Members will have noticed that this year, whilst we have a great new asset in the slipway, it is breaking up. The committee have continued to pressurise the Environment Agency and their contractors to fix the problems but no action has been taken, other than some signs being erected at the top of the slipway. We have again had to resort to writing to the decision-makers in the Environment Agency, and their contractors Mackley, with copies to our Local Councillors, Shoreham Herald, the RYA and the Port.
We will keep members updated with further developments.
Dear Sirs,
In a meeting on Friday 1 March with James Humphrys (Environment Agency) and Tim Loughton MP we discussed the impact of the Adur Tidal Wall project on Shoreham Sailing Club as detailed in an open letter to the Environment Agency and their contractors sent on 31 January 2019. The issues raised in the letter and at the meeting were;
- Shoreham Sailing Club ground reinstatement: Resolved to our satisfaction
- Overtopping of the slipway: No resolution and no plan offered for resolution
- Poor communication from Environment Agency and contractors: No change
- Movement of the rock revetments: Resolved at present
- Spalling and the degradation of the slipway: No resolution, one scheduled date cancelled, no further schedule submitted.
We sent monthly emails (March to June) and photographs to the Environment Agency and contractors illustrating the degradation of the slipway (see below). To date the following action has been taken by the EA and Mackleys;
- 5 June: Signage installed by Mackleys on the slipway warning of trip hazards.
- 30 August. Meeting to agree works to repair slipway (to commence on 30 September).
It is now over eight months since the initial issue of spalling on the slipway at Shoreham was raised with the Environment Agency and contractors and despite repeated assurances there is no sign of any action. We have yet to see drawings or plans for the repairs or any schedule for the works to be carried out (having been told on 26 September that it would not take place on 30 September as agreed in our 30 August meeting).
Overtopping of the slipway was raised with the Environment Agency in a meeting with Shoreham Port and Shoreham beach users on 11 December 2018 and despite assurances that this would be dealt with then, and subsequently by James Humphrys in an email on 15 February 2019, no progress has been communicated to the club.
We continue to suffer from a lack of communication from both the Environment Agency and Mackleys with emails going unanswered, schedules being moved and limited action being taken. To date we have spent the equivalent of a part-time jobs worth of volunteer time dealing with the Environment Agency and contractors.
Based on the history of poor communication and lack of action from the Environment Agency and contractors we require reassurance that you still intend to make good your commitment to resolve these serious and ongoing issues in a timely manner, and that you will provide us with a firm work schedule and plans.
Your sincerely
Sophie Mackley
Commodore, Shoreham Sailing Club
Cc’d to Shoreham Port, Adur and Worthing Council, Royal Yachting Association, Shoreham Herald
Movement of concrete panels above the capping Large holes have developed due to movement of the concrete panels Movement of concrete panels above the capping Spalling and movement of concrete panels above the capping Large holes have developed due to movement of the concrete panels Large holes have developed due to movement of the concrete panels
