The Isle of Wight council’s Harbour Committee will be considering the latest Annual Report for Ventnor Harbour next week.
Paperwork for the meeting reveals that the draft costs for contracted services for the management of Ventnor Harbour came in £950 under budget, costing £86,085 compared to the 24/25 budget of £87,035.
In 2023/24, the total cost of contracted services cost the council £89,794. Other costs for both years included employees, premises and supplies and services.
Lower than previous year
The papers also reveal the draft net position council in 2024/25 was £77,489 compared to £81,277 in 2023/24, showing an underspend from the budget (£79,830) of £2,341.
In 2022, when Cheetah Marine held the contract to manage the harbour, the IWC saw an 18 per cent rise, pushing the bill to over £100,000.
Five year contract
Later that year the IWC put the five-year contract out to tender, with Ventnor Haven Management Limited (VHML) winning the contract.
The company is owned and run by the Blake family, including the leader of Isle of Wight Conservatives and Ventnor and St Lawrence councillor, Ed Blake.
Cheetah Marine, who had held the contract for over a decade bid £264,320 per annum, whilst VHML, bid £78,500 per annum. A figure much lower than the IWC had been paying each year.
The money is paid through monthly instalments over the five years and the £392,500 five-year contract took effect from 1st April 2023.
Removal of sand
As part of the most recent quarterly report, reference is made to the 2,000 tonnes of sand that was moved from the haven and redistributed to Bonchurch beach and other locations.
The financials
OnTheWight has embedded the financials for Ventnor Harbour below.
