North Queensferry Boat Club and associated North
Queensferry Harbour Trust
Summary of events Document
Two local North Queensferry Trusts were invited to
apply for the tender to run the harbour/west bay area.
Following a presentation to Fife Council on 24th
July 2013, North Queensferry Harbour Trust (NQHT) was rejected, by letter on 5th
November, in favour of North Queensferry Community Trust (NQCT)
NQCT
which is headed by a QC (who also chairs the community council) which has no
track record of property management or of managing harbours Only one
person on the NQCT (FC’s preferred bidder) has ‘boating experience’ he was a member
of the North Queensferry Boat Club, however that individual has a life-time ban
from the Boat Club (which has been in place for a number of years) this decision was agreed in the mid
2000’s, so no matter what NQHT presented we were not to be awarded this lease.
Effects on
the North Queensferry Boat Club should the North Queensferry Community
Trust Preferred Bidder Status be ratified in early 2014 by Fife Council; current ‘thinking’ of NQBC
is that NQCT would severely undermine the work that NQBC has carried out
over the past 20 years and the service they provide to club members and the
local community
Club will
lose approximately 80% of its hard standing
The club are currently a mix of water boats – 30 +
moorings in the water rented from the Crown Estate – and a number of
‘build/repair’ boats that sit on the hard standing area of the harbour or in
the Workshop the club has maintained. The tradition of build/repair is one the
club thrives on and in total the club has approximately 94 boats.
In the summer – there will only be a very small
area for boats to remain on the shore, boats not in the water will be subject
to a surcharge. The rest will have to stay in the water; NQCT has not allowed
for emergency removal of boats from the water.
Fees for the club and members (so called facility
fees) will remain the same in 2014/15 with a 25% discount to the Boat Club;
however the fees will increase by 28% (with no discount) for 2015/16.
Current Support by North
Queensferry Boat Club to Pier Area and local community
North Queensferry Boat Club have over 20 years of experience
of acting as ‘de facto' caretakers/managers on behalf of Fife Council, although
that has not come about without various trials, tribulations and fall-outs on
both sides.
The club has carried out the following duties during that time:
Maintained the whole area of hard standing cutting grass etc.
Ensured all safety equipment( some supplied by FC) is kept in a usable condition.
Keep fire equipment up to date in old workshop (supplied by NQBC)
Replaced/repaired doors in old workshop and installed steel pillars and
fitted wooden support joists which hold up roof in workshop all at NQBC’s
expense.
Keep the slipway free of algae by using flame burners bought and used
at NQBC expense – the club members are forbidden to use any form of chemical
and are conscious of their green credentials.
Maintain grass park area and picked up dog poo and dog litter.
Fife council demolished all toilets in the pier area; NQBC installed a
sewage holding tank under their Portacabin to service their toilet (this was
all paid for by NQBC). The club make these facilities available to members of the public.
Installed up to date CCTV and night safety lights (sensor operated) to
monitor the pier area at the expense of NQBC.
Support for North Queensferry
Boat Club
The club is now looking for support and advice in how to move this
forward.
·
Web sites: northqueensferryboatclub.co.uk:
northqueensferryharbourtrust.co.uk
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