Over the years many people have said to us that the management of the Newport Harbour and the maintenance of the Medina river bank by the Isle of Wight council has been woeful.
Now a community group, the Newport Harbour Action Group (NHAGroup), is making some very serious allegations against the council over the Harbour, including accusations of “endemic law breaking”, “unlawfully misappropriating cash” (which they say they have documented proof of) and that moves are afoot at the council to attempt to cover up past mistakes.
Research and documents to back it up say group
These aren’t just random allegations, but backed by extensive research and documents claim those in the group.
Following these allegations being sent to councillors, the matter has been withdrawn from discussion at tonight’s Cabinet meeting while they’re investigated.
“The consequence of the law breaking …”
VB spoke to Christopher Dodd, the chair of the NHAGroup, who told us, “The consequence of the law breaking has, in the wisdom of the Isle of Wight council, has allowed it to misappropriate harbour users good money and it has not been spent in the way that the law state it should have been spent. That has led to, over this sixteen year or longer period, the serious state of disrepair of the harbour.”
Earlier today we contacted the Isle of Wight council about the allegation of unlawfully misappropriating cash. They failed to respond during the our hours between us asking and the time of publishing.
The allegations
It’s a complex, in depth issue, so we’re not going to be able to deal with it all in one story. Below is a summary of their points, in their words, to start you off.
- The NHAGroup is a small community group formed at a public meeting on 10 march 2008.
- We have been investigating the machinations of the harbour/Municipal Port’s affairs since then.
- We have now found out that the IWC has a record of endemic law breaking re the harbour (see attached list).
- Parts of this have been broken in every year of the existence of the IWC ie since 1995.
- One of the most serious breaches is that the Council has for years been unlawfully misappropriating cash out of the Port’s account now to a total of well over £1million. We now have documented proof of most of this and it is our intention shortly to consider how we could get this to Court. Not easily done without financial backing.
- The Council admitted in an actual Report in March 2004 that it’s maintenance to the Port was then 10 years overdue and then its cost for dredging and to make the walls safe would be £1.3 million. In 2009/10 the IWC spent £4,600 and in 2010/11 nothing on waterside maintenance!.
- This public facility is unmaintained, unsafe, polluted, not-fit-for-purpose and demonstrably has no good governance in its operation. It is what in the private sector would be called a ‘cowboy operation’. Paying users, who in most cases have no alternative places in which to moor or use their boats, are actually being cheated by this Council. We have the legal evidence of this as well which could be the basis of a second court case.
- We also have a letter Aug 2010 stating that there is no evidence that the IWC has any compliance with the Port Marina Safety Code.
More to follow.
Image: Isle of Wight council
