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Arbroath relationship with RNLI ‘dead in the water’ after hierarchy’s ‘secret’ harbour visit

Scottish RNLI chief Jill Hepburn led a visit with senior colleagues to Arbroath harbour to progress the plan for locating an Atlantic 85 lifeboat at the Angus station.

Scottish RNLI chiefs made a fact-finding visit to Arbroath marina this week. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.
Scottish RNLI chiefs made a fact-finding visit to Arbroath marina this week. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

Leading Arbroath RNLI volunteers say relations with the charity have hit rock bottom after a ‘secret’ town fact-finding mission by charity chiefs this week.

The organisation’s Scottish chief Jill Hepburn led a delegation which met Arbroath’s harbourmaster to take forward controversial plans to station an Atlantic 85 lifeboat in the town.

But Arbroath RNLI operations manager Alex Smith and local management group chairman Ian Ballantyne were not told about Monday’s meeting, or invited to attend.

The inshore rigid inflatable will replace Arbroath’s all-weather Mersey-class lifeboat when it is retired.

Arbroath RNLB Inchcape
Arbroath’s all-weather Mersey-class lifeboat Inchcape is to be replaced with an Atlantic 85 rigid inflatable. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

The move was decided in a lifesaving review which has caused outrage in the town.

Local volunteers say it is a downgrade from the 220-year-old station’s current capability – a suggestion strongly rejected by the lifesaving organisation.

The organisation say the review outcome reflects the “challenges and costs associated with implementing change” at both Arbroath and Broughty Ferry.

The River Tay station is to receive a £2.5m Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat.

‘Zero communication’

Mr Smith, Arbroath operations manager for the past 14 years, said: “There is now zero communication from the executive.

“They didn’t let us know they were coming, they didn’t invite us along to ask for our input.

“They still haven’t told us how they are going to launch this boat.

“If they won’t speak to those who are responsible for sending the crew out then who are they going to speak to?

“That would suggest to me that our relationship is dead in the water.”

He added: “We also now have the situation where this visit took place at the harbour run by Angus Council, whose members were 100% behind a motion last week calling for this decision to be reversed.

Arbroath lifeboat station.
Arbroath lifeboat station is 220-years-old and the last in Scotland with a slipway launch. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

“It puts the council in a very tough position when they have said they want to see an all-weather lifeboat remain at Arbroath.”

And Mr Smith remains firm in the view that, while the Atlantic 85 is a highly-capable craft, Arbroath has been dealt an unacceptable blow.

He added: “There is no question this is a downgrade, whatever they might say.

“It is a downgrade from an all-weather station to an inshore station and the boat that is coming does not have the same capabilities and the same range.”

Emotionally-charged issue

Mr Ballantyne said: “What is coming across is that the hierarchy don’t care one iota about the people here in Arbroath.

“This was essentially a secret meeting kept from us.

“There is a lot of emotion around this but we feel totally ignored.

“They are talking about putting this boat in the inner harbour, but haven’t offered any explanation of how that would work or asked the opinion of those who would be most involved.

“There are so many aspects to this, but they are just not communicating with us.

“And despite what they say, it is a downgrade.

Stonehaven's Atlantic 85 lifeboat.
Stonehaven RNLI operate an Atlantic 85, the lifeboat planned for Arbroath. Image: Paul Glendell

“The (Atlantic 85) boat could probably go out to 90% of the call-outs we’ve had this year.

“But we have a boat with all-weather capability to go 30 miles out in the open ocean and this one will not.

“I still fundamentally believe it’s the wrong decision.

“I want protection for our crew in a cabin if they are out in the open sea and things suddenly change.

“It’s like having a Volvo estate and a motorbike – they both do the same sort of job, but in very different ways.”

The RNLI have been asked about Monday’s Arbroath visit and the relationship with the town station but are yet to respond.

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