Queenborough Harbour – A wider community’s unique amenity and historic and financial asset Why is it so important? Swale Borough Council has decided to offer the management of Queenborough Harbour, in perpetuity, to a third party. This is a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for a ‘not for profit’ organisation to develop this valuable local asset into a viable enterprise that benefits the local and Swale communities. Brightlingsea Harbour (30 miles up the East Coast) is an excellent example of a successful not for profit organisation that reinvests in the Harbour to benefit its local economy. Queenborough Harbour should be managed by an organisation that is dedicated to the success of the Harbour as a valuable asset. It should be a viable, profitable, local, amenity serving its marine, recreational, educational, disadvantaged and business communities. Swale Borough Council’s Intent Maidstone Borough Council is running a restricted tender, on behalf of Swale Borough Council, to award a contract for Queenborough Harbour Mooring Service on the Isle of Sheppey. The Council acknowledges that Queenborough Harbour is the primary boating refuge on the Swale (the narrow channel of tidal water separating the Isle of Sheppey from mainland Kent). The Borough of Swale is a place of natural beauty, diverse businesses, communities and environments covering 364 square kilometres with a population of 125,000. The Swale is a strategic location in the Thames Gateway and close to mainland Europe. Swale community’s response For some years the local community has been dismayed with Swale Borough Council’s slow rundown of Queenborough Harbour. Queenborough is the first port of call for many overseas boating visitors and the local community now feels obliged to apologize for the poor facilities. The Council’s plans, to dispose of the loss making harbour operations and to transfer the management to an organisation that will serve the community by developing the harbour services, have been welcomed. In response the local community has set up Queenborough Harbour Trust to manage Queenborough Harbour. Queenborough Harbour Trust, a not for profit organisation, has submitted an offer to the Council that meets all the stated objectives. The Trust has shown that their offer provides a viable operation for the Harbour, that it is profitable and that these profits are reinvested in the Harbour. By reinvesting and developing the harbour services, the Harbour will attract more visitors to the area. The details of the offer to the Council show that the Harbour, managed by Queenborough Harbour Trust, will benefit the local community by an additional £150,000 annually. Queenborough Harbour Trust was formed by representatives from Queenborough Society, Queenborough Yacht Club, Queenborough Rowing Club, Queenborough Harbour All Tide Landing Board, Sheppey Rugby Club and Castle Connections (Queenborough Community Centre). The members supporting the Trust come from the local, Sheppey and Swale communities; they are residents of Queenborough and towns on the Isle of Sheppey and Swale. Queenborough Harbour Trust therefore truly represents the interests of the Swale community. 1/2 Queenborough Harbour Trust’s response Queenborough Harbour Trust has provided Swale Borough Council with the solution to managing the Harbour. We have set out a ‘fit for purpose’ strategy of low overheads, customer and user focused staff and investment that will increase capacity and accommodate larger vessels. The Harbour will be more effectively manned and have improved security. Queenborough Harbour Trust’s offer to the Council is unique because it includes the All Tide Landing. The ATL, owned by Queenborough Yacht Club, provides the only 24 hour boating access between Ramsgate and Gravesend. Including the use and operation of the All Tide Landing enables the Harbour, for the first time, to be operated as an integrated facility combining the Creek, Swale moorings and the All Tide Landing. The revenue that this integrated operation generates from the boating communities is the key to the overall viability of the Harbour. With the integrated development of the Harbour, the opportunity to work more effectively with local schools and those who are disadvantaged is an immediate reality - reinvestment enables improved facilities. Queenborough Harbour Trust’s business model is based on a worst case with no grants and loans – it shows that the integrated Harbour is a viable and increasingly profitable operation. However, since Queenborough Harbour Trust will be eligible for grants and loans, the services of the integrated Harbour could be developed rapidly with a corresponding growth in the contribution to the local economy. Why is Swale Borough Council no longer interested in supporting its community? The Council showed an enlightened approach in their tender pre-qualification document. Their criteria were designed to ensure that the Harbour operator would be a custodian and improve facilities for the benefit of the local community and harbour users. Why has there been a change? For some reason, this initial concern for the well- being of the community was less evident in the specification that the Council’s tender board issued. The tender selection appears biased against the Swale community since the new conditions make it almost impossible for a community-focused organisation to win and favours a ‘for profit’ commercial operation. The scoring system allows a maximum of 30% for all the immediate and long-term benefits to the community but awards 70% for the cash the operator gives to the Council. It is unlikely that this cash will benefit the Harbour’s communities. We do not understand why Swale Borough Council appears to have abandoned its initial concern for the community. We hope that, in the final decision process, Swale Borough Council will ensure that the selection meets their original stated goals of benefiting the Harbour’s communities. 2/2.