Councillor Fleur de Rhé-Philipe, Chair of the Kennet and Avon Local Waterway Partnership, resigned this week. Tamsin Phipps, who represents canoeists on the Partnership, is now acting as the temporary Chair. The Partnership is about to release its review of the K&A local mooring strategy proposals. Councillor de Rhé-Philipe said that she does not have the time to continue in the role as well as fulfil her duties as an elected member of Wiltshire Council. This is the third resignation in as many months affecting a high-profile position in CRT. The pilot K&A trial waterway partnership was set up in 2011 as a prototype for the local waterways partnerships that would exist after BW was transferred to a charity. Since then, there has been conflict between BW/ CRT and the K&A Local Waterway Partnership regarding the level of control over the local partnership that BW and then CRT wanted.
The local waterway partnerships are now being scrutinised in Parliament by the All Party Parliamentary Waterways Group (APPG). The aims of this inquiry are to assess the progress of the CRT waterways partnerships in England and Wales and understand their future plans; to understand their aims and progress to date and how they are developing relationships with local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and the community, and to understand the future aims of waterways partnerships.
There will be three hearings; the first took place on 29th January and the next will be on 26th February and 19th March. The K&A Local Waterway Partnership will be scrutinised on 19th March. The APPG invite written evidence from interested parties. Written evidence can be sent by post to Huw Irranca-Davies MP, House of Commons, London SW1A OAA (tel 0207 219 4027) or by email to irrancadaviesh@parliament.uk
Tags: continuous cruising, liveaboards, Local Mooring Strategy, Local Waterway Partnership, mooring policy, Parliament