The Watchet Harbour Revision Order 2000

PART VCHARGES

Charges for services or facilities

29.  In addition to their power to demand ship, passenger and goods dues under section 26 of the Harbours Act 1964, the Council may demand, take and recover such reasonable charges for services and facilities provided by them at the harbour as they may from time to time determine.

Payment of charges

30.—(1) The charges which the Council are for the time being authorised to demand, take and recover in respect of vessels and goods or otherwise under any enactment shall be payable before the removal from the harbour of any vessel or goods in respect of which they are payable, and may be demanded, taken and recovered by such persons, at such places, at such times and under such conditions as the Council may from time to time specify in their published list of charges.

(2) Charges payable to the Council shall be payable by the owner of any vessel or goods in relation to which the charges are payable.

(3) Where charges payable to the Council may be recovered by them from more than one person, the persons from whom they may be recovered shall be jointly and severally liable.

Recovery of charges

31.  In addition to any other remedy given by this Order and by the existing enactments (and, in a case where the master of a vessel in respect of which a charge is payable to the Council refuses or neglects to pay the same or any part thereof, whether or not the Council’s collector has gone on board the vessel and demanded the charge pursuant to section 44 of the Act of 1847), the Council may recover any charges payable to them as a debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Harbour master may prevent sailing of vessels

32.  The harbour master may prevent the removal or sailing from the harbour of any vessel until evidence has been produced to him of the payment of any charges payable in respect of the vessel or of passengers thereon or of the goods imported or exported therein.

Exemptions, rebates, etc., in respect of charges

33.—(1) The Council may confer total or partial exemptions from, allow rebates to or make compositions with any person with respect to charges, and may vary or extinguish any such exemption or composition.

(2) Nothing in section 30 of the Harbours Act 1964 shall require the Council to include in the list of ship, passenger and goods dues kept at the harbour office, as required by subsection (1) of that section, charges reduced by a rebate allowed on, or subject to a compounding arrangement in respect of, a due included in the said list.

Refusal to pay charges for landing place

34.  An officer of the Council may prevent a vessel from using a landing place provided by the Council, if the master of the vessel refuses to pay the charges for such use.

Deposit for charges

35.  The Council may, if they think fit, require any person who is liable, or may become liable, to pay charges to the Council to deposit with their collector, or to guarantee, such sum as in the opinion of the Council is reasonable having regard to the probable amount of the charges.