PMBHA AGM 19th APRIL 2014
Chairman’s Report I am sorry Hilary and I are unable to be with you this year. As I am writing this our daughter Nina is about to produce a new crew member and I have had to go to France to prepare my boat for her.
Thanks to everyone for attending today and I am very pleased to report the PMBHA goes from strength to strength. Membership is up again to a record level.
Thanks also to your Committee for all their work and support once again.
The PMBHA would like to express its sincere thanks to Wil and all his staff who repeatedly turned out during the severe winter storms to mitigate damage to boats. They really do deserve your thanks.
The last 12 months Last year I said I could not find a glass to see if it was full or empty. However, the sun shone, the glass was found and it was more than half full.
- The sledging of the channel and the land based dredge of the entrance proved a success and everyone enjoyed their sailing.
- Ruth, Bohdan and friends worked hard merging the cruising and social activities with PSC. Good times were had and many new friends made.
- Bohdan and Ruth have worked continually to improve communications via the PMBHA web site. Again many thanks.
- The free WIFI within the Hafan was installed and has proved to be a success.
- Increases in berthing fees and charges were nil or modest and payment by instalment helped people with their cash flow.
- The pontoons are being rewired with new lighting and power supply units installed.
Of course we cannot always agree on certain issues or their timing, especially when the Council has to make cost savings whilst income in the Hafan and Harbour is falling dramatically.
The number of annual berths in both the Harbour and Hafan fell by over 10% again last year and looks to do so again in 2014/15.
Fees/banding structure
After much negotiation with your Committee, (who looked to reduce or at least maintain all charges), the Council applied a 2% increase for boats on the old system with a zero increase on the banded ones. Other charges have increased by 2%.
The number of annual berths in both the Harbour and Hafan is expected to continue to fall for the next 2 years albeit at a slower pace. Your Committee is pressing for a thorough review of the banding structure and associated charges, with particular attention paid to the smaller boats where the cheapest berth with electricity is £2800. This we believe is far too high and deterring entry-level boats.
Dredging The Harbour entrance has again been land dredged at a cost of £50,000. Work is almost complete on a major maintenance dredge of the Hafan basin and channel. The capital basin dredging for the Academy has an expected completion date of May/June. Details of this are displayed around the Plas Menai room.
Going Forward It looks as though the dredging problems have been resolved for the time being. However, it is expected that the winter storms will continue to cause problems at the entrance and regular maintenance dredging will be required. New solutions must be found to reduce future dredging costs, which according to the Council are unsustainable.
It is estimated that unless steps are taken to a) reduce the volume of material b) find new methods of disposal, the annual cost of dredging will be £650,000 per annum at today’s costs. To address this issue Consultants are shortly to be appointed to recommend the way forward and your Committee is to meet with them to press the PMBHA views. Please EMAIL PMBHA to express your views. ([email protected])
Gwynedd Council is presently reviewing the possibility of an alternative ownership structure of the Hafan and Harbour, but needs to have a viable dredging solution in place before any plans can be formulated.
Fuel Concerns Your Committee has a concern with the type of fuel being supplied by the Hafan. It is not of the type recommended by the RYA and could cause problems to fuel systems and engines. We have had a number of meetings with Wil, Barry and Llyr but to date have not reached a satisfactory conclusion. Talks are continuing.
THE GLASS SEEMS TO BE FILLING and with another good hot summer, could soon be full. Lets hope we like the drink! Many thanks for your support. Have a good and safe sailing season.
David Dewsbury Chairman PMBHA