the roles above will appear in the following pages, but for now, I think it is important to cover how we aim to communicate this with you. As a harbour board, we strive to be open and transparent in what we do – this is not always easy as we are a Trust Port, and independent of larger bodies such as local authorities or commercial port facilities, with large (and expensive) arms for publicity. This document, in its first iteration, will form the cornerstone of a variety of ways in which we communicate with the public, and keep everyone informed. As most of you will be aware, we hold an annual public meeting, and every board meeting, on the second Monday afternoon of most months, gives an opportunity for the public to ask questions or present feedback. The Harbour Master releases monthly newsletters, and we have opened a Twitter account for you to keep up to the minute on what is happening in your harbour!
Financial Position There is more detail, with figures, later on in the report, but overall Dart Harbour remains in a satisfactory financial position, and is able to discharge its business with a small surplus. The weather in the summer Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
2012 was atrocious, with resulting poor visitor numbers. However, these figures have not had a grave impact on the authority, as overall leisure visits account for only 10% or so of turnover. The authority maintains some broad principles from a financial point of view. As far as possible the ‘user pays’ for facilities they use only. The authority is not permitted to make a profit, any surplus generated is reinvested in the port and its infrastructure. The board are adamant to avoid borrowing, wherever possible. I am pleased to say that this is currently the case. However, there is one cloud on the financial horizon, namely the Pilots National Pension Fund deficit. This is covered in more detail on page 20.
Customer Satisfaction For the first time in several years, a customer satisfaction survey was carried out this year. It is pleasing to note that 91% of customers are satisfied with the overall service provided in the port. 95% of annual berth holders are satisfied with Dart Harbour, and 80% of visitors are either satisfied or very satisfied. At least 75% are satisfied with the moorings policy, and 90% of you are pleased with our customer service to you. Some general comments were made, but two key themes came out: We could do with improving our facilities, and there is a shortage of tender or dinghy berthing opportunities. We have taken all of your comments on board, and these will help shape future plans. From now on we intend to carry out an annual survey, so that we may measure our performance year on year and communicate the results to you. Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Staff I wish to pay tribute to the 15 core full time staff in carrying out the many different roles required of Dart Harbour, in a most cheerful and enthusiastic manner. Very ably led by our Harbour Master, Rob Giles, the team are engaged in a process of overhauling the business to make the authority as efficient as possible, whilst continuing with the day to day tasks of the harbour. However, the harbour would not function without the support of the 14 yacht taxi drivers, 37 volunteers, Friends of Dart Harbour and other service providers who all do a fantastic job for us. It is truly a team effort.
Harbour Board Members We have seen a change in our board membership. Sadly we say goodbye to Joe Murtagh, who has provided outstanding service to the board. He was the board main stay in delivering the Hoodown Phase 1 quay extension, giving up a great deal of his own time to this project. His efforts, and skilled contribution to the board will be sorely missed. His replacement will take over in Autumn 2013.
Summary This is the first ‘one stop’ Annual Report document, produced by the board for you. I hope I have been able to paint a picture of the board role and purview. In the following pages you will find more detail on some of the matters covered, and other roles carried out at Dart Harbour. Your harbour is, overall, in a good position, and embarked on a journey of business overhaul and improvement.
Neil Hockaday Chairman
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1 Harbour Activities The aim of this section is to give you a brief summary of the roles and duties of Dart Harbour, and how our staff carry them out.
1. T he Commercial Users Group (CUG). Represents river users who depend on the port in some way for an income.
Status and Governance
2. T he Association of Dart River User Clubs (ADRUC). Represents the interests of leisure club members on the River Dart. It also includes a member who represents leisure users who are not members of a club.
Dart Harbour is a Trust Port, an independent body established by an Act of Parliament in 1975, as the sole body responsible for management of the port, and licensing of moorings. Over the years, several reviews were conducted into Trust Ports, resulting in release of the latest governance document, ‘Modernising Trust Ports (MTP), Edition 2’, in 2009. Dart Harbour board strives to adhere to the guidelines set out by this document. Prior to 2000, when the first MTP was produced, there was a large presence of non-elected members on the board, which lead to a lack of openness and transparency. A Harbour Revision order was incorporated in 2002, which paved the way for board members being selected for board membership via an independent selection panel, so that the board may implement strategy in a fair and impartial manner. The board strive to do this and communicate it as well as possible, as alluded to in the Chairman’s overview on page 4. The board is currently made up of 9 members at full strength, each with a complementary set of skills. Board members profiles can be found on page 22. The only executive member of the board is the Harbour Master / CEO, who forms the link between the executive and non-executive functions. The board holds 10 monthly meetings, all of which are open to the public, and an annual public meeting. The Harbour Revision Order also set up 3 stakeholder groups, representing different interests in the port. These are as follows: 6
3. T he Non-Beneficiaries Group (NonBens). Represents the interests of neighbouring partners, such as town and parish councils, local authorities, riparian and charity land owners, so that partnership opportunities may be explored. At time of writing this group is being re-established. Stakeholder groups cannot direct the authority, but the board listens very carefully to these bodies so that future strategy can be formed with the feedback of the groups in mind.
Dart Harbour Roles and Responsibilities Dart Harbour is by definition a Competent Harbour Authority (CHA). This means that the board are responsible for safely managing port activity on a day to day basis, through the operational staff, throughout the 11.5 miles of navigable water from the sea to Totnes. As a CHA, Dart Harbour runs a Safety Management System (SMS) in accordance with the Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC) (2009). The authority is also delegated Local Lighthouse Authority (LLA) duties by Trinity House, the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA), and is responsible for upkeep of all of the navigational marks, lights and beacons within harbour limits. Dart Harbour is responsible for issue of Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Hercules Crane Barge mooring licenses for all moorings on the river, whether owned by Dart Harbour or not, to preserve and maintain a safe waterway, and to protect the environment. Dart Harbour is a deep water port, capable of accommodating vessels of considerable size, mainly at the main stream buoys in the Dartmouth / Kingswear area. To that end, a compulsory pilotage district exists for vessels entering the harbour which are greater than 50 metres in length. Dart Harbour is responsible for maintaining a portfolio of qualified pilots and a capability to handle these vessels safely. Another role of the CHA is conservancy, a term used to describe promotion of port accessibility through monitoring, and, if necessary, adjustment of the environment to achieve this. Conservancy includes, but is not limited to: chart updates of the harbour chart to the UK Hydrographic Office, Taunton, bathymetric surveying of the sea bed within harbour limits to check for changes, dredging programmes to keep the channel open to vessels wishing to navigate. Other implied duties include acting as a consultee on land and marine based planning applications, and water quality status monitoring and improvement. Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
The board is also acutely aware of any environmental issues facing the port. The harbour lies within South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and there are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) very close to the harbour. Plans exist for a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) in the upper part of the river. The authority works to maintain the naturally beautiful areas of the River Dart, and strives to maintain flora, fauna and ecosystems through a contribution to the employment of an Estuaries Officer in the advisory and events roles, and through production and implementation of a Dart Estuary Environmental Management Plan (DEEMP). Dart Harbour owns some 1,400 moorings, which are let to berth holders on an annual basis. There is considerable responsibility involved in serving the berth holders, managing waiting lists for prospective berth holders, and maintaining the moorings infrastructure (done for the most part by Dart Harbour staff ). Dart Harbour has a moorings’ policy, which is extant until the end of 2015. Licences are issued to other moorings contractors and other individuals for non-Dart Harbour berths. 7
2 Port Safety
Pilot Boat (Lynx) This section outlines the requirement, roles and responsibilities for Dart Harbour in managing a port with maximum safety. The harbour board takes its role in this area very seriously – it is probably one of our most important activities. Through the efforts of the safety team, if just one avoidable accident is prevented, then the effort is more than worthwhile.
The Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC) The key document giving guidelines for port safety is the PMSC. The first edition was published by the Department for Transport (DfT) Ports Division in 2000. It was revised in 2009, and established some overarching principles and benchmark style standards for ports to 8
respond to, by creating their own Safety Management System (SMS). The harbour board is the Duty Holder in response to the PMSC. This means that the board is collectively responsible for response to the PMSC in overview of the SMS, and keeping the requisite number of staff to implement it and the safety policy. The Dart Harbour board response to the PMSC is set out in the Dart Harbour Safety Policy Statement and Safety Plan (SPSSP). It outlines the organisational frameworks in place to maximise safety on the river, and delegate duties to staff in carrying this out. This is available on our website. Dart harbour declared compliance with the PMSC in 1 April 2012. This declaration is valid for 3 years. Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
There are other documents that contribute to the SMS, to form a comprehensive gamut of documents all contributing to the overall safety picture. The following documents are relevant: - Dart Estuary Environmental Management Plan (2006-2011) (in process of renewal) - The Dart Harbour and Navigation Authority Act (1975) - The Harbours Act (1964) - Dart Harbour Byelaws (1998) - The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) - The Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) - Maritime and Coastguard Agency M-Notices - Admiralty and Port Notices to Mariners Also, Dart Harbour Publications, such as:
- The Dart Harbour Guide
- The Dart Harbour Emergency Plan
- The Dart Harbour Oil Spill Response Plan (OPRC)
- The Dart Harbour Waste Management Plan
- Admiralty Chart 2253
- Dart Harbour Moorings Policy (2010-2015)
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Audit by the Designated Person (DP) as required by the PMSC Dart Harbour has appointed a DP to audit Dart Harbour’s compliance with the PMSC on a periodic basis. He reported in October 2012 that, in his opinion, Dart Harbour Safety Management System is in compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code. There were some comments and recommendations, to which the safety team are responding. It is recommended in the PMSC to record and publish relevant safety accidents and incidents that are reported to the authority in 2012/2013. The table on the next page is a list of such accidents and incidents. Dart Harbour takes a dim view of inappropriate behaviour of river users towards staff - this is contrary to byelaw. Overall this is a good start - more trend analysis will be available in next years report. This is the first year that the table is published. Year-on-year comparison data will commence with the 2014 report. Not surprisingly, the main issues surround vessels under way in the harbour. We have received numerous reports of boats using excessive speed, sometimes at night without lights. These will be in future recorded as near misses, so as to gain the best picture possible of risks posed to river users by speeding vessels. We will take steps to educate, and defer this activity. It is of note that contravention of Byelaws, including speeding, can result in prosecution by a magistrate’s court and a criminal record for the transgressor. It is very pleasing to note Dart Harbour’s record on moorings integrity - a testament to Matt Stephens (Moorings Manager) and the team. 9
10
Vessel Navigation
Minor Collisions
Speeding
Harbour Mooring Failure
Private Mooring Failure
Fire
Minor Pollution
Lost Boats
Marine Crimes
Damage/Vandalism
Anti-Social/Verbal Abuse
Grounding
Other
2 Port Safety (cont) Dart Harbour Accidents and Incidents 2012/13
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
3 Dart Harbour Forward Vision This section outlines the Forward Vision project, in partnership with the University of Plymouth, and its role in informing the board on future strategy. The aim of the Forward Vision Project In late 2011, the board discussed putting together a new document that would inform board strategy for the next 10 years. The result is the Dart Harbour Forward Vision document, which was published for consultation in April 2013. The document sets out some key themes and objectives for the board to develop in the future. These include: 1. E xploiting enhanced benefits is for Dart Harbour to recognise its position as a key player and gatekeeper in the socio-economic well-being of the Dart business and resident community. 2. D eveloping a pro-active communications and marketing strategy to maintain active communication flows with its multiple audiences and partners. 3. W orking in partnership with a range of local, regional and national bodies to encourage cruise calls, super yacht visits, tourism, recreation and leisure, and marine industry through improved coordination and the provision of high quality infrastructure. 4. E mbracing opportunities presented by changes in marine governance, including the Dart’s inclusion in the next marine planning process and the potential designation of the Dart Estuary MCZ. These processes present significant opportunities for the Dart.
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
5. R ecognising that a step-change in the role of Dart Harbour is needed if the authority wishes to adopt a more pro-active approach to socio-economic development in the river. This will include recasting the relationship between Dart Harbour and the local resident and business communities, revising staff working methods, and establishing clearly the role of Dart Harbour in the local economy. 6. C onsideration of appointing a communication and marketing officer, whose role it would be to develop and implement a communications strategy, work with key partners to secure socio-economic opportunities for the Dart, and support the implementation of revised working methods and new technology to support enhanced customer experience on the Dart.
Next Steps The next steps are board approval in the autumn of 2013, to enable a further scoping study to identify key target areas where material benefit for river users can be derived out of the study. One of the key deliverables from this study is likely to be production of a new Strategic Business Plan. The scoping study, and associated report, is likely to be complete towards the end of 2014. The report and target areas to develop will also inform the consultation for the new moorings policy, to be published towards the end of 2015.
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4 Progress in 2012/2013 Progress made in 2012/13 In order to operate a safe and value for money harbour following the guidelines in the Port Marine Safety Code and to look after the interests of the harbour user. Dart Harbour has: • S upported Mr Mike Clark in a local apprenticeship led employment scheme marine which successfully passed, and was awarded National Apprentice of the Year. Use of this scheme has led to him gaining a full time position of River Officer within the authority. • T he successful development of our Hoodown Workshop Facility has enabled the improvement of several facilities within the harbour, including the new Stoke Gabriel Pontoon Facility and the re-furbished Low Water Landing Pontoon. This includes the re-location of the Dartmouth Dinghy Rack Facility into deeper water. • Annual inspection and application of cathodic protection of all our steel pontoon piles improving the lifespan and safety of our facilities, and helping to reduce long term expenditure on early replacement.
Mike Clark • In-house fabrication and deployment of new pontoon safety ladders to all of our facilities using partly re-cycled materials. • Continued investment and enhancement to staff training including regular in-house safety and other training. • Following consultation an improved MCA approved Waste Management Plan with emphasis on improved waste collection and future recycling opportunities. • Expansion of marketing the port as a preferred destination for leisure boat owners, super yachts and of course future cruise ship calls.
• A ttended all stakeholder group meetings held and listened to their views.
• Sponsorship of local marine related events including advice and support to assist local clubs in bidding for future events.
• F ollowing the submission of survey data to the UKHO, Chart 2253 has been updated and reissued with greater accuracy.
• A revised updated Port Security Plan which has been approved by the DfT, including the training of staff by way of a table top and practical exercises.
• I mprovement of fresh water supplies for harbour users with the addition of two new supplies on the Dart Harbour Recycling Pontoon Facility supplied by an approved and regularly tested marine grade supply.
• Fully established a full record of all mooring tackle data for each individual facility thereby helping to assess mooring characteristics/suitability for safety improvements and for annual servicing.
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Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Pontoon for recycling and water • A continued upgrade of local navigation aids including investment in new lights helping to reduce maintenance and running costs. • S upported Mr Nick Clarance, the Deputy Harbour Master to study and successfully gain a merit pass in the International Diploma for Harbour Master which is accredited by the MCA and the UKHMA in October 2013.
• Implemented an Official Warning System for persistent offenders of Local Byelaws to help establish a detailed recording system for any potential prosecutions. • Developed a new website for all users of the harbour to help improve communication and promote Dart Harbour. Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
• Implemented a regular eNewsletter update for all Dart Harbour customers and stakeholders. • Implemented a Customer Survey to gauge the views and perceptions of Dart Harbour services from river users and other stakeholders. • Held an Annual Public Meeting to present the authority’s activity, achievements and proposals to the public. • Support Kate Distin (Finance Manager) in the achievement of an AAT accounting qualification and continued professional development. • Opened a Twitter account to keep stakeholders informed with up-to-theminute information. 13
5 Financial Position Year Ended December 31 Sales Harbour Dues - Local
2010 £
2011 £
2012 £
164,123
161,420
164,780
Harbour Dues - Visitors
56,978
60,344
49,623
Harbour Dues Commercial
19,122
21,970
20,886
Harbour Dues Passenger Vessels
9,563
23,903
12,537
Harbour Dues Fisherman
1,937
2,091
2,080
Town Jetty
42,725
41,253
40,140
Quay
17,632
18,248
18,181
Moorings Licences
42,437
42,739
44,545
Fundus Rental
29,980
35,142
37,240
Buoyage Local
368,753
375,196
390,617
62,241
67,883
52,499
5,438
7,416
8,328
Kingswear mooring pontoon
248,186
248,098
258,006
Buoyage pontoon and racks
134,667
130,759
135,668
Ministry of defence
10,054
10,528
11,072
Work Done
28,312
40,208
52,885
2,869
1,947
2,457
234
227
242
3,359
3,217
2,866
Miscellaneous
10,357
25,573
14,222
Electricty Income
16,524
16,316
18,522
3,500
3,500
3,500
582
281
245
34,083
35,106
29,688
1,313,656
1,373,365
1,370,829
Buoyage Visitors Buoyage Mainstream and layups
Scrubbing Grid DVLR Booking and registration
Pilot Boat rental Net Income from Pilotage Water Taxi
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Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Year Ended December 31 Cost of Sales
2010 £
2011 £
2012 £
Opening Stock
36,327
19,236
14,139
Rent of town bridge jetty
13,475
13,979
16,386
MAFF grant release
(15,054)
(15,054)
(15,054)
Production Salaries
289,902
303,469
310,058
Staff pension scheme costs
56,018
28,793
31,930
Subcontractor Labour
12,643
45
-
Repairs & Mainentance
161,396
182,104
279,843
18,112
23,865
21,209
136,417
157,386
152,668
3,299
3,710
2,246
Insurance
28,456
26,314
29,913
Depreciation
88,868
87,299
109,986
829,859
831,146
953,324
Closing Stock
(19,236)
(14,139)
(11,803)
810,623 817,007 941,521
Gross Profit
503,033
556,358
429,308
Administrative expenses
275,526
253,330
354,809
Operating Profit
227,507
303,028
74,499
Electricity Duchy of Cornwall Rent Metered water
Interest receivable Bank deposit interest Net profit for year Corporation Tax Retained reserve
6,975
14,618
4,338
234,482
317,646
78,837
(43,955) (66,500) (21,999) 190,527 251,146 56,838
Please note that the word ‘profit’ is notional - all surplus will be re-invested in the harbour and its facilities. The notable decrease in profit between 2011-2012 should not cause alarm - this is due to embarkation on a re-piling programme for harbour, and a 2% decrease in revenue due to weather-driven low activity in 2012. Overall the performance in 2012 was satisfactory.
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
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6 The Harbour Board Board membership is correct at time of going to press in October 2013. Chairman - Neil Hockaday Neil Hockaday was first appointed to the Board in late 2001 and became Chairman in April 2010. His career has been spent in the banking industry in London, Europe, the US and the Far East. More recently he was the Finance Director of a start up pharmaceutical company in Bristol, but retired in 2008. He was also a joint owner of a leisure business near Brixham. He is a member of the Royal Dart Yacht Club and he keeps a boat in Brixham. His expertise on the Authority is in financial matters and he has assisted the Authority with developing financial reporting mechanisms, the preparation of capital plans and with pension matters. He is a Trustee of the Authority’s Pension Scheme.
Harbour Master - Rob Giles Rob came to Dart Harbour with a marine background having served in the Royal Navy between 1989 and 2007 and leaving with a rank of Lieutenant Commander. Following his naval career Rob was employed as Asset Planning Officer by Devon County Council and then as Project Manager (Construction) with the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary. Having spent 18 years in the Royal Navy, 3 of which were at Britannia Royal Naval College, Rob is well placed to understand and serve the needs of all users the River. One of his main objectives is to preserve the balance of the river, serving the needs of local users whilst catering for visitors, and maintaining the beautiful natural environment whilst promoting commerce.
Vice Chairman - John (Jan)Scott John (Jan) was first appointed to the board in January 2009. He was born and brought up in Dartmouth and always had a close interest in the river in his early years. His career was spent in shipping and he was a Master with a diverse international shipping company and also Port Captain of a major freight terminal on the River Thames. Latterly he was involved in shipping management. He is a Younger Brother of Trinity House. In retirement he has been closely involved as a Trustee in an International NGO working for the prevention of disabilities. He is currently Vice Chairman of Blackawton Parish Council and has a particular interest in environmental matters.
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Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Mike Cast Mike was appointed to the Board in December 2007. He first developed his interest in the sea when he attended the London Nautical School. He later spent 25 years in the information technology world, in various sales and marketing roles. In 1991 he founded his own company, and it was at this point that he entered the off-shore IT business, making over 100 trips to India. He developed the company into a £35 million business before it was acquired by a global software company. He continued to hold executive director responsibilities in the company until 2004 and still works as a consultant to the industry. Mike is totally at home on the river. He enjoys taking his boat out, and is an active member of the canoe section of Dartmouth Yacht Club.
Tim Dewing Tim was appointed to the Board in October 2013. He grew up on the Solent sailing on any boat that would take him. He is an RYA Ocean Yachtmaster and an enthusiastic racer. He ran the Junior Sailing training at the Royal Dart Yacht Club for three years and is a keen supporter of youth sailing. Tim first came to Dartmouth in 1982 as an Officer Cadet at Britannia Royal Naval College. He trained as a Navigator and was based in the Gulf and Hong Kong before returning to BRNC as Head of the Navigation Department in 1990. On leaving the Royal Navy Tim completed an MBA and joined his wife’s Management Consultancy based in Devon. He has worked with a wide range of organisations from local food producers through to County Air Ambulances and international PLCs. He specialises in advising fast growth and turnaround businesses, predominantly working at board level. He is a strategic thinker with a clear understanding of marketing and a good grasp of business finance. Tim keeps a yacht and a wooden launch on the Dart which he enjoys with his wife and four children.
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
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6 The Harbour Board (cont) John Ellwood John was first appointed to the Board in January 2013. He was brought up in Dartmouth and learned to sail on the river as a teenager. After a career of more than thirty years as a senior manager with the European Space Agency in the Netherlands and France, he has retired to Dartmouth where he has always kept his UK base. He is the Racing Secretary of the Royal Dart Yacht Club where he races a Squib and has a cruising yacht moored in the river. From an early age he has been passionate about the Dart and intends to ensure that it is kept for its many users to enjoy, while maintaining the beautiful environment for which it is famous
Owen Hill Owen was appointed to the Board from January 2011. Owen trained as a solicitor with Allen & Overy in London. He was a Partner in the commercial law firm Eversheds and as also worked in industry as Legal Counsel and Director of the Wilson Bowden Developments business. Owen now works as a Consultant on commercial law matters for Hooper & Wollen with an office over looking the boat float in Dartmouth. He also acts as Secretary to the Dartmouth Chamber of Trade and serves the Totnes Renewable Energy Society as Legal Director and Company Secretary. Owen has recently completed a sabbatical sailing with friends and family from the Dart to cruise for a summer in the Med. He is now a qualified RYA Yacht Master and working towards the qualification to act as an Instructor.
Trevor Pollard Trevor was appointed to the Board in December 2008 and will be leaving the board in December 2013. Originally from a naval family based in Portsmouth, he graduated from London University with a degree in Biology and after qualifying as a chartered accountant spent all of his working life with BP plc in a number of different financial roles. He was posted overseas to Abu Dhabi and Tanzania and for the last 4 years prior to retirement in 2007 was the general manager of a large corporate accounting team with varied global responsibilities. After many years of visiting the south west, Trevor and his wife moved to Dittisham in early 2008 to enjoy the coastal scenery and limitless walking potential of the region, together with the local golf courses.
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Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Sue Pudduck Sue was first appointed to the Board in 2005 and comes to the end of her term in December 2013. She was born and brought up in Scotland and represented both Scotland and the UK at fencing. After moving to the south west, she started sailing in a voluntary capacity helping out with Somerset Schools Sailing Association while working as a lecturer in further education. After holding several posts in charge of leisure, tourism, hospitality and catering, she worked in higher education writing a degree in health and fitness. She is a part owner of a Cobra 850 kept on the Dart and used for cruising.
Marcus Taylor Appointed to the Board in October 2013, Marcus spent 23 years in the Royal Marines serving all over the world including operational service in Northern Ireland, Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan plus several years as Royal Marines Equerry to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Having left the Marines in 2013 he currently works for Babcock International plc in Devonport supervising all commercial support to the Royal Navy’s Amphibious Centre of Specialisation. He holds a masters degree from King’s College London and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute. A keen sailor and recreational river user he can usually be found somewhere on the Dart on Saturdays helping teach youngsters to sail at the excellent RDYC kids mornings. Formerly a resident of Ivybridge, his family moved to Totnes in 1997 and now lives near Diptford.
Richard Eggleton Appointed to the Board in October 2013, Richard moved to Dartmouth in August 2011 with his wife and 2 children from Oxford. He has had many links with Dartmouth since a young age. He used to sail in to the Dart onboard Provident when she was part of the ICC in Salcombe. In 1999 he joined the Merchant Navy and started working for an Oil Rig Supply and Rescue company in the North Sea. This lead to him becoming 2nd in command at the age of 21. In 2005 he moved into sail training becoming Chief Officer onboard the Tall Ship Youth Trust’s Sail Training Vessel’s “Prince William” and “Stavros S Niarchos”, travelling the world and regularly visiting Dartmouth. It was in Dartmouth that he met his wife during a voyage to Britannia Royal Naval College. He is currently a serving Merchant Navy Captain working for a large Norwegian company specialising in Oil Rig Supply and Subsea Construction. This has given him a strong marine operations background which he hopes to put to good use as a member of DHNA board. He is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute. Richard is also on the crew at the RNLI Dart Lifeboat. Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
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7 P ilots National Pension Fund Deficit
Dartmouth Castle The Pilot’s National Pension Fund (PNPF) is a national multi-employer defined benefit pension scheme that provides benefits for employed and self-employed maritime pilots (it was originally the Trinity House pension scheme). In common with many competent harbour authorities, the Authority, acting in good faith, signed a Deed of Accession to the PNPF in 1989, indicating that the Authority was a participating body for pilots, albeit that the Authority had limited pilotage activities. In September 2012 the trustee of the PNPF wrote to DHNA advising the Authority that the retirement of a former pilot has triggered a liability under Section 75 of the Pensions Act 1995 and the Occupational Pension Schemes (Employer Debt) Regulations 2005, but that liability could not be quantified because of an on-going court case. In April 2013 the trustee of PNPF advised the Authority that under Section 75 of the Pensions Act 1995 the liability calculated by the actuary was 0.001925% of the £254.5million deficit as at 31 December 2010, being in total £520,000. The trustee advised this figure comprises: 20
- £72,000 to pilots of the Authority and administration costs - £448,000 to non-Authority pilots known as orphan liabilities Payments to the PNPF will be accounted for as multi-employer schemes as if the fund were a defined contribution scheme, that is on a contributions payable basis. Henceforth, no provision has been made in the Dart Harbour accounts Balance Sheet at 31 December 2012. Under UK pensions legislation the Authority becomes liable when the trustee of the PNPF issues an actuarial certificate certifying the amount of the debt. The Authority has not received a certificate to date. The Authority is in consultation with the PNPF and the relevant Government ministries and vigorously disputes the potential liability which the PNPF has indicated it seeks to recover. During the year the Authority paid £nil to the PNPF. It is for this reason that the authority is not able to produce a capital development plan for the port until negotiations with the PNPF Trustee are deemed to be complete. Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
8 Dart Harbour Stakeholder Groups
Dittisham Under the Trust Port legislation a port may allow Stakeholder Groups to be set up. The function of these Stakeholder Groups is to link the Harbour Board to its users and local community. They independently monitor the activities of the Dart Harbour Authority, advising the board and making representations and or recommendations as required. The Dart Harbour Authority has a statutory duty to inform Stakeholder Groups of its policy and activities and take note of any representations a Stakeholder Group puts to it, to which it must respond. If a Stakeholder Group feels it has had an unsatisfactory response or that the policy of the Board is wrong it has the power to notify the Secretary of State who must adjudicate and respond. However, communications between Dart Harbour and the Stakeholder Groups is generally very positive. Dart Harbour Board accredits four such stakeholder Groups are:
Dart Harbour Commercial Users Group (DHCUG) This is the forum for people with commercial interests associated with the River Dart. The group meets a minimum of 4 times a year or more regularly as required and membership is open to any individual Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
or body that has a business either based on or associated with the River Dart between Totnes and Dartmouth. If you have a business associated with the River Dart it is very much in your interest to be a member of this group.
Association of River Dart Leisure Clubs (ADRUC) This is the forum which represents the interests of leisure users on the River Dart through established Clubs. The group meets at least twice a year and membership is open to clubs engaged in amateur leisure activities connected with the River Dart.
Dart Non Beneficiaries Group (DNB) This group is currently in the process of be re-established. The DNB will represent the local communities and Agencies and authorities such as Natural England, National Trust, SWW, Police, etc who have a direct involvement in the Dart Estuary. To scrutinise the Trust Port policies and the performance of its Board. To ensure that the actions of the Board enhance the River and adjacent lands within the Riparian Parishes to the benefit of all residents and future generations. 21
9 Dart Harbour Staff
Dart Harbour Staff
Senior Administrator
Dart Harbour operates with a small dedicated team of people and delivers a large portfolio of tasks and functions with limited staff resources. There is often a perception that the Authority is a large employer. In fact, there are only 14 full time members of staff managing and carrying out the wide range of tasks for the Authority.
Fulfilling the role of Office Manager, Penny Johns’ areas of responsibility include Board administration and minutes, HR administration, website manager, line manager for the two office staff, harbour guide production, Young Champions support, office duties, PA to the Harbour Master and a member of the Senior Management Team.
Senior Management Team
Finance Manager
Harbour Master/Chief Executive
Kate Distin is a member of the Senior Management Team and carries out the financial administration and management of the Authority’s finances.
Rob Giles has been in the role since 2010 and has overall responsibility for the staffing at Dart Harbour. Rob is also a member of the Dart Harbour Board. He is also a licensed pilot for vessels visiting the Dart.
Deputy Harbour Master Nick Clarance is a member of the Senior Management Team he acts as deputy in the absence of the Harbour Master and is line manager for the Moorings Manager, Moorings Officers, River Officers, Yacht Taxi Drivers and Volunteers. He is also the Port Security Officer and contributes significantly to the Safety Management System and to port management. 22
Moorings Manager Matt Stephens is team leader for staff based at the Hoodown Workshop and he is responsible for the moorings maintenance programme, fleet management, facility servicing, maintenance and replacement programme. He is also a member of the Senior Management Team.
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
River Based Staff
Volunteers
Moorings Officers
Around 36 volunteers support Dart Harbour in maintaining a presence on the river and keeping an eye of navigation marks and activity on the river. Their daily shifts are organised by the Volunteer Co-ordinator.
Two Moorings Officers (North and South) are employed to allocate the portfolio of approximately 1400 moorings to applicants on the waiting list as a primary role, but they also carry out River Officer duties. They also handle a myriad of queries from berth holders about their berths and boats. Part office and part river based.
River Officers Five River Officers are employed and they carry out a wide variety of roles including moorings maintenance, pilotage crew, fabrication, engineering, patrolling, collecting fees and dues from visiting vessels. They work a shift pattern in the summer and a 5 day week in the winter.
Office Based Staff Two office staff are employed covering the wide range of clerical and administrative duties required by the authority. These include moorings allocation administration, waiting list administration, reception and telephone duties, invoicing and financial administration support, yacht taxi rotas, winter and temporary moorings administration and database management.
Yacht Taxi Drivers A team of 14 staff to cover the shifts of the Dart Harbour Yacht Taxi. The full time equivalent of these is 4.
Greenway Boathouse Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
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10 Young Champion Awards 2012 The third year of the awards was a big success in a number of ways: it saw a large increase in entries, more involvement from community businesses and saw the profile of the awards increase through a number of positive news stories. The Dart Harbour Young Champion Awards were launched in 2010 with the aim of engaging more children and young people with the river, and inspiring them to use the waterway more often. This year was a special one for the Young Champion awards as Greenway Ferries and the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company generously donated a number of trips on the river for schools. The trips provided the inspiration for the school’s entries to the awards. Each of the 8 trips on the river were featured in the local press and the awareness of the awards benefited from a subsequent boost – this meant that there were more entries than ever before and the quality of entries also shot up. In the youngest age group the shortlisted schools were St John the Baptist Totnes, St John the Baptist Dartmouth, Dartington Primary and Brixham C of E School. The judges were very impressed by all the entries and Dartmouth St Johns especially, but the scale, ambition and the engagement of the children at Brixham were second to none and the judges had no hesitation in awarding the win to them.
was also very informative. The judges thought he deserved first prize. The Young Champion Awards are a scheme designed to help Dart Harbour achieve its main goal: to protect, enhance and develop Dart Harbour for current users and for future generations. By encouraging young people to engage and learn about the river, Dart Harbour manages to achieve all three of these aims: the children, by engaging with and learning about he river are more likely to use it respectfully now, and are more likely to fight for its protection in the future. The Young Champion Awards’ reach and influence continue to grow and build both the brand of Dart Harbour and a love of the river Dart in the young people of the area. The Awards cost Dart Harbour a little over £1,500, and the value added part of the award (positive publicity, the development of relationships with local companies such as Greenway Ferries and the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company and building a relationship with local schools) have been unforeseen but very welcome by-products of their continuing growth and success.
In the secondary age group, Cameron Webb’s submission, a piece of writing chronicling a journey down the river from its source to the sea, impressed the judges with its use of technical language and also its writing flair – he wrote a very interesting and convincing story which 24
Young Champions Brixham C of E School Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Events Diary Diary 2012/2013 2012/2013 Events DATE Key: E = Events R = Rallies S = Ship Visits
EVENT TITLE
KEY
APRIL 2012 1 7 14
Round Britain Experience Dart Gig Regatta Head of the Dart
NOVEMBER 2012 E E E
MAY 2012 1 MV Ocean Nova S 13 Canoe Races E 17 National Geographic Explorer S 21 MV Silver Explorer S 22 – 17 Jun MV Legend S 27 BCU 2012 Hasler Qualifier Race E
JUNE 2012 2– 3 2–3 3
On the Water SGBA Junior Sailing Handicap Race for Dinghies/Keelboats 3–4 YYC Triangle Race 4 River Dart Jubilee Parade 9 – 11 STS Lord Nelson 9 – 15 J80 World Sailing Championships 17 Longbow Canoe Festival 18 MV Minerva 30 – 1 Jul Totnes & Bridgetown Royal Regatta
E E E E E S E E S E
JULY 2012 7 – 13 7–9 14 15 23 – 27
National Squib Championships E Rainbow JH2 / Tug Holland S Storm Force Day E Laser Open Meeting E DRYSA E
AUGUST 2012 11 Dittisham Regatta 14 Le Diamant 26 – 1 Sep Dartmouth Royal Regatta
E S E
SEPTEMBER 2012 2 6 8–9 9 14 15 – 16 22
Le Diamant Silver Explorer Kingswear Regatta SGBA Regatta Le Diamant SW Coa to Coa Endurance Event River Dart 10K Swim
Dart Harbour HarbourAnnual AnnualReport Report2013 2013 Dart
S S E E S E E
24
Dart Totnes Autumn Head Regatta
E
APRIL 2013 6 20
Dart Gig Club Regatta Head of the Dart
E E
MAY 2013 5 Dart/Totnes Hasler Kayak Race E 25 / 26 Try a Boat E 29 – 2 Jun Junior Sailing Week E
JUNE 2013 7 8 15/16 29 / 30
FTI Berlin Pilgrim Visit Totnes/Bridgetown Rowing Regatta Kingswear Regatta
S S E E
JULY 2013 5–8 6 10 11 12 17 18 20 21
Classic Channel Regatta Wedding Booking Sea Cloud II Pilgrim Visit Windsurf Pilgrim Visit Pilgrim Visit STS Grossherzogin Elisabeth Longbow Canoe Festival
E E S S S S S S E
AUGUST 2013 2 Sea Cloud II 8 Ocean Princess 9/10 Aquastar Rally 11 Pacific Star Princess 16 Ocean Princess 17 Dittisham Regatta 20 Pilgrim Visit 27 Minerva 29 Junior Sailing Week 29/30/31/1 Dartmouth Royal Regatta 30/31 Pilgrim Visit 31 Review Of Classic Craft
S S R S S E S S E E S E
SEPTEMBER 2013 1 1/2 6 10
Ocean Princess Pilgrim Visit Wind Surf Pilgrim Visit
S S S S 25 25
11 Key Contacts and Calendar Key Contacts Dart Harbour Office
--
Chairman
Neil Hockaday 01803 845388
alstonnch@aol.com
Harbour Master
Rob Giles
01803 832337
info@dartharbour.org
Deputy Harbour Master Nick Clarance
--
Deputy.hm@dartharbour.org
Senior Administrator
Penny Johns
-- Senior.administrator@ dartharbour.org
Finance Manager
Kate Distin
--
finance@dartharbour.org
Yacht Taxi Service
--
07970 346571
N/A
07876 767969
contact@philscoble.co.uk
Young Champion Lead Phil Scoble
01803 832337
info@dartharbour.org
Calendar and Events 2014 Board Meetings Board Meetings are held in The Studio at The Flavel Arts Centre in Dartmouth at 1400 hours – unless stated otherwise. Members of the public are welcome to attend the open meeting and an opportunity exists for the public to ask questions at the start of the meeting. 13th January – Venue – Totnes Boating Association 10th February 10th March 14th April 12th May 9th June 14th July August - No meeting 8th September 13th October 10th November Annual Meeting 8th December (1900 hrs) 26
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
Vire Island
Events Other events during 2014 will be published on the website. 5/6th July Dartmouth Classic Channel Regatta 27th – 30th August Dartmouth Regatta
Visiting Ships
ETA DATE ETD DATE NAME
ETA
14/06/14 14/06/14 MINERVA
0700 1800 135
05/08/14
0800
05/08/14
MV OCEAN PRINCESS
ETD 1700
LOA 181
07/08/14 07/08/14 MV EUROPA
1200 2200 192
18/08/14
18/08/14
MV AZAMARA JOURNEY
TBC
TBC
181
29/08/14
29/08/14
MV OCEAN PRINCESS
0800
1700
181
Dart Harbour Annual Report 2013
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