Future looking ‘bleak’ for Littlehampton harbour shipping

Chris Braby told board members at their meeting on Monday that his gloomy assessment was based on the combination of the country’s economic woes and the likelihood that income from cargo vessels would remain at a very low level.

The board heard that the total number of ships visiting the port was unlikely to reach even the conservatively low estimate of 24 which was forecast in the budget for 2010.

Three commercial vessels berthed here in October, but for the year to date the total stands at just 18, with only two months left. Last year, when the decline set in, the total was just 22, compared with 59 in both 2008 and 2007.

Board member Dr James Walsh said the figures spelt out the grim reality of Littlehampton’s future as a commercial port. “We are well beyond the stage of nil return on the commercial shipping activity. It is costing us far more to continue with it than the income it brings in.

“We are at the bottom point of the law of diminishing returns and we are increasingly having to rely on the taxpayer. At these times of financial stringency, that is not going to go down well.”

Dr Walsh said the board wanted to go ahead with a harbour revision order, which would free Littlehampton from 
its obligations as a commercial port, enabling it to get rid of its pilot boat and 
the expense of providing pilots, and allowing it to concentrate on leisure boating.

However, he accused “everyone else” of dragging their feet over the issue in a thinly veiled attack on the county council and Arun District Council, which picks up an annual bill for any deficit on the running costs of the harbour, and would have to pay for the estimated £250,000 bill for the revision order.

Board chairman Graham Tyler said he disagreed with Dr Walsh about the “dragging of feet”, adding that he had held talks recently with both councils over the possibility of the revision order “which is a large expense”.

Mr Tyler insisted: “It is not being ignored.”

Mr Braby’s report on the board’s latest finances showed the two councils facing a bill of almost £190,000 shared between them for the precept, or subsidy, for the year.