Decision details

To update on the position of grant funding applications made to the UK Seafood Fund and Mayoral Combined Authority to enable a boat lift to be procured and installed at Scarborough Harbour, noting the timescales and risks associated with the decisions.
Seek approval to accept grants awarded, if successful and approve capital match funding from North Yorkshire Council

The Executive Member for Open to Business, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, Corporate Director of Environment, the Corporate Director of Resources and the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services have agreed:

a) the acceptance, subject to acceptable terms and conditions being agreed, of a grant of £500k from the UK Seafood Fund, toward the provision of a boat lift at Scarborough Harbour and note the risks involved in accepting the grant and placing an order for the Boat Lift;

b) the delegation of authority to the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and the Executive Member for Open to Business to accept a grant from the Mayoral Combined Authority of £700k towards the infrastructure associated with the boat lift, if offered;

c) the approval of capital match funding of £550k from North Yorkshire Council for the boat lift project and note the annual income forecast to be generated by the Boat Lift;

d) the delegation of authority to the Corporate Director of Environment to enter into such contracts as are necessary with a hoist supplier and marine engineering consultants and contractors to facilitate the full delivery of the project.

It is positive news that the UKSF has recently granted £500k towards this project and that the MCA are considering making a further grant of £700k. In order to potentially progress with delivering a boat lift within Scarborough it is necessary for the Council to formally accept these grants and to make provision of £550k from Council funds. This report seeks to update progress on delivery of the boat lift scheme and to seek approval to proceed. The report also provides an update on the risks, and the basis of the business case.

To comply with the Council’s governance procedures regarding grant acceptance and finance.

To seek Executive Member approval to allocate capital match funding and seek the necessary permissions to proceed with the project.

The boat lift will provide new resource that will improve the harbour experience for existing users, prevent the need for journeys to alternative ports for maintenance and inspection, and also open up potential for new markets servicing the wind farm industry. The opportunity to combine this with the availability of grant aid to offset the majority of the capital expenditure, whilst not without risk, makes this an opportunity that it is recommended the Council should proceed with.

In order to meet the grant conditions for delivering the boat lift, it is necessary to place an order for the boat hoist as soon as possible as there is a 28-week lead-in period for manufacture and delivery. This means that 25% deposit (of the £753k) for the boat hoist will need to be paid on the week commencing 09 September 2024. Due to the recent announcement of the success of the UKSF grant, the imminent consideration of the MCA of the further grant and the long lead-in time for delivering a hoist, it is necessary to use the urgency provisions with regards to Access to Information Procedure Rules and the call-in exemption. This decision would normally be made by the Executive, however due to the urgency the Executive Member is asked to approve these set of decisions under paragraph 13 of the Executive Members Delegation Scheme under the Constitution following consultation with the Chief Executive Officer. This is on the basis that it is not practicable to refer it to the Executive for determination due to the tight timescales involved. There is greater time to deliver the other associated infrastructure (i.e. aside from the boat hoist itself) regarding the scheme.

The only alternative option is the ‘do nothing’ option. The current maintenance arrangements with the grid would continue and boats will inevitably have to continue to use other ports for the longer-term maintenance and statutory inspections of their vessels which cannot be undertaken within a tidal window. This option would provide less financial risk to the Council but would not deliver the benefits of the proposed scheme.