The Harbour
Board sits within the existing committee structure of Exeter City
Council and consists of six Exeter City Council Members and also
six external representatives. who have a broad experience and
interest in the workings of a harbour and its operational
environment. The Chair is the Portfolio
Holder with responsibility for the city’s
waterways.
Exeter City
Council is the Port Authority for the Exe Estuary, some non-tidal
sections of the River Exe and the Exeter Ship Canal. This stretches
from Blackaller Weir (in Bonhay Road, Exeter) to a safe water mark
a mile off the Exmouth beach. The Board is responsible for the
management of the Port of Exeter and will meet every quarter. The
Board’s duties include preparing an annual business plan for
the service, monitoring compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code
and consulting harbour users and other stakeholders.
The Terms of Reference for the
Board is as follows:
(a)
To maintain strategic oversight and direction of all aspects of the
Harbour operation, including marine safety;
(b)
To be responsible for the development of policies, plans, systems
and procedure for safe navigation;
(c)
To ensure that all assessments and reviews are undertaken as
required to maintain and improve marine safety;
(d)
To ensure that the harbour authority sees and adopts appropriate
powers for the effective enforcement of their regulations, and for
the setting dues at a level which adequately funds the discharge of
all their duties;
(e)
To appoint a Designated Person to provide independent assurance
directly to the Duty Holder that the Marine Safety management
system is working effectively; and
(f)
To investigate the potential for applying for a Harbour Revision
Order to empower the Council to take enforcement action on issues
such as dangerous use of jet skis through Special Directions and to
oversee a review of the Bye-Laws covering the Estuary.
A period of up to 15 minutes will
be set aside to deal with questions relating to the business of the
Harbour Board from the public. For details about asking a question
at the Exeter Harbour Board, please speak to the Democratic
Services Officer Pierre Doutreligne 01392 265486 or email your
question to the Democratic Services Manager via the committee.services@exeter.gov.uk
email address. Details of questions must be submitted by 10am at
least three working days before the meeting. For example, if the meeting is being held on a
Monday then questions must be submitted by 10.00am on a Wednesday
prior to the meeting, and if the meeting is being held on a
Thursday then questions must be submitted by 10am on the Monday
prior to the meeting.