THE role of Norfolk County Council in Great Yarmouth's outer harbour project will be scrutinised at a cabinet scrutiny committee meet next Tuesday.

The meeting at 10am in the Edwards Room at County Hall will draw on the knowledge and expertise of a number of people with first-hand experience of the port's creation and operation, including council officials and EastPort UK, the private company now operating the port.

The Committee will examine a number of issues and seek to:

Determine the background to Norfolk County Council's investment in the EastPort development and why the council chose to invest.

Consider, from the county council's point of view, if the project has met its original aims and objectives.

Establish what governance arrangements were put in place by the county council, to protect its investment.

Establish whether any lessons can be learnt for future similar investments

A report to the committee outlines the county council's financial contribution to the project and highlights that the council provided no land for the creation of the new harbour and the principle liability taken on by the council was maintenance to the Haven Bridge.

With commercial operations at the port around a year old, the report also highlights the number of companies that have located in or around the harbour as a result of its development and assesses the port's current and future role in the Great Yarmouth economy.

Paul Morse, chair of cabinet scrutiny at the county council, said: 'The outer harbour is an asset which is vital to the future success of Great Yarmouth's economy and I am sure elected members of all parties are looking forward to receiving information about a number of issues which have emerged in recent months.

'I hope that bringing various parties together we can have a constructive discussion both about both past involvement and the positive role the whole port can potentially play in the future success of both the Great Yarmouth and Norfolk economies in the longer term.'