A CALL for progress on how Tenby and Fishguard harbours will be run in future was issued at a meeting at County Hall on Thursday (March 19).

Members of the economy overview and scrutiny committee were given an update by the council’s director of development on the various management options available for the two harbours.

As freehold owner and harbour authority for both, Barry Cooke, head of property, said the council had taken legal advice on the best way forward, and had come up with three main alternatives to the current management operation.

These are: the forming of a local authority company, which would mean setting up a public or private company at ‘arm’s length’ from the council, to run the harbours on a commercial basis; establishing independent trust ports, which would remove them entirely from council control and ownership and may require the council to pay a ‘dowry’ to get them started; adopting the harbour board model, run by 50 per cent council appointees, and 50 per cent ‘stakeholder representatives’ such as local groups.

The report put to members concluded that, while helpful, the advice received was not sufficient to enable the council to recommend a particular course of action, and asked for more time to examine the options.

Speaking on behalf of Tenby harbour users, boat owner Cllr Michael Williams said it was vital that any new administration was mindful of the harbour structure’s listed status, as any maintenance would have to be to a high standard, and would therefore be expensive.

Cllr Owen James said the only viable option was harbour management, but said he couldn’t see how that would work in Fishguard.

Addressing the committee, local member Cllr Mike Evans said he was frustrated at the lack of progress in Tenby.

He agreed that Fishguard and Tenby were totally different, adding it ‘would be good to split them now, not have them lumped together, as one may be holding the other back’.

He said more than 250 people derived their income from Tenby harbour, so any decision would need to be careful not to impinge on that.

But, he called for a decision to be made soon.

He said Tenby was an ‘iconic and internationally recognised asset of immense importance’, and it was vital that such a prominent tourist destination should not be left behind.

“It’s like a set of teeth, if you take one out the smile is lost,” he said.

He also raised the issue of a waiting list for harbour places, which was meant to be opened last July.

Mr Cooke said he was acutely aware of problems regarding the waiting list, and was working to resolve the issue.

Members voted in favour of further investigating the available options, with the exception of Cllr Williams, who abstained due to a prejudicial interest.