“The whole way that Mr Thorpe’s company structures are built around the statutory Harbour Company need to become more transparent to gain public confidence” – that is the message from the general trade union GMB Southern.
Regional secretary for the GMB, Paul Maloney, will call for the trading accounts of Bembridge Harbour to be audited by the Department of Transport at a public meeting in Bembridge tomorrow (Wednesday). Under the Bembridge Harbour Act, the Secretary of State has the power to call in the trading accounts on the Harbour Company for scrutiny and audit.
Tomorrow’s meeting follows on from the motion from GMB Southern Region which was carried at the GMB Congress in June this year.
Mr Maloney has said:
“Bembridge Harbour owner Malcolm Thorpe has refused to publish the Harbour’s full accounts. He has also refused to meet GMB to discuss the situation which has been brought to our attention by our members who work and live in Bembridge.
“The whole way that Mr Thorpe’s company structures are built around the statutory Harbour Company need to become more transparent to gain public confidence.
“It is regrettable that Mr Thorpe has refused to either meet with GMB or attend the public meeting which affords him the perfect platform to address the concerns of harbour residents, users and GMB”.
The meeting will be held at Bembridge Village Hall, High Street on Wednesday 28th November at 19:00. Speakers will include Paul Maloney, GMB Regional Secretary and Jeremy Gully of the Bembridge Harbour Trust. Chair will be Sir Paul Kenny.
