COUNCIL chiefs are looking for consultants to help boost use of Ceredigion’s harbours after winning Welsh Government funding.

The council has been awarded £30,000 from the Welsh Government’s Ports Development Fund to appoint a consultant to identify “increased commercial activities” at harbours in Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, New Quay and Cardigan.

Consultants to carry out the work are expected to be appointed in late September or early October.

Cllr Gareth Lloyd, the Cabinet member for economic development, said: “This is good news. We could have a long list of what we want there, but what we need is a realistic list of what we can do there and what is affordable.”

A report that went before the council’s Cabinet said the funding scheme would enable improvements at the four ports.

It said: “Welsh Government launched the Ports Development Fund in April 2017, with the purpose of supporting ports in Wales to contribute to the commitments in the Programme for Government ‘Taking Wales Forward’.

“This presented an opportunity for the council to access funding that allowed it to undertake the investigation recommended in the scrutiny report.

“Officers in economic and community development services and technical services drafted an application under the title ‘Looking Ahead, the small ports of Ceredigion’.

“The application sought a sum of £30,000, matched in-kind by £2,000 of officer time, with which to procure suitably experienced consultants to undertake the investigation work and compile a report with proposals for increased commercial activities."

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