Dear friends,

Just a little update on one thing and another before the holiday really starts.

Legal Challenge

The current position is that we have asked BW for a meeting date in January for Geoffrey and I to go to talk about the issues. We are awaiting confirmation.

In December BW felt that they should publish their letter of response dated 10 October on their web site, so we have put it on the NABO site too. Do you have any comments?

 

I remind you of a sentence from our letter of complaint:

"NABO has always been entirely supportive of strong and well understood licence terms and conditions, underwritten by legislation, to support the current critical situation on the towpath."

BW have also responded in the press by putting a piece in December's Towpath Talk, see this link

Waterways Condition Survey

This has been circulated to the press in general. BBC Berkshire picked it up and did an early morning piece with the Kennet and Avon Trust and myself. Watch out for the waterways press in the coming editions.

In the last couple of weeks Richard and Howard have attended separate meetings with their local BW area managers (with other user groups) to look at budget allocations for spending next year. Prominent in both meetings were the NABO survey results, circulated internally by BW. I am sure we will be invited to more of these focus group meetings and the profile of NABO seems to be on the up with BW at the moment, at least in this area.

BW have officially responded to us on the survey and their message is on the NABO site too. Overall it is a fine piece of work and it is being put to good use. There have been some complimentary comments all round. We owe thanks to The Boating Association, RBOA, and Narrowboatworld who gave us the early publicity to get things going, and get the numbers up to make the statistics meaningful.  But it was our John Slee who did the work. Very well done John. Same again next year?

We have been asked to follow up with those who raised specific safety issues, so that they can be checked, and this will happen in the New Year.

Then in case you need some serious reading over the holidays, try these two new items. Both are vitally important for the future of the waterways. We will return to them in the New Year.

BW for the Third Sector?

BW has published a report on suggestions for the move to the third sector. This report was expected and has been prepared by their 3rd sector consultants Compass (and others) in the last few months. These organisations have spoken at BW's Annual Meeting and the last BWAF meeting. I also spoke with them one to one about a month ago to put a boater’s view. IWA have come out in favour. NABO is still silent. Please write and tell us what you think. http://www.waterscape.com/features-and-articles/news/2609/britains-waterways-in-the-third-sector

Waterways for Everyone

DEFRA has launched a consultation on an updated Government strategy for the inland waterways of England and Wales – “Waterways for Everyone”.  This sets out the Government's way forward for enhancing the public benefits of inland waterways and replaces the previous strategy document called Waterways for Tomorrow. This document needs a response which Council will consider in January and February. If you wish, you can also respond as an individual. The links are on the NABO web site.

On behalf of Council and the regional representatives, I wish you all a very happy Christmas, and good boating in the New Year!

David