Local Government

As a general rule, local authority powers do not extend below low water except near recognised bathing beaches where they can regulate a short distance offshore. Their main concerns relate to swimming, launching of trailer boats (including Personal Watercraft, speedboats, sailing dinghies and canoes) and bait digging.

Once a boat has been launched, and gone off the beach, control of the activity will pass to another authority, typically the harbour authority. In practice there is virtually no coordination between the two.

In the Solent, local authorities also act as harbourmaster at places like Hamble and Keyhaven. Hampshire and Sussex Counties are also represented on the Harbour Board at Chichester.

Local government is a curious mixture of officials, who may have the requisite skills, and elected members who supposedly represent the local people (however, it is only rarely that a coastal zone management issue features in local elections)

There are always numerous management plans, strategies, goals, and other aspirational documents produced by local government. These are not coordinated between local authorities.