PLA climbdown on fees

THE Port of London Authority (PLA) has climbed down on its proposed licence fee increases for moorings on the tidal Thames.

Following a long running and acrimonious consultation the PLA has agreed to reduce its fees from those proposed writes Allan Richards.

25% not 33%

River Works Licence holders fees will now be set at 25% of market rate rather than the 33% PLA proposed. Also, the new charges will be calculated after reducing the market rate by 15% to cover the cost to the licence holder of maintaining the moorings. PLA had originally proposed a 12% reduction.

PLA has also agreed that the new charges will not be backdated for any licences currently under review.

River Works Licences

The quaintly named 'River Works Licence' (RWL) is a charge applied to structures placed in the river often for the purpose of residential mooring, and as such, may cover one or more of the 280 houseboats. Different mechanisms for calculation of charges, secrecy, and PLA's attempts to impose large increases on RWL holders (with threats of large legal bills for arbitration) have led to the formation of a user group to protect licence holders.

OPLAC

The Organisation of PLA Customers (OPLAC) was set up several years ago with the assistance and support of Thistleworth Marine Ltd, a not for profit marina owned by its residents. After facing a threatened 115% increase in RWL fees, only five years after accepting a 50% increase, the marina went to arbitration with the PLA as allowed by the relevent legislation. It is believed that this was the first time that a licence holder had taken this route due to the high cost.

The outcome was the PLA was forced to withdraw its increase entirely and the marina was awarded costs.

Independent?

However, the route to the agreement of an equitable and universal charging mechanism, which will prevent abuses such as took place at Thistleworth, has not been smooth! At the end of last year, OPLAC broke off negotiations when it was found that a supposedly 'independent consultant', Madge Bailey, appointed by the PLA, had formed a moorings development company with Residential Boat Owners Association (RBOA) executive, Rex Walden, who was also meant to be representing works licence holders.

Walden, ex chair of RBOA, who had been suggesting that the 33% proposal (and then a slightly revised one of 30%) be accepted is now reported to have earned 'a slight slap on the wrist' from the organisation for not declaring the association.

Waterways notoriety

[Madge Bailey sprung to waterways notoriety after being commissioned by British Waterways' Head of Boating, Sally Ash, to write a report for the Lea & Stort mooring consultation. The document's proposal for zoning the area was almost universally condemned.

Even the Inland Waterways Association (not known for a benign attitude towards some boaters without home moorings) slated the report saying that seven day zones on the Stort represented an unjustifiable imposition.

The purpose for which Bailey and Walden set up The Moorings Development Company Limited (Reg. no. 7713186) in July 2011 remains unknown. ]