Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Summary of events Document

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.


Details for North Queensferry Boat Club Chairman David Stewart:
·         Web sites: northqueensferryboatclub.co.uk: northqueensferryharbourtrust.co.uk


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