Victor: A strong investment?

Published: Sunday, 06 January 2019

IT WAS in July that Canal & River Trust told of its 'strong investment underlying the increase in spend on the care and repair of our waterways'.

Notwithstanding that there is less spending this winter on our waterways Cart has now flogged its 'investment' of 21 marinas, that alas we are unable to discover under what exact circumstances.

Also we are unable to discover just how much—if any—money from the marinas was actually used for the waterways.  All I can remember is that in the early days £500,000 was transferred from the marinas to the then British Waterways, but then taken back to purchase other marinas!

Many of you I learn are of my opinion, that it was all somewhat of a disaster, otherwise why flog them off?

Another white elephant?

The news this week-end is that Liz Truss, who is leading a major review of government spending this year, reckons she will examine all major investment projects that are funded by the government to cut out any 'white elephants'.

This, she tells is to 'judge their contribution to prosperity'.

Does this include the £50 millions given each year to Cart, that alas gives little contribution to prosperity?

Peculiar decisions

News at the moment seems rather thin on the ground, perhaps because those at Cart are enjoying a long Christmas break, so there is none of its rather peculiar decisions coming our way.

And as you are no doubt all aware there has been a deluge of somewhat peculiar decisions over the past year, so we can no doubt look forward to more of the same in the coming months, that will keep us entertained.

What will the year bring?

But what will this year bring I ask?  Looking at the amount of maintenance that is not being undertaken, all we can hope for is that there is not a repeat of the dry weather of last summer, otherwise there will be many, many more boaters suffering a ruined holiday.

By this time we have usually decided on our own Spring break, but like I am sure many of you, we dare not commit ourselves but leaving it as a 'wait and see' which canals are liable to be open—having had too many close calls recently, but lucky enough to get back to our moorings, unlike many of you.

But here's wishing you all a good—and healthy—New Year.

Victor Swift

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