New Councillors Join Newlyn Harbour Board as Marine Centre Progresses

Fresh faces join Board after council elections

Newlyn Harbour has announced a series of updates following the July meeting of the Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners, with new Cornwall Council appointments, progress on a long-awaited skills centre and harbour maintenance works all on the agenda.

Following recent local authority elections, Cornwall Council has confirmed its two appointees to the Board of Commissioners at Newlyn Harbour. Councillor Jim McKenna, representing the Penzance Promenade ward and now Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Partnerships, joins alongside Councillor Thalia Marrington, who represents Mousehole, Newlyn & St Buryan and now serves as Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Public Health.

Chair of the Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners, Paul Durkin, said, “On behalf of the Board, I welcome Cllr McKenna and Cllr Marrington as the Cornwall Council appointees to our Board of Harbour Commissioners and look forward to continuing to work with them to secure the prosperity of the Newlyn Harbour Estate for the Cornish fishing fleet and our wider community.”

Newlyn Marine Skills Centre takes shape

Construction of the Newlyn Marine Skills & Resource Centre is making strong progress, with groundwork complete and the steel frame now in place.

Newlyn Harbour Master and CEO Jonathan Poynter said, “We will be inviting expressions of interest from education/training providers in August to share occupancy of the building in early 2026. Details will be published on our website soon.” That information will be made available at newlynharbour.com.

Maintenance in full swing across the port

A series of upgrades and repairs are currently underway across the harbour as part of its summer maintenance programme. On Mary Williams Pier, 24 new mooring bollards have been installed and coping stone repairs completed.

Twelve new fender piles are in the process of being fitted, along with six floating timber fenders, to help protect vessels during berthing. Restoration work also continues at the Old Quay, and quotes are now being sought for repairs to the South Pier’s outer wall following a recent assessment.

Water issues addressed for most harbour users

Concerns over the private potable water supply appear to be largely resolved. “We are sorry that this has impacted users of Newlyn Harbour for such a long period of time, and we are pleased that a more normal level of service has now resumed,” said Jonathan.

“There are outstanding issues to resolve, which have highlighted a long-term risk that we are seeking to address, and we will provide further updates in due course.”

Tighter waste rules bring early results

Changes to waste management at Newlyn Harbour, brought in to meet new regulations and rising removal costs, appear to be having a positive effect. Measures include locking bulk waste bins, reducing the number of wheelie bins and requiring vessels to give advance notice of their waste needs.

Early signs suggest the new rules are helping to reduce fly tipping and careless use of the harbour’s waste facilities.

Sardine season begins as Scottish fleet departs

With the Scottish prawn fleet now heading north, Newlyn is turning its attention to the sardine season. “Alongside our ongoing programme of maintenance, we are now gearing up for sardine season,” added Jonathan. “The fishing community is at the heart of everything we do and we are committed to supporting them in every way possible.”

Board meetings of the Newlyn Pier & Harbour Commissioners are held every two months, on the first Friday of alternate months. More information can be found at newlynharbour.com.