‘No good reason’ for harbour decision

Proposals to allocate £750,000 for the repairs split a recent council meeting, with the casting vote going to Provost Craig Fotheringham.

The slipway was closed unexpectedly in August after engineers revealed it had a series of critical issues.

Those were being carried out as part of the preparatory work for the scheduled replacement of a cradle and hoist at the slip, which are available to all boats using the harbour, but critical to the operations of Mackay Boat Builders.

The impact of the shutdown led opposition councillors to request a special meeting to submit plans for an immediate allocation of £750,000 from an Angus infrastructure fund to assist the repair process.

Council infrastructure director Graeme Dailly admitted the harbour issues had put the authority in a “difficult situation”.

But he told councillors the intention was to draw up a full options appraisal to consider how best to tackle the problems which have led to the closure.

He said: “There is opportunity for the harbour moving forward. We will absolutely consider like-for-like, but it will go beyond there. We will appraise all the best available options out there.”

He acknowledged the out of action cradle system on the slipway was “critical” to Mackay Boat Builders.

But he said that “in terms of day-to-day business it is largely business as usual for other harbour users.

It also emerged the harbour ran at a £302,000 loss last year, and is predicted to end this year around £175,000 in the red.

The heart of the funding debate polarised administration and opposition groups.

The vote resulted in a 13-13 split, with Provost and Monifieth Conservative Craig Fotheringham used his casting vote in favour of the administration amendment.

Angus South MSP Lloyd Melville said he is “dismayed” by the decision which “kicks the can down the road” while uncertainty causes lasting economic damage to the Harbour and to Mackay’s.

He continued: “When Lara, myself and local SNP and independent councillors have been meeting Mackay’s it was clear that work needed done as soon as possible, and the motion sought to ensure it was funded.

“Despite proclaiming to support the Harbour, the Council Administration has reached the wrong decision, and I hope the public take note of how the votes fell.”

Arbroath and Broughty Ferry MP Lara Bird added: “This decision is an insult to the hardworking harbour staff and to the businesses who operate out of the harbour.

“There is no good reason that I can see that the council administration decided to block this motion. It was a necessary and well considered move by the SNP Group and independent councillors, which addressed the concerns of the harbour and would have given immediate stability to Mackays and the wider economy.

“The SNP have backed the harbour staff and Mackay's at every turn. We will continue to do so. I only wish the same could be said for the council administration.”