Harbour Master, Billy Johnson, the Chair of the Harbour Board, Philip Bush and the deputy chairman of the Harbour Board, Cllr Roger Elkins welcomed Nick Gibb to Littlehampton Harbour to show him the improvements that have been made to the River Arun. They also discussed the management of the harbour's finances.
Mr Gibb learnt that the harbour has an annual income of about £400,000, employing five people and managing the comings and goings of fourteen fishing boats, eight large commercial vessels and up to 500 leisure craft.
Nick Gibb said: "The River Arun is the jewel in the crown of Littlehampton as a seaside resort. Few seaside towns have the combination of a sandy beach seafront and a beautiful river. Ensuring the river remains navigable is the responsibility of the Harbour Board which, despite a tight budget funded largely from harbour dues paid by boat users, manages to keep our river and harbour safe and attractive to tourists."
Photo: from left, Cllr Roger Elkins, Harbour Master Billy Johnson, Nick Gibb