21.12.2011

PLA receives Report on fees for River Works Licences for Residential Use

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has received the Final Recommendations Report from independent consultants who have been looking to identify a method for setting PLA River Works Licence fees for residential use. The recommendations of the report will be studied by the PLA in detail and a decision on how to proceed made early in 2012.

A Steering Group was established to advise on the direction of the review, identify issues and provide a forum for debate. The Steering Group agreed the terms of reference and also jointly sought an independent legal opinion. It comprised three representatives from the Port of London Authority and four representatives of residential river works licensees and residential boaters; the Group was chaired by a representative from the Valuation Office.

PLA chief executive, Richard Everitt, commented:

“This Report will now be studied carefully, prior to the PLA making a final decision on the process for calculating fees for riverworks licences for residential use.

“We aim to achieve a consistent method of charging for houseboats on the River which is fair to everyone. We have consistently said that if this results in significant changes to the fee for an individual, usually because a review has not been carried out for a number of years, our aim will be to phase in the changes in order to minimise the impact on individual houseboat dwellers.”

To access a copy of the Final Recommendation Report and Consultants’ Response to the Public Consultation please click here.