NORTH WESTERN AND NORTH WALES SEA FISHERIES COMMITTEE

OFFICER’S REPORT

STAFF ACCOMMODATION AND ASSETS

Report by the Chief Executive and Finance/Admin Officer

Purpose of Report

To review and report matters relating to staff, health and safety, accommodation, vehicles, vessels and other equipment.

Recommendation

That the current position be noted

1. Staff

1.1 There have been no staff changes since the last meeting and there are no staff issues to report.

1.2 Ms Vickie Hickin (Biodiversity Officer – Wales) takes maternity leave from early July 2008 until January. A replacement now being recruited will be employed on a short term contract. We send Vickie our best wishes and look forward to her return.

1.3 As reported elsewhere on the agenda we propose to appoint a new member of staff with grant funding from CCW, Gwynedd Council and Conwy Borough Council to develop a management scheme for the Traeth Lafan cockle fishery.

2. Health and Safety

2.1 The CEO and the PFO reviewed the Committee’s health and safety policies on 27 May 2008. No incidents requiring attention were identified since the March report.

3. Accommodation

3.1 The Lancaster University Office’s notice date is now 8 September 2008. However, the University is still deliberating on the nature of some new accommodation on campus in which the SFC will be housed. I am not expecting a move before the end of July.

3.2 We hope to open the proposed new North Wales Office in Bangor University in August. A room has been identified which will suit our requirements and negotiations with the University are being finalised.

4. FPV Aegis

4.1 The extensive refit in spring 2008 was completed to time and within budget. Aegis is now back in service and fully operational. Details of her patrol work are in the PFO’s quarterly report as usual.

5. Motor Vehicles report as at 31 March 2008

5.1 There are currently 10 vehicles in service, details as shown below:-

  First Reg'd Cumulative Mileage Mileage 2007/2008

OVERALL COSTS

excl. lease & insce incl. lease & insce
1. Y685XCW* 2001 62,319   8,051 1,105 1,863
2. MA04TWC 2004 58,874 13,665 1,274 3,943
3. MC04NVE 2004 65,221 17,746 1,601 5,893
4. WR55CHZ 2005 24,026 11,150 1,042 4,072
5. WN55WEA 2005 27,404 11,864 4,143 8,357
6. WU06WBD 2006 37,947 15,631 3,557 6,993
7. AU06UMJ 2006 35,511 17,435 1,440 5,100
8. MT53ZTE 2003 25,710      245    643 1,774
  WV07DKD 2007   7,541   7,312 1,424 3,983
9. MJ53ZJY 2003 80,649   7,880    456 1,833
  WM07GJY 2007 18,765 18,764 1,626 4,005
10. WR55WYD 2006 24,765   8,283 1,134 2,182
  SJ57MPY 2007 11,170 10,265 1,530 4,317
        148,291 20,975  54,315

* Owned by Committee.

 

5.2 Costs

Fuel (average, all vehicles) 8.7p/mile

Other (excl. lease & insurance) 5.4p/mile

Insurance - £7,581 for the year covering all cars and vans.

5.3 Replacement

All vehicles (except Y685XCW) have been acquired under Full Maintenance Operating Lease agreements, which will run for four years before needing to be replaced.

6. Quadracycles

6.1 There are currently six vehicles in use, acquired between 2006 and 2008.

6.2 Costs

Overall running costs for these during 2007-2008 were £4,149

6.3 Replacement

These vehicles are used almost exclusively in the intertidal areas by Fishery Officers working alone; they must, therefore, be kept to a high standard of safety. The current practice is for the bikes to be replaced approximately every two years, with the better of those remaining being passed on to the Senior Scientific Officer.

7. Zodiacs

7.1 There are currently five vessels in use, acquired between 1997 and 2006.

7.2 Costs

Overall running costs for these during 2006-2007 were £2,991.

7.3 Replacement

Where possible, it is intended to replace zodiacs after five years, although a shorter replacement period is advisable for the Aegis’s Zodiac which takes a lot more punishment than the others.

 

STEPHEN ATKINS

Chief Executive

JOHN DAVIES

Finance/Admin Officer

28th May 2008

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT, 1985

List of Background Papers

There are no background papers to this report

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