Cllr Donald Baldey, of Northumberland Place, Teignmouth, a Master Mariner, writes:

The article in the Teignmouth Post of April 30 regarding the Teignmouth Harbour Commission and the comments by its chairman Jeremy Grammer I find strange.

He states that I have been calling for the commissioners to put piles in the river during the last two meetings: has he been asleep during the meetings before then, as I have been promoting this idea at the consultancy meetings for the last three years and every time they said it would be too expensive?Mr Grammer questions the figures I produced yet he knows that the company that provided these figures has carried out extensive work on this river. When I asked to see the quotations that the harbourmaster said they had from others, I was told they were only verbal – no proof equals no quote.He asks why extra moorings are needed when the harbourmaster had stated there is a waiting list of 80 applicants. indeed the reason this figure is not larger is that many just give up the thought that they will ever get a mooring.We were told that we would be informed who was on the waiting list, and local, but we have yet to see such evidence; I know for certain one of my neighbours is on that list. It was the harbourmaster who said that seven moorings were required by commercial operators. Mr Grammer talks about the concern by other stakeholders regarding the number of moorings in the river, but this only refers to area taken up by such moorings. what I propose is using the existing space more effectlvely.He asks why no councillor applied for the vacancy on the Harbour Commission in November last when they advertised the position. I have applied to be a commissioner on two previous occasions and did not even get the courtesy of a reply, although I personally handed my application into their office. indeed, the perception is that they choose the next commissioner before they advertise the position. I know of at least one commissioner who was allegedly appointed this way.He refers to the meeting in the mayor's chamber when the commissioners were invited to meet the councillors and is disappointed the town council feels his body lacks accountability and transparency, but it was Mr Grammer who asked for John Ware, your reporter, to leave presumably because he did not want his actions reported. The commissioners hold all their meetings in private when harbour commissioners in other areas hold their meetings in public.Finally the Harbour commission has removed the name of my shipbroking company Donald Baldey (Chartering) from its website.The only Teignmouth based shipping agency on its website is owned by the family of a former Teignmouth harbour commissioner.THIS AND OTHER LETTERS IN OUR ONLINE EDITION