A boater has been asked to represent unaffiliated boaters (ie those not represented by NABO or RBOA) on the Local Mooring Strategy Inquiry Panel. In February BW agreed to include them on the panel, then later went back on its commitment, but following pressure from NABO and RBOA as well as from other boaters, BW has now included one unaffiliated boater. The first meeting is on 26 August at County Hall, Trowbridge, at 10am.
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Posts Tagged ‘continuous cruiser’
Local Mooring Strategy Inquiry Panel to hold first meeting
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010BANES Council to employ boat checker
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010From correspondence below, obtained via Freedom of Information from Bath and NE Somerset Council, it looks like BW and BANES are paying jointly for an extra boat checker. This appears to be instigated partly by Councillor Ian Dewey of Bathampton, who has been a key mover in efforts to move liveaboard boaters off the canal.
The “concerns” expressed take no account of the fact that the Mooring Guidance for Continuous Cruisers is not a legal requirement and clearly states that it does not have the force of law. Unlike the 14-day rule in Section 17 of the British Waterways Act, BW does not have the legal power to enforce it. In one of the emails, David Lawrence, BANES Deputy Director for Heritage Services, says he does not think there is a problem. It is not clear whether this extra staff appointment is going ahead permanently, as the original contract seems to have been for this summer. However, we do wonder whether this is a good use of a cash-strapped Local Authority’s money, as responsibility for enforcement on the canal lies with BW.
The information in these emails seems to imply that BW is bypassing whatever the local mooring strategy would decide – this has gone ahead before the local mooring strategy inquiry panel has even started meeting.
The emails are here. Banes enforcement 1 Banes enforcement 2 Banes enforcement 3 Banes enforcement 4 Banes enforcement 5 Banes enforcement 6 Banes enforcement 7 Banes enforcement 8
“I Never Give In To Bullies” – A Letter To BW
Sunday, June 6th, 2010Two years ago, BW proposed in a previous consultation to increase the licence fee for boats without a home mooring by £150. This plan provoked enormous opposition from boaters. One of the responses to that 2008 consultation summed up how many of us feel. We decided it was time to share this inspiring and angry letter with other boaters. Here is an edited version.
18/10/2008
Dear Mr Salem
I have read British Waterways’ response to the BWAF report on boat licence fees and this is my response to that. I live on a boat and have done so for 18 years, I am an individual and speak for myself and do not subvert that right to user groups, whoever they might be.
The points I take exception to, which I believe are the main purpose of the exercise, are those relating to the so-called ‘continuous cruiser’ which is the absurd name and concept applied to people who live on boats who neither need nor want a permanent mooring.
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BW proposals based on misuse of statistics
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010BW has misrepresented its own statistics in order to make a case for the proposals finalised in the Local Mooring Strategies consultation. These proposals were based on analysis of statistics about “continuous cruisers” presented in the pre-consultation document Updating BW’s Online Mooring Policy (April 2009).
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British Waterways procedure…
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010and a couple of snippets of the ol’ goss.
Obtained by Freedom of Information Act requests, here’s the documents issued to patrol officers dictating the procedures and decision making process regarding the issue of CC1, CC2 and CC3 letters and removal of licence.
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CC Warrior
Friday, January 29th, 2010One person’s resistance to British Waterway’s campaign against boaters on the Kennet and Avon
These letters tell the story of one boater’s resistance to BW’s unlawful attempt to enforce the Mooring Guidance for Continuous Cruisers as if it is the law.
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The unanswered question
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009This is one of the questions that didn’t get answered at the meeting. An example of how casually BW treat serious and well presented concerns. We present this question in full, as Mr Kemp is known to keep half a fearful eye on our doings, maybe he can give it the attention it deserves.
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BW Moorings Consultation announced
Saturday, October 31st, 2009OK, y’all listen up.
At 6.00 on Friday 30th October, Sally Ash released details of the much changed moorings consultation. You have until 31 January 2010 to reply.
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Example Responses to Patrol Notices
Friday, October 16th, 2009
Summer evening near Horton Bridge
Here’s a couple of well researched and meticulously written responses to the two levels of patrol notice and letter affectionately known as CC1 and CC2. These should give you some ideas and the resources to write your own letters of reponse and complaint.
Remember, if you get a letter requiring you to respond in 28 days you must respond to deny BW automatic right to take your license away. We don’t believe that this constitutes legal notice as required by Section 17 (4) of the 1995 British Waterways Act but British Waterways (bless) do. So responding to these notices is vital to prevent them taking this step as they have taken with Ian.
Letter 1 – an example response to a BW Patrol Notice
Letter 2 – a more lengthy response, including some legal points, with suggestions of people and bodies to copy in.
and an attendent complaint;
Complaint – A suggestion for an accompanying complaint to John Ward, acting manager of the SouthWest region, which includes the Kennet and Avon. This would invoke stage 1 of the British Waterways complaint process.
Waste of Space
Monday, October 12th, 2009Ever thought you were represented by an MP?
Think again.
We received this recent exchange;
Letter to Don Foster – Member of Parliament for Bath (though not, i believe Bathampton)
Hello Don something odd is going on in Bathampton.
Apart from a boat being torched and boat people’s tyres slashed it seems the parish council don’t feel the boaters children worthy of attending Bathampton Primary school .
here are the minutes of one Bathampton parish council meeting obtained under the FOI act. The question was asked by one of the members.
and this is the ‘reply’ he received
haven’t had anyone from a non-continuously cruising boat contact me about this issue. If you know anyone with a problem, please ask them to contact me directly and I will certainly take up the issue. ;
So the so-called representative of the people has decided he knows what a ‘continuously cruising boat’ is, and by implication that they don’t get representation.
If you are one of the boaters that, by implication, Don Foster has spoken to and decided he cannot help we would be interested to hear your experiences.