COUNCILLORS ARE SET to give the green light to essential repairs at two of Moray’s harbours over the current financial year – and join with an external organisation in bidding for repairs to a third.
Members of the economic development and infrastructure committee will be told tomorrow that spending of £564,000 is required on work at Portknockie Harbour that will see repairs undertaken on holes at sea-bed level, wall cavities, cracks on the pier deck, concrete repairs and remedy of undermining.
Meanwhile £130,000 will be invested at Burghead Harbour through repairs to missing blocks, surface erosion, rock wall foundations and cavities in the sea wall.
The funding for repairs to both harbours was cleared by the Full Council at their meeting at the end of March.
Members of the committee will also be told by Transportation Manager Nicola Moss: “An opportunity has arisen to work in partnership with the Three Harbours Association to create an external funding bid to renew and add to the pontoon facilities at Findochty Harbour.
“The principle is that the Three Harbours Association will apply for funding for new pontoon facilities, and then an agreement will be reached whereby the Council will manage and maintain the pontoon as part of the harbour portfolio – including taking income from the additional berthing facilities created.
“The maintenance burden would be offset by the additional income.”
Councillors will be urged to agree to proceed with the plan as the works are all regarded as urgently required “as soon as practicable” in line with the Council duties as a harbour authority.