Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services summarising recent environmental management of the Harbour.

The Board received a report from the Director of Culture, Communities and

Business Services providing an environmental update which included the following items;

·         Oil Spill Preparedness & Response - The Board noted the details of the regular oil spill response and boom deployment exercise, required by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The exercise report concluded “a positive ability to respond to a pollution incident and awareness of some of the wider issues surrounding them”.

·         M27 Motorway Bridge Drainage & Pollution Risk - The Board heard that the Environment & Development Manager(EDM) has received confirmation that the work to divert the M27 Bridge deck drainage outlets will be delivered as part of the ‘Smart Motorway Works’ by March 2021.

·         Water Quality – The Board received an update of discussions on improvements that might be made to facilities in the Hamble, including pump-out provision and promotional/educational material to reduce the risk of pollution from discharges of ‘black water’ from vessel toilets.

·         Biodiversity & Enhancement Projects – An update was provided in relation to Biodiversity Projects including; Beneficial Reuse of Dredging Projects, Research by Bournemouth University and a PhD project testing the efficacy of different settlement structures.

Officers also noted that the EDM had joined the project working group of the Solent Forum’s new information hub; ‘Building Biodiversity in the Solent’, with the aim to share information to help meet future net gain requirements.

·         Partnership Working – An overview of partnership working was provided including relevant work with Hampshire County Council’s wider services, Hamble Estuary Partnership and the national Coastal Partnerships conference.

RESOLVED: That the River Hamble Harbour Board notes and supports the contents of this report.