Caernarfon Harbour Trust Strategic Plan 2024

Caernarfon Harbour Trust Strategic Plan 2024

Published on 01/11/2024

Our Vision

To manage and develop Caernarfon Harbour as a thriving and inclusive port providing high-quality and cost-effective services for leisure and commercial users, while improving the harbour as an environmentally minded community asset for future generations.

To deliver this vision, Caernarfon Harbour Trustees and staff will:

  • Maintain an open port and act as a Competent Harbour Authority (CHA).
  • Manage the harbour cost-effectively, safely, and sustainably as a Trust Port, encouraging active use by all stakeholders.
  • Protect the marine environment and where possible, increase biodiversity within harbour limits.
  • Transform the harbour into a thriving leisure destination, creating skills, development, and business opportunities thereby contributing to local regeneration.
  • Maintain the port as a viable commercial operation for commercial shipping.

Responsibility for Revising Duties and Powers

Aim:

To ensure that Duties and Powers meet with the demands and needs of the harbour*

To continually review and update the powers and jurisdiction of Caernarfon Harbour Trust in relation to its duties as a statutory harbour authority, amending statutory powers as necessary.

Objectives:

  1. Regularly review the harbour’s general duties and responsibilities; promoting Harbour Revision Orders (HRO) where deficiencies are identified.
  2. Update the harbour’s General Directions as required and consider the implementation of additional by laws or amendments to existing byelaws.
  3. Continuously review governance arrangements and policies to align with National best practices.

Financial Responsibility

Aim:

To generate income through the provision of leisure craft moorings for visiting and residential vessels. the letting of property for commercial enterprise and the letting of land for parking vehicles. provision of marine services, and collection of harbour dues thereby balancing income with expenditure as far as reasonably practicable.

Objectives:

  1. Manage staff employment costs through periodic reviews and participation in industry salary benchmarking exercises.
  2. Maximise income from residential and visitor moorings.
  3. Maximise income from all Car Park facilities owned by the Trust . Reduce expenditure where such reduction in expenditure is possible.
  4. Increase income through marine services utilising harbour staff and vessels to offset operational costs, ensuring this does not impact conservancy functions.
  5. Develop property holdings and make acquisitions aligned with business objectives.
  6. Monitor costs of providing pilotage services and pass these costs to end users.
  7. Ensure income from Harbour Dues appropriately contributes to the harbour’s undertaking while minimising the impact on the public purse.
  8. Maintain awareness of over expenditure or less than budgeted income.

Stakeholder Engagement Responsibility

Aim:

To effectively engage stakeholders on significant decisions through our Marine Advisory Committee, and the production of an annual report.

Objectives:

  1. Maintain proactive engagement with the Harbour Marine Advisory Committee.
  2. Hold an Annual General Meeting of stakeholders and publish an Annual Report.
  3. Encourage the formation of user groups and actively engage with the user groups.
  4. Collaborate with local authorities and other landowners on strategic development opportunities within the harbour

Promote and Improve the Harbour

Aim:

To safeguard Caernarfon Harbour as a valuable community asset., promote improvements for commercial and leisure marine sectors.

Objectives:

  1. Improve facilities for commercial vessels,
  2. Enhance facilities and expand moorings for leisure vessels.
  3. Maintain facilities for commercial marine activity.
  4. Monitor and ensure the integrity of harbour infrastructure.

Open Port Duty

Aim:

To ensure that all who navigate the harbour can do so safely by maintaining infrastructure and performing ongoing repairs.

Objectives:

  1. Maintain and repair as necessary the harbour infrastructure.
  2. Provide a professional pilotage service, reviewing its necessity based on demand.
  3. Provide facilities for visiting vessels, provide short-stay berthing, and commercial moorings or berths.

Conservancy Duty

Aim:

To conserve the harbour, providing users with adequate information regarding specific conditions within the harbour limits.

Objectives:

  1. Conduct dredging activities as required.
  2. When required, survey the harbour and share information with the UK Hydrographic Office.
  3. Maintain Aids to Navigation and report on their condition and position to Trinity House in accordance with their directives.
  4. Maintain website providing information to mariners.
  5. Set fees appertaining harbour dues for goods, passengers, and vessels.

General Duty to Ensure Safe and Efficient Port Marine Operations

Aim:

To ensure efficiency, economic, and safety of harbour services and facilities.

Objectives:

  1. Maintain a Marine Safety Management System (SMS) and report compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC) to the Department for Transport.
  2. Engage with marine service providers and users on operations and events.
  3. Maintain a harbour patrol vessel presence in specific locations within the harbour limits as required.
  4. Maintain enforcement capabilities and undertake enforcement actions where necessary.
  5. Set training and qualification standards for harbour staff and Trustees.
  6. Conduct incident investigations according to guidelines.

Environmental Duty

Aim:

To prioritize nature conservation, biodiversity, pollution control, and response in the harbour, liaising with relevant authorities for flood defence and coastal management.

Objectives:

This version reflects the specific responsibilities and strategic goals of Caernarfon Harbour Trust, ensuring alignment with its unique context and needs.

Strategic Priorities from 2024

The Demolition of Manton and the creation of a hard Standing.

The development of a feasibility study to accommodate coach parking.

The development of the Harbour Forecourt into a multi-use space.

To undertake the consent process to enable the installation of pontoons in the river Seiont.