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TWO things have been to the fore just lately that in themselves should be of major interest to everyone with an interest in the future Canal & River Trust!
Of course I'm talking about the voting for elected Council Members and the furore around BWML and its lack of support for maintenance. Now what do these two, on face value, different topics do together to raise my concerns and ring alarm bells?
Selecting of Council
Let me first take the selecting of Council. It would seem that the majority of us 'eligible' have now received our voting packs. I received my voting pack as a Boating Business to allow me to select from the five keen and brave candidates.
I am also a private boater owning my own narrowboat, unrelated to my Boating Business, and have not received a voting pack! In the great scheme of things I should not be overly upset as I am a firm believer in the principle of 'one man—one vote'. (Sorry ladies, just a phrase and does not ignore your good selves). I have sent two emails to customer services at Electoral Reform Society but as yet have had no reply! I just wanted it confirmed that I could not vote for Boater and Boating Business candidates.
Make-up of Council
But that set me off tickling the 'little grey cells', and I took a look at the make-up of the elected Council. Initially the number of elected councillors will be seven with 15 nominated by various organisations. This gives a directly elected membership of 20% initially.
This rises to 34% eventually when a further five move from nominated to elected status. But! If we, the electorate (boater and boating business portion) are confined to only being able to vote for either two or four (6% or 11%) of the possible 35 member council then it means a very small 'voice' for either group indeed!
Nil rate of return
That gets me back to the other topic rather well. We have all been dismayed by the increased 'investment' in BWML and nil rate of return into the maintenance coffers. The continued belief that this is good business, and the determination to purchase further marinas by the existing British Waterway Board has been discussed ad infinitum on narrowboatworld!
How, I wonder, will those of us who can see through the spin of 'visitor numbers' and 'profit into the well-being of the waterways', be able to encourage change, with so small a voice and never a possible majority vote?
Cards stacked against
I am now very concerned about how the cards are stacked! Surely others must see the inequality that is being shoe-horned into the Canal & River Trust infrastructure. I may be missing something obvious but having looked several times now and cannot see any balancing of Council power. That being the case then the Trustees can operate as they see fit without a majority able to produce a vote of censure!
Orph Mable |
