The RNLI and its Arbroath lifesavers are heading for a stand-off in the storm around the planned replacement of the town lifeboat.
Arbroath operations manager Alex Smith has asked his crew to have nothing to do with plans to bring an Atlantic 85 lifeboat to the town harbour for trials.
The open inshore rigid inflatable is to replace Arbroath’s current all-weather Mersey-class Inchcape.
It comes after Mr Smith described the local relationship with the RNLI as “dead in the water”.
While the Arbroath arrangements are being put in place, the town crew has also been offered the chance to go out on an Atlantic 85 in the coming weeks.
Stonehaven is nearest station equipped with the ILB.
And the Poole-based organisation says it wants Arbroath crew to be able to get on board “freely and without criticism”.
Broken promises
The Atlantic 85 plan reverses previous promises Arbroath would receive the pride of the lifeboat fleet, a £2.5m jet-propelled Shannon-class.
That craft has been assigned to Broughty Ferry under a recently completed lifesaving review.
On Wednesday, the RNLI rejected suggestions senior figures made a “secret” visit to the Angus harbour this week.
Mr Smith and Arbroath lifeboat management committee chairman Ian Ballantyne hit out at the lack of invitation or involvement in Monday’s fact-finding meeting.
The pair say it illustrates the current state of relations between the charity and local volunteers.
‘Business meeting’
But the organisation said it did not need them there.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “The meeting between three members of the RNLI regional leadership team and the harbourmaster was aimed at securing a temporary berth for an Atlantic 85 to allow for familiarisation, initial training and to explore the preferred option for launching the lifeboat.
“This was a business meeting with a key partner and there was no reason for volunteers from the lifeboat station to be involved.
“It is important to maintain a productive working relationship with the harbour.
“Without it, we are unable to move forward with the next phase of changing lifeboat provision and replacing the Mersey, which is at the end of its operational life.”
“We had a meeting with the Arbroath crew and wider team of volunteers last Wednesday to answer questions, discuss next steps and share more information, and have made clear we would be having discussions with the harbourmaster and other key stakeholders to move plans forward.
“We are keen to continue conversations with our volunteers about how we progress the plans to replace their current lifeboat.”
That will include opportunities to go afloat and become more familiar with an Atlantic 85 in the coming weeks.
“A temporary berth has been secured for familiarisation, training and to investigate launch options,” said the RNLI.
“However, before we bring a trial Atlantic 85 to Arbroath, we are inviting our crew and other volunteers to familiarisation sessions at nearby lifeboat stations in the coming weeks.
“It is not the role of the volunteer lifeboat operations manager to direct our crew’s training and familiarisation opportunities in this situation.
“We would very much hope that any volunteer who wishes to take part in this will be able to do so freely and without criticism.
“It is important that we allow our volunteers to make informed choices and to play their part in shaping the future of the station.”
The spokesperson added: “Throughout the review, we have endeavoured to work collaboratively with our volunteers and this will continue through the next phase.”
And the charity repeated: “Changing the Mersey-class all-weather lifeboat to a faster, highly-capable Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat is not a downgrade.
“Along with the future combination of Shannon-class lifeboats at Broughty Ferry, Montrose and Anstruther, the Atlantic 85 will provide an improved lifesaving capability on this stretch of coast.”
Fight to reverse decision continues
Mr Smith said: “Participating in anything to do with an Atlantic 85 would be an acceptance of this decision.
“I will not do that, and I have asked my crew to take the same position.
“It is the wrong boat for Arbroath and it is a downgrade for what is an all-weather station, no matter how often they say it is not.
“We continue the fight to overturn this decision.
“The people of Arbroath and our politicians are fully behind us on this one.”
He said regional chiefs were told during the review process of the unsuitability of the harbour for an Atlantic 85.
It’s understood there is no room in the outer harbour, leaving only the inner marina for a familiarisation berth.
Angus Council control the facility.
Last week, elected members unanimously backed a call to tell the RNLI they want the review decision reversed.
New station
The RNLI also confirmed a new station to replace the existing 220-year-old shed remains in their plans.
“As part of the changes at Arbroath, we will build a new lifeboat station to replace the current building, which is old and no longer suitable for a modern lifeboat service.
“This would have happened whatever the outcome of the review.
“The volunteers at Arbroath are aware of this and we will continue to discuss plans with them, as well as with the local authority, in the hope we can soon start moving the project forward.”
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