More CaRT staff to go?

I SEE that Canal & River Trust is now offering 'small pots of money' to people putting forward projects that 'will help to make a visit to their local canal even more special', writes T. Lang.

I shall resist asking why a visit to a canal is already special, especially at this time of year, but will ask is this yet another idea to get volunteers to do the work of its paid employees, allowing more to follow in the wake of lock keepers.

Your Waterways

This new scheme is called 'Your Waterways' by CaRT and is launched in the East Midlands, for people to create something that will make the canalside more attractive for visitors, something surely that its staff should be paid for doing.

One of its ideas is a community garden, but the ones I have seen on the Trent & Mersey planted some time ago by the side of locks were in a sorry state this year, as of course the planting was fine, but the needed continuing maintenance was not.

Improve towpaths

Another of CaRT's suggestions is for these volunteers to 'improve towpaths', which surely is paid work for its staff. But as it states that such volunteer groups 'will be asked to donate time' it really does look as though more staff have their jobs on the line.

With the money saved possibly going to the employment of another six new managers for the now seemingly necessary non-navigation positions.