Fenland District Council has ‘red flagged’ Wisbech Port – where it may need to find £50m to replace the suspended quay – and “major investment in the council’s leisure centres to ensure they are fit for the future”. The warnings are contained in the annual budget forecasts released by the council and now out for public consultation.
Whilst attention is primarily focused on whether Fenland Council can continue its ‘no increase’ approach to council tax, part of the report focuses on longer term financial challenges and the need for substantial capital investment.
“For six consecutive years there has been no rise in Fenland’s portion of the council tax – with 2023/24 even seeing a 2% cut in its element – as councillors reaffirmed their ongoing commitment to supporting local households,” said a council spokesperson.
“The draft budget for 2025/26 is currently proposing a seventh year of no rise in Fenland’s council tax. However, current forecasts based on that proposal show a deficit of £2.6million, due to less funding from central government, soaring costs and increased demand.”
Council leader Chris Boden said: “We are faced with having to make very difficult choices and not raising council tax is quite possibly not going to be realistic.
“We may well find ourselves forced to make a choice between unpalatable changes or increasing council tax.”
But elsewhere in the report finance chiefs set out a bigger picture of meeting the costs of running leisure centres, operating a successful port at Wisbech, and determining the costs of possibly relocating from Fenland Hall in March.
The report notes that in 2023/24 the council authorised repair works at Wisbech Port “to address the deteriorating condition of the suspended quay at Wisbech Port”.
But it warns that “extensive further work will be required over the next few years to ensure the quay at the port of Wisbech remains safe and operational.
“A detailed option appraisal regarding the future of Wisbech Port will be required before any further investment in the quay is considered.
“Ultimately, the long-term replacement of the suspended quay could cost in the region of £50m”.
A port operations review is underway and in its list of forward plans for the port it says that £500,000 projected for a “small twin screw tug” and £1.7m for “suspended quay works” will be decided once the review is complete.
“Further reports will be brought to Cabinet for consideration of the future of Wisbech Port,” says the report.
The suspended quay incorporates three shipping berths, two of which are located at the Town Quay berth; the suspended quay is used by the Port of Wisbech to load and unload cargo from visiting vessels and for storage of goods in transit and is central to the port’s operations.
The commercial quay was built in the 1950’s and is approximately 1,000 metres long.
In the early days, the port at Wisbech imported and exported corn and rapeseed oil, and other similar food and beverage goods.
Today, it is used for the import and temporary storage of brick and timber building materials to await shipment to UK buyers. The port is one of Cambridgeshire’s only gateways to the sea and Fenland District Council is the statutory harbour authority for most of the tidal section of the River Nene.
The quay is of reinforced concrete construction and over the years, the structure has deteriorated due to the harsh marine environment.
On leisure centres the report says the council agreed in November 2023 to a “facility strategy” to inform capital investment required over the next 5 years.
“Officers are currently assessing the outcome of this strategy and any potential available funding opportunities and a report on the various options for each centre will be presented to Cabinet at a future meeting,” says the report.
“What is clear however, is that major investment in the council’s leisure centres is required to ensure they are fit for the future.
“This will have a very significant impact on the capital programme and future additional financing costs.”
The council says it has paused – pending the outcome of a review – a possible £2.5m investment in the Manor Leisure Centre at Whittlesey.
And £700,000 in the capital programme for the Hudson Centre at Wisbech is also paused “pending outcome of leisure centre facility strategy” whilst a similar reason is given for pausing £600,000 for the George Campbell Centre at March.
The report also advises of the potential costs of implementing a full business case now being worked up in relation to Fenland Hall and its other space known as The Base in Melbourne Avenue, March.
It says no allowance has yet been made for these developments “which will also significantly impact the council’s capital programme.
“The final decisions taken will inform the level of work required at Fenland Hall and The Base over the life of the capital programme.
“When final decisions are taken, the capital programme will need to be adjusted accordingly. On this basis no commitments relating to Fenland Hall and the Base have been included in the current programme.
“Whatever option is finally agreed, there will be a significant impact on the capital programme and future financing costs”.
FOOTNOTE
The council will decide by mid-February how it will meet a projected £2.6million shortfall before the final Budget is set for 2025/2026. Have YOUR say here:
https://www.fenland.gov.uk/yourviews2025
