NEWSLETTER UPDATE FOR PMBHA Jan 2021

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Dear PMBHA members,

The winter weather and COVID lockdowns are making all our lives a bit grim at the moment but we are looking forward to when vaccinations will take effect and we can all enjoy our boats again.

Your Interim Committee has been busy with discussions with the marina management, revamping the website (which is under maintenance), sorting out the PMBHA circulation list and ideas for the future when we can meet face to face. We are having regular “Zoom”meetings to progress these. We have the following updates for you:

• We met with Barry Davies (Maritime Officer) via ‘Microsoft Teams’ and he is keen to continue dialogue with PMBHA. As result of the meeting we can share:

• Wil (Marina Manager) returned to work a couple of weeks ago after a period of absence and will return full time on the 1st of February 2021. Keith (Assistant Marina Manager) has left on January 19th after 30 years of service, he will be a great loss.

• The Council is intending to review fees and charges. Fees for 2021/22 are yet to be confirmed and will be decided by the council.

• The council introduced direct debit for payments and for 2020/21 the payment period has been extended to June 2021. If there is a cross over period in April, people will have to be aware that there will be a ‘catch up period’.  Also, if boats leave the marina before finishing the direct debit they will still owe any outstanding amount. The council are sympathetic to people’s situations though and any payment problems should be discussed directly with them.

• Dredging of the marina will continue this year. The contract has been given to “Royal Smalls” (they have been used previously). The marina basin will be dredged and pumped into the ‘Stilling Lagoon’ and the approach channel will be dredged up to the solid sand section. Consideration is being given to creating a small lagoon where the sand stock pile used to be. After this next dredge there will be no more room in the ‘Stilling Lagoon’. Last estimate to empty it was £480,000.

• After this, cutter suction will be done. In the mouth of the entrance, there will be long reach machinery to take the sand out of the mouth and put back into the stockpile. The £330,000 investment on the ‘Crib Groyne’ seems to be working but the amount of sand it has collected either side and the movement of big boulders by the sea is astonishing.

• The time frame for starting this work has now shifted as Royal Smalls are required to delay their entry to the UK due to UK Covid-19 restrictions. The extent of the delay is not yet known.

• Our membership list for PMBHA is not up to date. We have been trying to match email addresses with boats and owners without much success. Many boats have left, some email addresses are out of date and so we are trying to update the membership/circulation list. You will see a pale yellow sheet about this included in your marina contract letters when you get them in the post. Please fill in the form on the pale yellow sheet or email us as instructed in the letter so we can sort this out.

• Finally, last night, Jan 21st. 2021. The Interim Committee had a ‘zoom’ meeting discussing the future improvements to our PMBHA website.

 

Stay safe and hope to see everyone back at the marina soon!

 

Best regards

Jenny Moss (Chair) and Committee Members of PMBHA Interim Committee

 

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