The 'take over' from BW

MY UNDERSTANDING is that Canal & River Trust is to 'take over' from British Waterway with many of the same people and 'values' remaining in a controlling position with only the funding and labour focus changing, writes Orph Mable.

This is a simplistic view but one that covers the main issues.  This will not work, although the bickering of interested parties such as boaters, conservationists, cyclists etc will cloud the proposals for a while yet.

Focused on principle aim

The only way a Trust will work is if the mindsets of those who are tasked with governing it are truly focused on the principle aim of the Trust. Look at the other large functioning charities to see this in operation. If those at the top are going to have even half an eye on personal remuneration, then any aims of the Trust will always be of secondary importance to them.

If the aim of the new Trust is to be 'take over operating from British Waterways', the focus is so diversified that it is non-existent.

A very focused aim

I would prefer to see a very focused aim that all Trust actions could be measured against. For example if the aim was to be 'Maintain and improve the Waterways', then any action could be 'tested' against it. e.g. Sell a lock keepers cottage—can the cash from this sale be shown to go directly to the maintenance or improvement benefit of the waterways, if so then go ahead and sell, if not then don't. (Simplistic but it gets the idea across.)

The Trustees should be called to account if any of their actions did not directly promote the aim. A typical failure would be the British Waterways' pubs fiasco.

I believe that this, and funding, is more the sort of thing that we should be discussing at this time, rather than squabbling about aspects of the Boaters Manifesto.

Orph Mable, Oxley Marine