Issue - decisions

Public Question

Members of the public asked a number of questions, as set out below.

 

1.    Ms Tillson raised the following points:

      i.          Suggested it would cost £100 in mooring fees for people to visit Cambridge by boat.

    ii.          There were a limited number of temporary moorings that could be used by visitors.

 iii.          Took issue with the 48 hour limit on temporary moorings; and asked for longer.

  iv.          Asked for all moorings to be treated as one legal area.

 

The Executive Councillor for Public Places responded:

       i.          The proposed changes to moorings policy being discussed by Environment Scrutiny Committee aimed to stop people abusing the temporary moorings by moving between them instead of using a permanent mooring.

     ii.          She hoped the proposed changes to moorings policy had minimal negative impact on visitors.

 

2.    Mr Fryer-Bovair raised the following points:

      i.          Asked for details regarding the moorings list administration process.

    ii.          Asked if the council had considered charging an administration fee to people joining the moorings list.

 iii.          People needed forewarning regarding changing to moorings policy as it impacted on their lives ie where they lived.

 

The Executive Councillor for Public Places responded:

       i.          Officers reviewed contacts on the moorings list every six months to ensure it was up to date. This took a lot of officer time.

     ii.          A fee was being considered as part of the policy change options proposed by officers.

 

The Asset Manager (Streets & Open Spaces) said that named people on the moorings list were contacted when the list opened/closed. Details were also publicised on the city council website.

 

3.    Mr Tidy raised the following points:

      i.          Thanked officers for the work they undertook to manage the moorings policy.

    ii.          Took issue with closing the moorings list as a way to save officer time.

 iii.          Acknowledged that enforcement was a difficult balancing act, but suggested little visible enforcement action occurred at present.

 

The Asset Manager (Streets & Open Spaces) responded:

       i.          Officers were looking at ways to make management of the moorings waiting list less laborious.

     ii.          A robust policy needed to be in place prior to taking enforcement action. The Council currently took civil action when undertaking enforcement action, this was not high profile.

 

Mr Tidy made a supplementary point that if the council did not take legal action when enforcing policy, it’s only other alternative was to remove people from the moorings waiting list. This sanction would be lost if the moorings list was closed.

 

4.    Mr Hyde raised the following points:

      i.          Referred to comments made by other speakers.

    ii.          Queried the definition of reasonable cause for not moving someone from a mooring.

 

The Asset Manager (Streets & Open Spaces) responded that reasons for not moving people on included mechanical breakdown and extenuating personal circumstances such as medical grounds.

 

Matter for Decision

The Officer’s report contained:

       i.          Recommendations for amendments to, and the management of, the Council’s River Moorings Policy.

     ii.          Issues and options raised by stakeholders since January 2010, when the policy was last reviewed.

   iii.          Areas for further consideration and scrutiny relating to fees and charges, the formulation of an enforcement policy and the subsequent management of moorings.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Public Places

Agreed to:

       i.          Give delegated authority to Officers to periodically close and review the River Moorings Waiting list when the expected wait for a mooring position is in excess of 18 months.

     ii.          Change the terms and conditions of the 48-hour visitor moorings, so that if a boat that moors at any City Council visitor mooring, the boat may not use any other visitor mooring in Cambridge within 7 days (without reasonable cause).

   iii.          Instruct officers to review the River Moorings Licence pricing structure, fees and charges for 2014 and beyond, to include an equality impact assessment, for future consultation and consideration by Environment Scrutiny Committee. The recommendation is to include a review of the discounts offered for sole occupancy and student status (but not the discounts offered for those receiving means tested benefits or pension credits).

   iv.          Instruct officers to draft a River Moorings Policy document reflecting the Executive Councillor decisions to date, which would also include an enforcement policy. It is recommended that the document be the subject of consultation and further approval by Environment Scrutiny.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Asset Manager (Streets & Open Spaces).

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

 

       i.          Availability of moorings has been an on-going issue. This was an important long term issue for consideration as it impacted on where people lived (permanent moorings). As was the lack of visitor/temporary moorings.

     ii.          The Council needed a process in place to stop people abusing the moorings waiting list.

   iii.          Moorings policy enforcement was an important issue.

   iv.          Suggestions for policy considerations:

·       Swapping moorings permissions between boat owners already moored so they do not have to move between moorings.

·       Moorings that were accessible for people with sensory/mobility impairments.

·       Combining the narrow and broad beam moorings lists.

·       Clarify moorings markings for enforcement purposes.

·       Increasing the number of temporary moorings.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Asset Manager (Streets & Open Spaces) said the following:

 

       i.          It was hard to determine if sufficient levels of temporary moorings were available for visitors as many permanent users abused the temporary moorings by using them.

     ii.          Officers needed to clarify the definition of reasonable cause for evicting people from moorings prior to taking future enforcement action.

   iii.          A moorings licence is not a tradable commodity. It is just a licence to moor on the riverbank; a specific site is not identified.

   iv.          The moorings policy did not allow people to moor rented boats. If people sublet their boats, they breached the terms and conditions of their moorings licence.

    v.          Officers would review the facilities at different moorings as they revised the River Moorings Policy, to make life more comfortable for river users.

 

The Committee resolved by 5 votes to 0 to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.