Charging for Parking a Boat

Our beloved Council does seem hell-bent on wringing every last penny out of everything in sight. One of their current wheezes is to charge boat-owners £100 + VAT to have their boats on the beach. As far as I can tell, the Council hasn't yet explained what the boat-owners might be getting in exchange for their hard-earned cash...

A reader writes...

I note with interest that boats parked on the beach at Herne Bay have a letter attached to them, this is for consultation regarding the Council's plans to charge these boat owners £100 per year for the privilege of leaving their boats on the beach.

The consultation response from boat owners is to be returned by 21st December, many boat owners will not have been to the beach during December so will not be aware of this consultation. It is a shame that the Council never publicised this matter more fully therefore allowing a full response from the boat owners.

One would assume that the Council are doing this to generate more money, are there any other reasons? Will the owners of boats benefit any way? How will it be monitored?

I would hate to see boats removed from the beach because owners were not able to afford the yearly chargers. As far as I can see all the boats in the Hampton area are secured on the beach in a sensible manner. The hard working members of the Angling Club must be worried that members will no longer be able to afford to continue boat fishing and the club will close, which would be another local amenity lost in Herne Bay.

Kent beaches get seal of approval in new Good Beach Guide

 Almost 20 Kent beaches have been given the seal of approval today in The Good Beach Guide by the Marine Conservation Society (MSC). The MCS has recommended 516 out of 754 (68%) UK bathing beaches as having excellent water quality – that's 8% more than last year. 

This year, 75% of beaches in the South East have obtained the MCS recommended status for excellent water quality in the Good Beach Guide – a slight increase on the previous year. 

In Kent, the following beaches were recommend by the MSC Guide: Dymchurch, Hythe, Sandgate Beach, Dover Harbour, St Margaret`s Bay, Sandwich Bay, Ramsgate Sands, Ramsgate Western Undercliff, Stone Bay, Botany Bay, Margate - Fulsam Rock, Margate - The Bay, Westbrook Bay, St. Mildred's Bay, Westgate Bay, Minnis Bay, Herne Bay, East Tankerton Beach and Whitstable West Beach. 

MCS Coastal Pollution Officer, Rachel Wyatt, says the latest figures will be a boost to UK tourism.

"This is a milestone for coastal resorts to be proud of." 

She underlined however that the results are not a reason for complacency.

"It's really important that local authorities, water companies and environmental regulators don't become complacent and take their collective feet off the pedal of continued environmental improvements. If that happens we could see a drop in the number of beaches recommended by us in the future, which could pose a risk to the great reputation that British beaches have."

thisiskent 3rd May 2012

Hampton beach clean

HB Times 14th Oct 2010