Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: December 18, 2025

Purpose: A report was presented to Cabinet to update on the Port of Ramsgate Future Delivery Project and to propose recommendations on next steps.   The objectives of the project are to end the revenue deficit position at the port and deliver a sustainable long-term solution that removes financial and legal risk. The solution must also avoid local financial contribution to any capital costs.   This follows the decision of Cabinet on 26 June 2025, not to implement a previous decision to progress a plan for a Multi Purpose Hybrid model of operation for the Port.   Since June 2025 officers have scoped ten high level options for the future of the port. The report updates on the option scoping work and proposes that six of the options be discounted and that further work be done to develop the remaining four options. The report also proposes that a Harbour Revision Order process be commenced without delay and that short term income opportunities be further explored and implemented.

Content: Cabinet agreed the following:   1.  To approve the proposal to prepare and submit a Harbour Revision Order (HRO) to remove the Open Port Duty associated with the ro-ro (roll-on roll-off) berths and associated land at the Port of Ramsgate as set out in Section 6 of the Cabinet report. A working draft of the HRO and an accompanying draft Port Plan can be found at Appendix 4 and Appendix 5 of this report;   2.  To give delegated authority to the Director of Environment to refine and complete the drafting of a Harbour Revision Order (HRO) and the accompanying Port Plan (based on the drafts appended to this report) and to submit the HRO application to the Marine Management Organisation early in 2026 to formally commence the harbour revision order process;   3.  To approve the proposal to pursue and secure short term income opportunities (circa 1-4 years) as described in Section 7;   4.  To approve the proposal to discount six of the High Level Options, (those being options 2a, 2b, 3, 4a, 4b and 4c) from Table 1 in Appendix 1 to the Cabinet report;   5.  To approve the proposal for officers to develop leasehold or freehold disposal options (Options 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d) further for consideration at a future meeting of Cabinet;   6.  With respect to the future of the Royal Harbour, Cabinet instructed officers not to consider the Royal Harbour as part of any future disposal options.

Reasons for the decision: Securing a sustainable solution for the Port of Ramsgate is a corporate priority. The port has some significant potential but is currently underutilised and operating at a financial deficit. A Cabinet decision was made on 26 June 2025 to move away from the previously approved concession operator model for the port. Since then officers have explored options for the future of the port and made a total of 6 recommendations in the report to Cabinet on 18 December 2025 that are well aligned with the objectives of the Port of Ramsgate Future Delivery Project. The decisions by Cabinet on these recommendations will provide direction to the next stage of the project.

Alternative options considered: The report includes two alternatives as follows:   Alternative 1 - Progress a different set of future options for the port from the 4 recommended options. All of the discarded options would present higher financial, legal, commercial or programme related risk.  The discounted options are all less well aligned with the project objectives and therefore won’t be taken forward.   Alternative 2 - The report proposes that a Harbour Revision Order process should commence early in 2026. However this process could be delayed to allow more time to understand disposal options. This approach would mean that the council would be exposed to the risk associated with non-compliance with the Open Port Duty for longer. The option was therefore discounted.