Is 'open and transparent' back?

IT WAS way back in the early days of the last Chief Executive of British Waterways' that it was announced that being 'open and transparent' was to be the policy, that alas, as readers of narrowboatworld well know, fell by the wayside.

But yesterday, Friday, the new Chief Executive, Richard Parry, categorically announced at a Press Briefing that in the future Canal & River Trust (CaRT) will be open and transparent, stating:

Getting better

"I have explained, listened and responded to the whole boating community, and though not surrendering our responsibility, we are getting better at making decisions, and must be more open and transparent."

He also explained his idea of using social media to take part in live chat sessions, with actual boaters to hear their views and grievances, and to explain the Trust's decisions.

Boaters' research panel

Something entirely new that he also hopes to start, is a boaters' research panel, with the purpose of tracking what a representative sample of boaters think of what the Trust is doing.  This is in addition to the general meetings with the various boating organisations and local user groups.

Richard tells us that to maintain this new commitment to openness and transparency, he will be holding other such Press Briefings every two months.  His predecessor told his first such briefing that he would be holding such briefings, but alas there was only one.  But somehow, meeting Richard Parry, we get the opinion that he is more a man of his word.

[The photograph is of Richard listening to boaters at Tinsley Marina on the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation, taken by our Mick Fitzgibbons.]