Renewables? Birds’ Nest Soup!
The Enquirer’s very own Harbours correspondent, ALLAN ROBERTS, brings readers an update on the Renewables-Industry/Boat-Hoist Proposal for West Pier, Scarborough.
Well done, Alan. The following reality-check appears to have escaped the attention of the local news media.
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On 7th June 2024, NYC announced that they had appointed ALIGN PROPERTY PARTNERS LIMITED (cosily, Align is a company owned by North Yorkshire Council) as the “suitably experienced consultants” tasked to undertake the following work:
Review and update the findings of previous studies and reports
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- Identify and consult with key stakeholders associated with relevant industries / activities
- Identify any further economic opportunities associated with offshore wind, or other offshore industries, to which Scarborough and Whitby Harbours could contribute, e.g. associated with:
o Operation and maintenance of offshore wind facilities
o Servicing, repair and maintenance of vessels servicing the above
o Local support to operations based at larger ports (e.g. around the Humber)
o [Carbon sequestration associated with seaweed farming*]
Given the long sea-faring heritage and culture of the Yorkshire Coast, identify how such opportunities could be exploited and promoted to mitigate against reduced employment opportunities within traditional fishing industries (which nevertheless remain an important element of the local economy), maximising opportunities for skilled & well-paid employment within future off-shore/maritime industries – aiding the retention of young people within the local area and strengthening economic resilience:
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- Identify ways in which businesses could be supported to make best use of local supply chains associated with the above
- Identify how existing and planned facilities (e.g. Whitby Maritime Hub, Scarborough West Pier regeneration plans, & proposed new boatlift) can be used / developed to maximise their benefits and economic opportunities
- Identify any additional facilities, or other provision, required to realise such economic opportunities, e.g.
o Crew transfer / safe haven facilities
o Provision of additional skills & training programmes to support the above and to maximise local accessibility to the range of training and qualifications associated with careers in the offshore/ maritime industry
o Assess the potential economic benefits of such opportunities
o Assess the potential commercial benefits associated with operation of the harbours (which can help to inform the future Harbours Strategy)
o Develop a Strategy and recommended Action Plan to identify clear actions (and their estimated costs) that the Council can take to realise and maximise the above benefits.
A breakdown of the £20,000 (estimated following initial conversation with Align Property Partners) to include:
o £500 (say) for internal costs associated with procurement & legal work)
o £19,500 – consultant costs.
The Agenda for the Scarborough & Whitby Area Committee, for Economic Development, Regeneration, Tourism & Transport meeting to be held on 3rd Oct 2024 contains this Item:
Offshore Wind:
When working to ensure we secure value of money on public investments, it can occasionally be the case that we push to achieve too much with insufficient resources. The procurement of this work has revealed one such example of this issue.
Following a review of the project scope, the core aspects of the report can be delivered internally. Some of the funding could then be used to deliver a peer review of the report, creating the same outcome, with reduced need for expenditure.
The table below details how the offshore wind opportunities budget has been reduced by £6,000 and instead is to be spent on a Seagull-nesting project.
How strange, then, that the NYC Committee for Economic Development, Regeneration, Tourism & Transport is willing to spend more on exploring the possibly provision of Seagull-nesting sites and less on exploring the opportunities of the Offshore Renewables Industry.
It certainly puts the priorities of North Yorkshire Council into perspective.
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