Aims of the strategy
The Dorset Harbours Strategy aims to provide long term strategic direction for the sustainable development of the three Dorset Council harbours, namely Weymouth, Bridport (West Bay) and Lyme Regis (The Cobb).
The strategy will provide a working framework to ensure harbour users, local communities and key stakeholders know what to expect as the harbours develop over the next 10 years. The document also aims to inform regional and national planning organisations of the ambitions of Dorset Council’s (DC) harbours.
The purpose of the strategy is to:
- Set out a vision, aims, objectives and strategic goals to guide the development of the harbours.
- Provide a working framework to ensure harbour users, local communities and key stakeholders know what they can expect in Weymouth, Bridport (West Bay) and Lyme Regis Harbours regarding development of the harbours over the next 10 years
- Aid regional and local planning bodies to understand the ambitions of the harbours under DC and help to ensure that future harbour development remains coherent with change delivered through the Council’s Economic Plan, Neighbourhood Plans, and other regional and local strategies.
- Generate a partnership approach to the development of the three harbours.
Background to the proposal
Following the formation of Dorset Council through a local government reorganisation in 2019, Dorset Council became the Statutory Harbour Authority for Weymouth, Lyme Regis, and Bridport Harbours. Dorset Council Harbours Committee is responsible for exercising functions as the harbour authority.
The strategy will be owned by Dorset Council and implemented by Dorset Council Harbours Committee. As a new unitary authority, the committee intends to provide strategic direction as to how these harbours will develop over the next ten years. This strategy is to ensure that all three harbours have a clear direction and are aligned under the management of Dorset Council while recognising their unique qualities and local communities.
There are many challenges which our harbours face; a changing economy, managing an increase in marine activities taking place in a finite space, increasing tourism pressures and changing needs of the tourism economy, keeping up with rapidly emerging technological advances, alongside climate change and the impacts of a changing coast on infrastructure, increased flood risk and increasing pressures on marine ecology. All these factors impact how the harbours will develop over the next ten years and while some are unpredictable, many can be planned for.
A strategy will help to underpin decision making on how the harbours develop by providing an overarching vision and objectives but will allow for flexibility for these changing considerations.
Intelligence and Communication
Data, information, evidence and research used and how it has influenced the decision-making process
As part of the development of this strategy Dorset Coast Forum, was contracted to carry out a range of consultation and engagement including:
- a desk-based research exercise
- discussions with harbour staff
- workshops for key stakeholders and the public and
- a public survey
Initial consultation was based on key areas of investigation for each of the three harbours:
- what is working well at each harbour
- what is not working very well at each harbour
- potential ideas for development or opportunities
This research and consultation events took place from July to October 2020 with further consultation with key stakeholders on the Strategy’s Vison, Aims and Strategic Goals in March 2021.
Engagement or consultation that has taken place as part of this EqIA
There were five main aspects of the three harbours that were important to consultation respondents:
- culture and heritage
- recreation and tourism
- marine safety and enforcement
- conservation and ecology
- economy/business growth/regeneration
Consultation guided the strategic goals and development objectives for the short, medium, and long term.
We have engaged and consulted with a wide range of harbour stakeholders including:
- workshops via Zoom: Four sessions took place with an open invitation sent to representatives from the Harbour Consultative Groups, local stakeholders and harbour users including businesses, residents, local attractions and local authorities. The businesses included marine, fishing, retail, leisure and tourism. There was one workshop for Lyme Regis Harbour, one for Bridport (West Bay) Harbour and two workshops for Weymouth Harbour. The workshops were facilitated by DCF. Sixty stakeholders attended across all the workshops
- online surveys: A public consultation was carried out online during September/October 2020 via the Dorset have your say website with 470 individuals responded to the survey
- harbour staff workshops
- all engagement was conducted online due to government guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19
The draft strategy has been produced following the consultation events providing a positive vision for the future for all three main Dorset Harbours and their development and management for the next ten years.
The Dorset Council Harbours Strategy Working Group are currently working with Dorset Coast Forum to consult with the wider Dorset Council Harbours Committee and Dorset Harbours Consultative Groups for feedback on the draft strategy.
Assessment
Impacts of the strategy
| Impacts on who or what | Effect | Details |
|---|---|---|
Age: |
Neutral |
The strategy does not specifically highlight ways in which the action points would impact on age characteristics, but throughout the strategy reference is made to inclusivity and non-discriminatory actions. |
Disability |
Positive |
For the first time, this strategy highlights the need for improved access across all three of Dorset Council operated harbours. Strategic Goal 1 aims to maintain safe working harbours and directly improve the facilities on offer including accessibility. |
Socio-economic deprivation |
Positive |
Strategic Goal 5 aims to celebrate each harbour’s heritage and integrate them into the community by creating links to wider natural and cultural offers. Additionally, the strategic vision states that “Thriving Dorset Harbours” should be “at the heart of our communities” while the mission highlights the ambition to have “economically viable harbours” in each of the three towns. These are likely to have wider social and economic benefits to the three towns of Weymouth, Bridport and Lyme Regis. |
Summary of effects
The document does not make many specific commitments to ensure that all protected characteristics are addressed. However, throughout the document, reference is made to non-discriminatory actions and inclusivity. Where the strategy does make specific statements that highlight potential positive impacts on protected characteristics these are explained in detail under each of the relevant strategic goals.
The strategic mission states that harbours should be safe, and this is underpinned further in Strategic Goal 1 which addresses the need for improved accessibility across all three harbours.
The adoption of the strategy for Dorset Council Harbours will help ensure the long term economic stability of the Harbours which is highlighted under strategic goals 3 and 4. Strategic goal 3 aims to ensure the Harbours provide significant contributions to the local and Blue economy of the three towns while Strategic goal 4 aims to balance the budget of the harbours. This economic element of the strategy will have additional positive impacts on the social and economic status of the wider towns, in turn, positively impacting deprivation.
The document scored 10 on the Hemingway Accessibility assessment. However, as the document is aimed at a strategic level for use by the Council, planning authorities, businesses, and stakeholders the language and style of the writing is considered suitable for the target audience. However, reviews of the language can be made periodically to see if there are parts of the document which can be simplified. Alongside the full strategy, a one-page summary can also be produced which will aim to be in more plain language.
Key to effects or impacts
Positive - the proposal eliminates discrimination, advances equality of opportunity and/or fosters good relations with protected groups.
Negative - protected characteristic group(s) could be disadvantaged or discriminated against
Neutral - no change/ no assessed significant impact of protected characteristic groups
Negative - protected characteristic group(s) could be disadvantaged or discriminated against
People who have agreed the EQIA
Officer completing this EqIA: Martin Sutcliffe
Officers involved in completing the EqIA: Nikki Parker-Goadsby
Date of completion: 2 September 2021
Version Number: N/A
EqIA review date: N/A
Inclusion Champion Sign Off: N/A
Equality Lead Sign Off: N/A