Boaters quiz council's enforcement group

BOATERS are concerned about the workings of Oxford City Council's Unlawfully Moored Boats Enforcement Group (Umbeg), set up to control illegally moored boats.

This scheme was publicised by narrowboatworld (Major crackdown on 'continuous moorers'—02/03/12) and told that the council had spent £44,000 towards the group in 2010, though it had not become publicly known until this month.

Campaign launched

A campaign has been launched against it, and the campaigners are using the Freedom of Information Act to attempt to find out details about the group and how it operates.

It is the National Bargee Travellers' Association that has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to discover how the council are operating the scheme, asking for a copy of the terms of reference, the work plan and the minutes of all past meetings of the group.

Group members

The association wants to see a copy of any 'memoranda of understanding' between the different Umbeg group members—including British Waterways, the Environment Agency, Thames Valley Police and other landowners.

Association spokesman Panda Smith, 54, told that the Oxford moorers are concerned about how Umbeg could affect them and their moorings, relating:

"We have been arguing for local authorities to include boat dwellers under the provision for travellers and other nomadic people. Boat dwellers fall through every policy and legislative net that there is."

Oxford City council have confirmed it has received the Freedom of Information Act request, but declined to comment.