News - 20/04/14

Application and details for the latest Commissioner role for Cowes Harbour Authority. 

Like all Trust Ports, Cowes Harbour is an independent statutory body run by a board of trustees. It was established as a trust under the Cowes Harbour Act 1897 and is a commercially run organisation which is required to reinvest all profits back into the harbour for the benefit of all harbour users and local interests. 

The DETR review of trust ports in 1998 concluded that trust ports had stood the test of time and performed a valuable role in support of the local, regional and national economy. However, it highlighted a need for general improvement in the openness and accountability with which trusts conduct their business and proposed a set of national standards of independence, openness and accountability. A subsequent Harbour Revision Order has established new arrangements for the appointment of Harbour Commissioners and the following notes provide information for potential applicants interested in serving as part-time non-executive members on the Cowes Harbour Board.

The Department for Transport has just completed a review of the governance standards for trust ports. The new guide is entitled Modernising Trust Ports ‘A Guide to Good Governance’.