The Cabinet has decided to end plans for a concession port operator model at the Port of Ramsgate, with new options to be developed for long term sustainability.

URL: https://democracy.thanet.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=5383

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: A report was presented to Cabinet to update on the Port of Ramsgate Future Delivery Project which focuses upon the long term sustainability of the Port of Ramsgate. This includes the concession operator procurement process which started in August 2024 and was formally abandoned in January 2025.   The report recommended that previously approved plans to implement a concession port operator model, supported by a grant from Pathfinder funding, be formally ended. The report set out that this proposal did not change the overarching objectives for the port, which include ending the revenue deficit position and delivering a sustainable solution for the port in the long term.   The report also recommended that further options be developed to deliver a sustainable long term solution for the port, with those options being brought back to Cabinet in the autumn of 2025.   The report also described the rationale for reallocating £7.6m of Ramsgate Pathfinder funding away from the Port Future Delivery Project due to the deadline for spending that funding. That recommendation is the subject of a separate report to Cabinet.

Content: A report was presented to Cabinet to update on the Port of Ramsgate Future Delivery Project which focuses upon the long term sustainability of the Port of Ramsgate. This includes the concession operator procurement process which started in August 2024 and was formally abandoned in January 2025.   The report recommended that previously approved plans to implement a concession port operator model, supported by a grant from Pathfinder funding, be formally ended. The report set out that this proposal did not change the overarching objectives for the port, which include ending the revenue deficit position and delivering a sustainable solution for the port in the long term.   The report also recommended that further options be developed to deliver a sustainable long term solution for the port, with those options being brought back to Cabinet in the autumn of 2025.   The report also described the rationale for reallocating £7.6m of Ramsgate Pathfinder funding away from the Port Future Delivery Project due to the deadline for spending that funding. That recommendation is the subject of a separate report to Cabinet. Cabinet agreed the following:   1.  To note the update set out in this report on the Port of Ramsgate Future Delivery project;   2.  That a previous decision to progress a plan for a Multi-Purpose Hybrid model of operation for the Port, made by Cabinet on 2 March 2023, will not be implemented. This also means that the previously planned concession port operator model, supported by a grant from Pathfinder funding, will not be implemented. This recommendation does not however change the overarching objective to deliver a sustainable solution for the port in the long term;   3.  To grant approval to officers to develop a schedule of high level strategic options for the future of the Port (as described in section 3.9 of this report) and bring those options back to Cabinet in the autumn (2025) for 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. Despite best efforts, the previous Cabinet decision in March 2023 has not resulted in a concession contract award. The Ramsgate Pathfinder funding allocated to the port is also now at risk. A Cabinet decision is therefore required to approve proposed next steps for the Port of Ramsgate Future Delivery Project. The report includes two alternatives which are to continue to pursue a concession operator contract award or to make a decision now on the future of the Port of Ramsgate rather than waiting for the development of new options. These alternatives were discounted because neither offer the most viable route to delivery of a sustainable solution for the Port of Ramsgate.

Date of Decision: June 26, 2025