Archive for March, 2012

Write to your MP now about BW Transfer Order!

Friday, March 16th, 2012

The draft Order to transfer British Waterways to the Canal and River Trust has been published and is currently being scrutinised by two Parliamentary Committees. It will also be debated in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. Despite many boaters lobbying and submitting evidence when the Public Bodies Bill (now an Act of Parliament) was being drafted, the issue of British Waterways was not discussed at all in the House of Commons committee on the Bill. The subject of the transfer order is BW alone, so it is vital that we take the opportunity to raise all the issues about the risks of homelessness to boat dwellers (both with and without permanent moorings) that arise from the transfer of BW to charity status. The deadline for submissions to the Committees is this Monday 19th March so  write to them now!

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Parish Council apologises for not consulting boaters

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Alton Parish Council has apologised for not talking to boaters about its efforts to prevent boats mooring in Honey Street. “We should have discussed this with boaters first” said the Parish Clerk Charles Reiss.

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Anti-liveaboard candidates win CRT election

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

The anti-liveaboard Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has been elected to three of the four private boater places on the Canal and River Trust Council. Clive Henderson, Ivor Caplan and Keith Welch, all connected with the IWA, gained the most votes with Ann Farrell in fourth place. The two boating business places were taken by Nigel Stevens, owner of Shire Cruisers hire boats and a past Chair of BWAF, and Anthony Matts.

Liveaboard Frank Kelly who stood for election said

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Three new pages for our web site

Monday, March 12th, 2012

Kennet and Avon Boating Community has added three new pages to the web site –  Report BW Abuse, K&A Nature Watch and Useful Contacts.

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Attempt to stop all boats mooring in parish

Monday, March 12th, 2012

This Thursday evening (March 15th) Alton Parish Council is to hold a second meeting to discuss getting rid of all the temporary and permanent moorings outside the Barge Inn, Honey Street and at Gibson’s Boat Services (now Moonboats). In addition we understand that the Parish Council wants to prevent boats from mooring anywhere in the Parish. British Waterways and a Community Police Officer have been invited to attend the meeting, but no attempt has been made to consult local boaters. However a number of boaters plan to attend the meeting and would welcome other boaters joining them.

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Dundas sanitary inconvenience update

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Mark Stephens, the Kennet and Avon Canal Manager, has responded to a complaint from a boater with the following news about the closure of the sanitary facilities at Dundas.

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Oxford boaters under threat

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

Boat dwellers in Oxford are under threat from a group called the Unlawfully Moored Boats Enforcement Group, made up of Oxford City Council, the Environment Agency, British Waterways and Thames Valley Police. Oxford City Council has just given this group £44,000.

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BW transfer order to be examined by five Parliamentary committees

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

The draft order to transfer BW to charity status will be scrutinised by five Parliamentary committees and in addition has to be agreed by both houses of Parliament. This means that there will be opportunities to lobby Parliament about the risks of homelessness for boat dwellers of the move to the Canal and River Trust (CRT), in particular to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. In addition, there is still time to object to the registration of the CRT to the Charity Commission, as the application to register the charity has not yet been submitted.

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BW transfer order laid before Parliament

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

On 29 February the Government laid before Parliament the draft order under the Public Bodies Act 2011 to transfer the functions of British Waterways to the Canal and River Trust. A Freedom of Information request has confirmed that no application to register the Canal and River Trust as a charity has been made – so there’s still time to object to the Charity Commission.

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BaNES traveller policy may include boat dwellers

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

Bath and NE Somerset Council is looking at whether to include boat dwellers in its provision for travellers.

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