Independent?

THE Canal & River Trust (CaRT) Waterways Ombudsman, Andrew Walker, has refused to provide information relating to a complaint as it may provide evidence that he is not independent! Writes Allan Richards.

Following concerns raised in the narrowboatworld article (CaRT failing to publish minutes), the Waterways Ombudsman suggested two alternative approaches to progressing the complaint but subsequently refused to provide information which would help decide which approach was more appropriate.

Not the first time

Asked to provide details of his correspondence with CaRT relating to the complaint, the Ombudsman refused stating ‘I do not consider it reasonable that you should be able to scrutinise correspondence for evidence of whether I am sufficiently independent'.

It is not the first time this year that a complainant, perplexed by Mr Walkers seeming bias, has asked for information to be provided regarding correspondence between the Trust and its Ombudsman relevant to a complaint. A similar request for correspondence by Tony Dunkley (regarding a complaint of being unfairly pursued by an enforcement officer) led to the startling discovery that, in April 2014, Andrew Walker had twice suggested the Trust check a draft report for ‘accuracy' confiding ‘I have not yet sent it to Mr Dunkley'.

To add insult to injury, the presumably now ‘accurate' report into Tony Dunkley's complaint of harassment is being selectively referred to as evidence in a court case aimed at depriving him of his home!

Lack of independence

Bearing in mind that the Ombudsman has been caught out once demonstrating his lack of independence, it is quite understandable that he does not wish it to happen a second time.

However, as CaRT have now been asked to provide the information that Mr Walker refuses to provide, perhaps he will be disappointed.