Harbours Act 1964

1 Establishment of National Ports Council, and principal duties thereof

(1) There shall be a Council to be called the National Ports Council (hereafter in this Act referred to as " the Council") which shall be charged with the duty of formulating, and keeping under review, a national plan for the development of harbours in Great Britain and with the following duties, that is to say.—

(a) formulating comprehensive plans for the improvement of existing, and the provision of new, harbours in Great Britain and of services and facilities provided at such harbours;

(b) promoting the execution of such plans (so far as they are approved by the Minister);

(c) encouraging harbour authorities in Great Britain to exercise and perform functions of theirs relating to harbours as efficiently as possible and assisting them in the exercise and performance of such functions; and

(d) tendering to the Minister advice with respect to the taking of action calculated to secure the improvement, maintenance and management of harbours in Great Britain in an efficient and economical manner and the provision of adequate means of access to such harbours by road and rail;

and shall have such other duties, and such powers, as are imposed and conferred on them by the following provisions of this Act.

(2) In the discharge of the duties imposed on them by the foregoing subsection the Council shall seek consultation with such harbour authorities and other persons as appear to the Council to be directly concerned.

(3) In subsection (1) of this section " harbour" does not include a fishery harbour within the meaning of section 21 of the Sea Fish Industry Act 1951 or a marine work.