Pwllheli Mooring & Berth Holders Association (PMBHA)
NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2017
A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all. This letter is later than usual due to my awaiting confirmation on some important issues.
2016 passed with no major issues for your Committee to address. PMBHA relations with the Maritime Officers & Hafan staff are very good and discussions have been held in this spirit with good understanding between us all. Once again, Gwynedd Council and the Maritime Unit have offered to pay the PMBHA Membership fees for all their customers in the Hafan and Harbour. See below how to take up this generous offer.* The constraints placed on Gwynedd Council due to their financial situation is well understood by PMBHA. The continued fall in the letting of both Harbour & Hafan annual berths has shown no improvement for 2017. It is accepted by the Maritime Unit that changes need to be made.
Berthing Fees & Charges 2017/18
For several years PMBHA has presented the case for a change in the Hafan Berthing prices and much work has been undertaken by your Committee with your support. The case made was to replace the dual banding and Length Over All (LOA being the actual length of a boat) price system with one based upon LOA alone. At the same time we all endeavoured not to increase the fees of any berth holder who was on the LOA system (50% of the total). The banded system makes berthing expensive for many berth holders, especially for boats under 10 meters. This has made Pwllheli Hafan uncompetitive. At the same time care was taken to ensure that berth holders on the banded system would not see an increase as a result of this change.
The Maritime Officers understood the problems and agreed with PMBHA's views of the financial implications for Gwynedd Council. This particularly recognised the falling income resulting from reduction in Hafan and Harbour occupancies.
I am pleased to report that Hafan annual berthing prices for 2017/18 have reverted to LOA for boats exceeding 7 meters with reduced fixed prices for boats below 8 meters.
There is however, a 2% inflation increase for all Harbour & Hafan berthing & associated prices.
The new charges will mean that approx 50% of Hafan berth holders will see a reduction, some quite significant. The Maritime Unit estimates the loss to their income to be approximately £69,000 (inc VAT) during 2017/18. It is hoped that these rates will help to both retain and attract new berth holders and thereby help to mitigate their loss.
A reversal in the declining number of boats would give your Committee some "ammunition" so I ask you to promote the Hafan to your friends and fellow sailors to make Pwllheli the place of choice for berthing.
Finally, on the subject of berthing charges your Committee recognises that many of the long term berth holders will feel they should be rewarded for their loyalty, however, we do not believe that in the present climate 2017 would be the best year to address this.
Plas Menai Room
The Plas Menai Room (the room opposite the bridgehead) has become vacant and following a recent on-line poll by Members, a case was made to the Maritime Unit for PMBHA to utilise the room and make it available for boaters from Pwllheli Harbour, Hafan Visitors and their boating friends. It was emphasised that no food or beverages would be sold nor would it be used to promote sailing activities. i.e. not to be used to compete with Plas Heli or Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club.
We have just been informed that although the Maritime Officers were supportive of the PMBHA's suggestion, Gwynedd Council are obliged to undertake a commercial bid process as other expressions of interest have been received. PMBHA has been invited to participate in the tendering process. It is very hard to see how PMBHA in its present structure could compete with a commercial proposition. Your Committee will continue to seek and obtain details of the nature of intended use for the premises and review the matter. We will of course keep you informed.
Your Committee would like to thank all those who participated in the recent on-line poll. Our last comprehensive on-line survey was conducted in 2015 and we would like to ask you and your crew to participate in another such on-line survey. We intend to send this out in the next few days. Your views are invaluable to us so that we can better represent your wishes and concerns. I would like to confirm once again, any information given to us will be anonymous and your names and email addresses cannot be ascertained from your replies. Data derived from your answers will be used to reflect your collective views with bodies such as the Maritime Unit.
AGM 2017
The date and time for the 2017 AGM is Saturday 15th April at 2pm in the Plas Menai room (situated adjacent to the Hafan office). Your Committee looks forward to meeting with you all again. A formal Notice and Accounts will be emailed out around the end of February.
Regards,
Dave Dewsbury
David Dewsbury, Chairman
* To accept please
PROVIDE YOUR CONTACT TEL NUMBER AND YOUR EMAIL TO: [email protected]
even if you know we already have it as this allows us to keep our database correct. This will enable us to keep you informed and up to date.
SEE ALSO OUR WEBSITE FOR GENERAL INFORMATION/NEWS: WWW.PMBHA.CO.UK
NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2017
A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all. This letter is later than usual due to my awaiting confirmation on some important issues.
2016 passed with no major issues for your Committee to address. PMBHA relations with the Maritime Officers & Hafan staff are very good and discussions have been held in this spirit with good understanding between us all. Once again, Gwynedd Council and the Maritime Unit have offered to pay the PMBHA Membership fees for all their customers in the Hafan and Harbour. See below how to take up this generous offer.* The constraints placed on Gwynedd Council due to their financial situation is well understood by PMBHA. The continued fall in the letting of both Harbour & Hafan annual berths has shown no improvement for 2017. It is accepted by the Maritime Unit that changes need to be made.
Berthing Fees & Charges 2017/18
For several years PMBHA has presented the case for a change in the Hafan Berthing prices and much work has been undertaken by your Committee with your support. The case made was to replace the dual banding and Length Over All (LOA being the actual length of a boat) price system with one based upon LOA alone. At the same time we all endeavoured not to increase the fees of any berth holder who was on the LOA system (50% of the total). The banded system makes berthing expensive for many berth holders, especially for boats under 10 meters. This has made Pwllheli Hafan uncompetitive. At the same time care was taken to ensure that berth holders on the banded system would not see an increase as a result of this change.
The Maritime Officers understood the problems and agreed with PMBHA's views of the financial implications for Gwynedd Council. This particularly recognised the falling income resulting from reduction in Hafan and Harbour occupancies.
I am pleased to report that Hafan annual berthing prices for 2017/18 have reverted to LOA for boats exceeding 7 meters with reduced fixed prices for boats below 8 meters.
There is however, a 2% inflation increase for all Harbour & Hafan berthing & associated prices.
The new charges will mean that approx 50% of Hafan berth holders will see a reduction, some quite significant. The Maritime Unit estimates the loss to their income to be approximately £69,000 (inc VAT) during 2017/18. It is hoped that these rates will help to both retain and attract new berth holders and thereby help to mitigate their loss.
A reversal in the declining number of boats would give your Committee some "ammunition" so I ask you to promote the Hafan to your friends and fellow sailors to make Pwllheli the place of choice for berthing.
Finally, on the subject of berthing charges your Committee recognises that many of the long term berth holders will feel they should be rewarded for their loyalty, however, we do not believe that in the present climate 2017 would be the best year to address this.
Plas Menai Room
The Plas Menai Room (the room opposite the bridgehead) has become vacant and following a recent on-line poll by Members, a case was made to the Maritime Unit for PMBHA to utilise the room and make it available for boaters from Pwllheli Harbour, Hafan Visitors and their boating friends. It was emphasised that no food or beverages would be sold nor would it be used to promote sailing activities. i.e. not to be used to compete with Plas Heli or Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club.
We have just been informed that although the Maritime Officers were supportive of the PMBHA's suggestion, Gwynedd Council are obliged to undertake a commercial bid process as other expressions of interest have been received. PMBHA has been invited to participate in the tendering process. It is very hard to see how PMBHA in its present structure could compete with a commercial proposition. Your Committee will continue to seek and obtain details of the nature of intended use for the premises and review the matter. We will of course keep you informed.
Your Committee would like to thank all those who participated in the recent on-line poll. Our last comprehensive on-line survey was conducted in 2015 and we would like to ask you and your crew to participate in another such on-line survey. We intend to send this out in the next few days. Your views are invaluable to us so that we can better represent your wishes and concerns. I would like to confirm once again, any information given to us will be anonymous and your names and email addresses cannot be ascertained from your replies. Data derived from your answers will be used to reflect your collective views with bodies such as the Maritime Unit.
AGM 2017
The date and time for the 2017 AGM is Saturday 15th April at 2pm in the Plas Menai room (situated adjacent to the Hafan office). Your Committee looks forward to meeting with you all again. A formal Notice and Accounts will be emailed out around the end of February.
Regards,
Dave Dewsbury
David Dewsbury, Chairman
* To accept please
PROVIDE YOUR CONTACT TEL NUMBER AND YOUR EMAIL TO: [email protected]
even if you know we already have it as this allows us to keep our database correct. This will enable us to keep you informed and up to date.
SEE ALSO OUR WEBSITE FOR GENERAL INFORMATION/NEWS: WWW.PMBHA.CO.UK