News - 22/03/16

At the recent Cowes Harbour Advisory Committee (CHAC) meeting on 4th March, stakeholder representatives voted unanimously for John Corby to take on the role of Chairman from Ben Willows who has stood down after three years of leading the Committee. 

As the nominated CHAC representative for Cowes Town Council, John Corby has been a member of the Advisory Committee for nearly three years and is well known locally for running his own boat building business specialising in racing yachts.

John said: “Ben Willows’ chairmanship will be a tough act to follow, and I have no doubt that my own chairmanship and diplomatic skills may well need to improve! Looking ahead, I find that not everyone knows the Advisory Committee exists so high on my list of priorities will be to find more ways of telling everyone about us – and that we are extremely approachable.

“A sample of Advisory Committee agenda items coming up are: understanding and presenting data from the new harbour surveys and tidal modelling to all the local people, and those who have understandable concerns on potential sedimentation in the harbour; updates to the new planned marina inside the Shrape at East Cowes and eventual use of the Union Flag building; lack of water taxis; siting of a new slipway in East Cowes; preventing essential deep water frontage being lost from marine use; and monitoring the County Council’s Medina Valley Area Action Plan so that we can best support marine industry and jobs.

“I have a real passion for Cowes,” John emphasised, “and would welcome any other matters that harbour residents, users and visitors might like to raise.”

Cowes Harbour Master Capt. Stuart McIntosh congratulated John Corby on his appointment and said: “I am very pleased to hear that John will be chairing the Harbour Advisory Committee and look forward to working closely with him and indeed all 12 of the local organisations and interest groups represented.

“I would also like to express Cowes Harbour Commission’s sincere thanks to Ben Willows and Adrian Wilkins for their valuable contributions to CHAC over the past few years as Chair and Vice Chair respectively, and am glad to report that both will be remaining on the Committee for the time being.”