The finances of some of the Isle of Wight’s harbours have been drastically hit by COVID-19, it has been revealed.
With fewer visitors, the loss of berthing income and lockdown to contend with, harbours controlled by the Isle of Wight Council are looking at a forecasted overspend in there in yearly budget of £119,134.
Speaking at a meeting of the council’s harbour committee, Alex Minns, assistant neighbourhoods director, said the 2 main income-generating harbours, Newport and Ryde, had seen a substantial loss of income from berthing, which was too be expected.
In total, a budget overspend of £69,837 is predicted with nearly £41,500 being lost from a loss of service down the River Medina at the Folly berths.
An overspend at Newport Harbour of £16,304 for supplies and services was down to legal fees, Mr Minns said, as the council try to push through the Harbour Revision Order with the Marine Management Organisation which has taken over a year to determine.
The loss of tourists has meant the income budgeted for Ryde Harbour this financial year has seen a downturn of £26,857 from moorings alone. Altogether, an overspend of £32,371 is forecasted for the harbour.
At Ventnor Harbour, £15, 231 of the £16,926 total overspend was caused by a higher than expected cost of seaweed removal. Mr Minns said work was ongoing to try and bring down the contract cost.
Questioning whether the forecasts were accurate, Cllr Brian Tyndall, now the council’s cabinet member for corporate resources, said the finances were ‘grim and getting grimmer’ when it was confirmed.
Mr Minns said the main loss was over the summer when there were fewer visitors so the financial predications were ‘fairly accurate’ and done each month to provide the most up-to-date picture.
Next will come the ‘suggestion’ of selected building all around the harbours by this greedy and likely suspect council. I am sure their close developers would be in the PINK when such is announced.
I do not claim to have the financial accounting expertise that our Council possesses, but this surely is not a ‘budget overspend’ but a budget income shortfall.
apart from some legal fees and an additional seaweed removal cost, the imbalance has been caused by a lack of revenue income due to a lack of visiting craft!
It’s not covid that stopped people using ryde It’s the sand that has been aloud to build up since last year that the council have done nothing to improve so now there is no access in anything bigger than a kayak
If boats wanted to get into ryde harbour which they could of done between lockdowns they couldn’t get in any way the entrance has built up with sand , a friend of mine has his day boat down there and likes to go fishing but can’t as he can’t get out but council still want there mooring fees