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A move to annul incoming hikes in mooring fees has been welcomed by the Guernsey Boatowners Association and the Guernsey Marine Traders Association.
The two groups have published a joint letter responding to the States Trading Supervisory Board’s maintained position on incoming mooring fee hikes.
It comes days after several deputies banded together to announce a motion to annul the increase in fees, asking instead for a 10% rise across the board. This would be as a direct alternative to varying hikes that have been based on differing vessel sizes.
If STSB maintains its course – which it intends to do - it could lead to increases of between 12 and 45%.
In responding to the motion the President of STSB, Deputy Peter Roffey said an alternative 10% hike would see Guernsey Ports missing out on just shy of half-a-million in revenue.
The GBA and GMTA take issue with this, suggesting that if 63% of respondents to a Ports survey – who said they’d seriously consider selling their boat if the fees were introduced – were to actually pack up then Ports would be looking at a loss of mooring fees equating £900,000 over three years.
“Our counter proposal of a 10% increase will not see any significant reduction in berth holders. The marine traders can hopefully continue to operate and expand their businesses, creating wealth for our Island economy and attracting younger members of our society into the industry as apprentices,” the two groups said.
The two Associations also take issue with Guernsey Airports and Guernsey Harbours being joined under Guernsey Ports and pulling from the same resources.
“It is agreed that the pandemic had a large impact on the Airport causing it to post large losses in 2020, 2021 and in 2022,” the groups said.
“However the harbour made small losses in 2020, and 2021 but recovered slightly in 2022 making a surplus of £0.836m. In reality since 1996 the Airport has made losses of £54 million and the Harbours have made surpluses of £32 million. That means that for every £1 pound of profit made by the Harbours, the Airport lost nearly £2 pounds. It is clear to see that the losses at the Airport are draining down the finances of the Harbours and depriving the Harbours of the funding required to maintain, replace and update its infrastructure over the last 3 decades. The problem is at the Airport, not the Harbour. This cross subsidy needs to stop now.
“It is noted in the forecast for 2023 (2024 Budget) that the Airport is forecast before depreciation to lose £4.931 million and the Harbour to make a surplus of £608,000. Again the problem comes back to the Airport, not the Harbour.
“The Airport will continue to operate at a loss and never be able to subsidise the harbours. It will always be a drain on the taxpayer but it is there as an economic enabler and as such should be subsidised by all of us, the Guernsey taxpayer, but not by 8% of the population or 1600+ individuals who happen to own a boat in a secure environment like a harbour or a marina with nowhere else to keep their boats safe!
“We are aware that there is a percentage of local people who are under the illusion that all local boat owners to be a bunch of whining, winging and wealthy individuals who should be paying more but we have always paid more than our fair share over the past decades...
“And we are very grateful for the support we are receiving from Deputy Gavin St. Pier and his fellow Deputies with their recently announced motion to be discussed at the next States meeting next week.”
You can read their full letter ONLINE, alongside the original response to the motion penned by Deputy Roffey.
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