Rees: ‘The docks are for all, not for a privileged few’

Marvin Rees has called people who live on boats in Bristol’s docks “a privileged few”.

Ahead of new costs for living and working on the water set to be introduced at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the mayor has set out in his latest blog how the harbour “has become increasingly difficult to manage financially in recent years”.

But the mayor has been criticised for his comments that some people feel is discriminatory against an already marginalised community, who choose to live on boats as it is affordable housing.

Rees, however, says that boat dwellers permanently living in the harbour on a leisure license have a “moral” duty to pay council tax.

The mayor said that Bristol City Council’s role “as managers of the harbour includes providing accessibility and engaging all communities. We support the businesses and residents that call the harbour home and welcome tourists from barges to super yachts.”

One of these super yachts is the Miss Conduct near Brunel’s Buttery – owned by disgraced landlord Thomas Flight – which Bristol24/7 understands takes up two of only eight permanent residential permits in the Floating Harbour.

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Read more: Anger as boat dwellers and ferries to be hit with huge hike in fees

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“The use of our docks has changed since the last review of fees and charges was introduced and the commercial income it previously benefited from has reduced to a negligible amount, with the harbour is now used for more leisure purposes than commercial,” Rees wrote.

“A benefit of becoming financially self-sufficient is that operations and facilities will be improved, and these improvements will be evident for service users and all visitors to the City Docks Estate.

“We have now reviewed fees and benchmarked against other cities and harbour authorities. They are set to rise above RPI for the first time in 20 years and be brought closer to the necessary funding required to run an effective harbour service.

“Only eight people have permanent moorings in the harbour and so no other boat should be permanently resident. Apart from the eight permanent residential permits, all other boats in the harbour are present on leisure licenses.

“The leisure licence is offered on an annual basis and permits the owners to berth their vessels in the harbour but do not have any right of tenure and under the terms of this licence cannot stay onboard for more than a 15-day period. Anyone on a leisure permit has to register a residential address, and does not pay council tax for the boat.

“Boat users failing to comply with the license system and treating a leisure permit as a residential privilege are abusing the system and damaging the city’s ability to manage the harbour for all, to allow for better usage and to improve the facilities.

“The harbour is owned by the city for the city. We must ensure it is managed effectively for all, not for a privileged few. As well as being a requirement under legislation, it’s also a moral one at a time when Bristol City Council faces a cost of operating crisis.

“We continue to protect frontline services, like libraries, children’s centres, and parks, at a time of severe pressure from high inflation, rising demand for services, and continued national austerity.

“Boat permits continue to offer low-cost stays in our city but they do not enable people to use a leisure licence as a permanent residence. Comparing a boat as a residence to a land-based dwelling shows clearly that despite the upcoming fee rise, boat ownership remains a low-cost alternative.

“The revised fee structure is comparable with other cities. We cherish our harbour businesses, boat and land users, and visitors, and we want them to prosper. We also want the harbour to be an open, inclusive, and excellent facility at the heart of the city.”

The Floating Harbour from Cliftonwood – photo: Martin Booth

@EsionNoiseuk replied to Rees on Twitter: “Shame on you, pinning the total failure of an authority upon the shoulders of a marginalised community. Totally unforgivable, totally at odds with Labour values.”

On Facebook, Morgan S Etches wrote: “How about a meaningful consultation with people who use the harbour? Everything this council does seems to have the goal of commercialising and sanitising the city at the expense of poorer and marginalised groups. It seems this mayor won’t stop until he’s made Bristol city centre completely indistinguishable from bland developments like Salford Quays and Cardiff Bay – privatised spaces with no character. It’s clear that no one wants this.”

In a letter delivered to boat dwellers, Green Party councillor for Central ward, Ani Stafford-Townsend, said that there has been concern about a “seeming lack” of a full Equalities Impact Assessment, adding that “many people living in our community are amongst the most vulnerable in our city”.

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

• ‘Bristol’s boat dwelling community could be completely swept aside’
• Rees: ‘Extinction Rebellion’s stunt on the roof is privileged activism’
• ‘Planning hell’ over for family as self-build houseboat granted permission
• Rees: ‘The bridge, the Gorge and balloons are not central to my city’s identity’

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