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A positive start to 2012

One of my priorities for 2012 is to continue our efforts to improve the dialogue between the Commission and its many partners and stakeholders. This starts internally with my own team and hopefully extends to every user of and visitor to Cowes harbour throughout the year. 

 

Last month, I hope you enjoyed learning about our dedicated team over at Kingston Marine Boatyard, which will be the first in a series of short articles about the varied work of the Cowes Harbour Commission team. To start off the New Year I am delighted that our Chairman Roger Mathias has volunteered to 'open the batting' for the Commissioners. 

 

Whilst the news that Cowes Week fireworks might not be going ahead is certainly not good news, I am heartened to see that elsewhere there has been a very positive start to the year for Cowes. In particular the RNLI is making excellent progress with its new slipway and the Isle of Wight Council has announced a �3m investment plan for the Cowes Chain Ferry.

 

Here's looking forward to sharing more good news in 2012,

 

 

Best Regards,

blue sig

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RNLI slipway reaches final stage

Work on the slipway for the new Cowes RNLI lifeboat station finally reached the stage this week when sections above the low water-line are now very much in evidence.

 

As the process of putting in place the slipway 'platform' began at the seaward end, the first sections were necessarily under-water - aligned on to tubular piles with the assistance of local divers. But such has been the progress made by the contractor that there are now sections well above low-water. 


See the full story on COWES.co.uk

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Please keep in touch!

Don't forget that Cowes Harbour Commission is always happy to gain feedback on its services and on the issues it is tackling on your behalf. If you want to talk to the Harbour Master, Capt Stuart McIntosh or to Rod Hodgson, the Deputy HM, please feel free to call into the Harbour Office on Town Quay, or phone and make an appointment on:
01983 293952, or

Cowes Harbour Commission also owns and operates the following commercial services: Shepards Wharf Marina, Kingston Marine Services, Cowes Harbour Moorings and Cowes Harbour Fuels. 

You can keep up to date with all our news on our website:

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Above: Pick-up mooring buoys at Kingston Marine Services ready for deployment in 2012.
Commissioner insight

Over the next few editions of this newsletter, the Cowes

Harbour Commissioners will be taking the opportunity to explain more about their individual roles and responsibilities.  A priority for CHC is to explain its plans for the future and share information about how it intends to carry out its programme. 


This month Cowes Harbour Commission Chairman Roger Mathias starts the ball rolling.


"I was elected as Chairman in May 2010 to serve a three-year term.  My duties as Chairman encompass all the boardroom responsibilities that you might expect.  It is my job to ensure that we keep to our agreed plans and don't lose sight of our main objectives or the overarching principles that define the Commission. 

  

As Chairman, I'm very fortunate to have such a talented and experienced team of fellow Commissioners, each with a specific role to perform. These range from financial planning and major infrastructure improvements such as the Outer Harbour Project, to the essential aspects of our work that keep Cowes a safe harbour to use for business or pleasure. I'm very pleased that we will now be taking time to focus on each of these areas over the following months.


Although my role as Chairman is voluntary, rest assured my interest is personal.  I'm a keen leisure sailor and will demand the best for Cowes Harbour. I hope that you will enjoy hearing from each of the Commissioners in turn over the coming months and finally I'd like to encourage you to contact me directly via the harbour office should you have any matter that you would like to bring to my attention."

  

Roger Mathias

Chairman

Cowes Harbour Commission

 

Roger's full article is available to read on COWES.co.uk. 

New Cowes Port Handbook

The Commission's strategy is to ensure that our Cowes Port Handbook and COWES.co.uk website continue to provide essential information to yachtsmen whilst creating a first-class visitor guide to Cowes and East Cowes.

 

This month we hosted a review meeting to go through the 2011 edition of the Handbook in some detail in order to identify ways to improve both publications in 2012. 

 

After this very positive and constructive meeting our publishers Island Holiday Media were able to take away a number of innovations which should help to make the Cowes Port Handbook and COWES.co.uk best-in-class and most importantly provide an international shopwindow for Cowes as the "home of world yachting".

  

If you would like to provide any feedback then please email your comments to [email protected]

�3m investment for floating bridge

The Isle of Wight Council has set aside �3m in February's budget to replace the ageing floating bridge and is already preparing for tendering so the design and building contract can be drawn up. 

 

The new chain ferry linking East Cowes and Cowes will be up and running by the end of 2014 and it is hoped that an Island firm will win the prestigious contract. 

See the full story on COWES.co.uk

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