About the RYHA

The River Yealm Harbour Authority is a statutory non-profit making body which manages the River Yealm and leases the harbour (except for the Kitley Estate area) from the Crown Estate.

The Authority’s function is to regulate the harbour for the benefit of all users and derives its regulatory powers from a Statutory Instrument (the Order), made under the Yealm Revision Order of 1981 granted under the Harbour, Docks, Piers & Ferries Act of 1964, and Bye Laws.

The Authority is made up of eleven members appointed by the four adjoining Parish Councils, South Hams District Council, Royal Yachting Association and mooring holders on the river. The Authority meets monthly (except for August) and holds an annual general meeting in April of each year. The public are welcome to attend these meetings but there is no public forum at the meetings, although the public are welcome to talk to any member of the committee outside of the meeting. However, first contact is usually made through the Harbour Master.

RYHA members

2020

Name                     Representing            Position               First nominated     Terms

David Southwood    RYA                         Chairman              April 2012              3rd

Dominic Crawley     Mooring Holder     Vice Chairman     April 2018              1st 

Dermod Drought     Wembury PC                                        March 2002           6th

Martyn Oates          Brixton PC                                              April 2003              6th

John Endicott          Yealmpton PC                                        Oct 2016                 2nd

Rodney Carter        N&N PC                                                   March 1988           11th

Tony Tubb               N&N PC                                                   July 1991                10th

Philip Parry-Smith   N&N PC                                                 April 2018               1st

Martin Mears           Mooring Holder                                   February 1989       11th

Andrew Matthews   Mooring Holder                                  March 1997            8th

South Hams DC      vacant

Elections for Mooring Holder representatives are held every three years and requests for nominations are advertised. The next elections are due in February 2021. The RYA and Council representatives are nominated by the organisations they represent. A nomination form can be found in the General Information section below.

The RYHA members and staff strive to provide a friendly and efficient service. However sometimes we don’t get it quite right. If you feel that we haven’t met these standards please use the form that is in the general information section to raise a complaint.

RYHA Business

There are two areas of information defined here:

1. Meeting Minutes
2. General Information