Agenda item

The Board received a presentation from Mr P Wright, Divisional Manager, Open spaces, on the role of the RNLI organisation and how it impacted on Halton. Mr Wright is also a serving  Hovercraft Commander with the RNLI.

The Board was advised that the RNLI existed to save life at sea. It covered all of the coastal waters (and some inland waters) of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The River Mersey within the Borough of Halton was an estuarine river and was covered by the RNLI’s New Brighton station. It was reported that the RNLI had carried out a number of rescues within the Borough boundary.

The presentation showed photographs of the RNLI delivering a rescue service.  It was reported that the RNLI had saved more than 140,000 lives since its foundation in 1824. The islands of Britain and Ireland had always suffered from numerous shipwrecks a year around the coasts. After witnessing the destruction of dozens of ships from his home on the Isle of Man, and getting involved in rescue attempts himself, Sir William Hillary formed ‘a national institution for the preservation of lives and property from shipwreck’ and the charity was founded on 4 March 1824.

The Board was advised that people who manned or staffed lifeboats were volunteers and had to live within two miles of the lifeboat station.  It was reported that the RNLI had state of the art equipment and the fastest in the fleet was the Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, which would remain in service for 14 years, and would undertake refits every five years.  All lifeboats, it was reported had two engines and the Atlantic 85 could operate in up to Force Gale 11.

The Board was further advised that the hovercraft could operate on water and solid ground and as there was a lot of mud on this part of the river in Halton, it was very effective in this area.  There are an average of 60 incidents a year from New Brighton, nine of which had been in Halton.

In conclusion, it was reported that the RNLI relied on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service.

The following comments arose from the presentation:-

·             The Board noted that 20% of the incidents were calls from Halton;

·             The Board noted that Mr Paul Wright had received an award for a hazardous rescue that he had undertaken in the river;

·             Clarity was sought on what HBC could do to support the RNLI role.  In response, it was reported that out of the nine incidents, seven had been issues on the bridge, possible jumpers.  If the hovercraft is deployed to the bridge and has to wait a significant time it could have implications for incidents in other areas due to the delay.  Therefore, it was suggested that it would be helpful to raise awareness of the role of the RNLI in Halton and that it was also a charitable organisation that relied on public funding.  In response, the Chairman suggested that an article could be place in Inside Halton in order to raise the profile of the RNLI.  It was also suggested that a collection box could be placed at Halton Stadium.

RESOLVED: That

(1)        the presentation be received and comments raised be noted;

(2)        Mr Paul Wright be thanked for his informative presentation; and

(3)        The Board place on record their appreciation of the role the RNLI undertake in Halton.