Madam,

When I was informed of the proposals to form a Borth Sailing School my first thoughts were what a great proposal and how it would complement the facilities and enjoyment levels for local residents and holidaymakers. I immediately offered my assistance in any way which could help to bring this facility to Borth.

However, upon looking into the project, first presented to the community council in July last year followed by a second presentation in December, by the proposer of the sailing school, I began to realise the flaws in the proposals.

There were no written endorsements of the proposals by either the coastguard or the RLNI who appear to have reservations about the proposals.

Despite the advert for donations for The Borth Sailing which is attached to the Borth Community web site, it is proposed solely as a business venture and any donations are sought towards the setting up and initial running costs of the business venture which are for a private enterprise and not for a facility being arranged on behalf of the community council.

Advice from experienced sailors, of which I am not, suggests that launching sailing dinghies from the beach directly into coastal tidal waters is not practical. This view may be endorsed by the apparent lack of any such sailing school within the UK. Other sailing schools are in sheltered estuaries or harbours.

Changing facilities for children attending the proposed school are proposed to be housed in a new building. This would be built behind the existing toilet facilities on the existing boat park area. However, this facility is not proposed to be available for five years.

Shouldn’t this facility be in place, for the protection of minors attending sailing lessons, prior to the sailing school’s commencement?

Borth Community Council is currently in the process of drawing up an agreement with the proposer/s of the sailing club to lease the current boat park in Borth (adjacent to the coastguard facilities).

The proposer of the sailing school has offered to take over the running costs for the maintenance and cleaning of the existing public toilet facilities as part of a proposed agreement in allowing the sailing school to be set up in Borth and is a separate issue to the proposed lease agreement for the Borth Boat Park.

If you wish to discuss this matter with Borth Community Council, which normally meets at 7pm on the first Monday of the month, then you can discuss this with them in the first 30 minutes of the meeting, which is allocated for the public to make presentations to the committee, for local matters, for up to five minutes per person per meeting.

Yours etc,

Phil Turner-Wright, Dôl-y-bont.

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