This is diabolical

TO EVALUATE the progress of Canal & River Trust (CaRT) since its inception and to learn of its future plans, an enquiry is to be held by the All Party Parliamentary Waterways Group (APPWG).

The stated intention of the inquiry is to understand the aims, goals, progress and challenges of the new charity, with its Chairman, Sir Tony Baldry MP proposing to hold an evidence session which would produce a report of the inquiry's findings, together with recommendations for government and other relevant bodies.

Topics

Topics for discussion will include CaRT's  relationship with the wider waterways community, funding, volunteers, moorings and the possible transfer of Environmental Agency waters to CaRT.

The witnesses who have been arranged include the waterways minister, two from CaRT, three from the Environmental Agency, One from the IWA and one from the Canoe Association.

No boater representation

Not a single independent boater.  Not even a representative from any of the boating associations including NABO!

We can all guess the independence of the IWA representative, its Chairman Les Etheridge...  But to really rub salt into our wounds—a representative from the canoe association is invited!

This really is diabolical—boaters, who through CaRT licences and moorings provide the bulk of its income, yet have absolutely no say whatsoever in an all-important parliamentary inquiry into the way their money is spent.

Richard Parry, who will of course be one of those representing CaRT, should be ashamed of the way he is so belittling his customers.