This Is John Best

[matty40s]

... which is not particularly surprising because we (we the IWA) are a campaigning organisation for the Inland Waterways and we (we the CRT partnership members) are there to support encourage and influence CRT in the management of its part of our inland waterways.

 

 

 

 

There is a diagram (p5) of the relationship between Partnerships and CRT mangement, Trustees and Council in this document "Changing Lives Together" which we (we the NorthEast CRT partnership) presented to a meeting of representatives of regional organisations in Wakefield last month.

 

 

The CRT Trustees, as with most things, are responsible for ensuring that the Canal and River Trust works properly. The Partnerships (we are all volunteers) do not have an executive function: "failure" would be in terms of failing to help raise extra funds for the waterways, failing to influence management in doing their job, or failing to create a coherent vision and ten-year plan for the region's waterways.

 

On the general subject of appeal processes: as a boater, I find the direct approach to issues is to report them to CRT mangement in the first instance: if that doesn't solve the problem, there is a CRT complaints procedure, and our boat has been involved in complaints at all its three levels (manager, director, ombudsman), with some success.

my boat doesnt say a lot...

[RLWP]

my boat doesnt say a lot...

 

It says it very nicely though

... which is not particularly surprising because we (we the IWA) are a campaigning organisation for the Inland Waterways and we (we the CRT partnership members) are there to support encourage and influence CRT in the management of its part of our inland waterways.

 

 

There is a diagram (p5) of the relationship between Partnerships and CRT mangement, Trustees and Council in this document "Changing Lives Together" which we (we the NorthEast CRT partnership) presented to a meeting of representatives of regional organisations in Wakefield last month.

 

The CRT Trustees, as with most things, are responsible for ensuring that the Canal and River Trust works properly. The Partnerships (we are all volunteers) do not have an executive function: "failure" would be in terms of failing to help raise extra funds for the waterways, failing to influence management in doing their job, or failing to create a coherent vision and ten-year plan for the region's waterways.

 

On the general subject of appeal processes: as a boater, I find the direct approach to issues is to report them to CRT mangement in the first instance: if that doesn't solve the problem, there is a CRT complaints procedure, and our boat has been involved in complaints at all its three levels (manager, director, ombudsman), with some success.

 

Thanks Peter, that does confirm Cotswoldman's observation that some groups work well, and others perhaps not so. Sounds like the NE group is very effective

 

Richard

[luctor et emergo]

Perhaps those with a boat, should consider ignoring the t##ts with a penchsant for self agrandisment, and get on with living on a boat.

To clarify, those who are now jumping on the 'canal' bandwagon do so, to further their own agenda. Not to look after the canal. Until they buy a boat, and get a spade down in a regeneration project' they are self serving politicos.

[jenlyn]

I have to say, John Best likes nothing better than to listen to himself. The problem is, no one else is listening. This is not good for the south east region.

[c c]

Perhaps those with a boat, should consider ignoring the t##ts with a pench(s)ant for self aggrandisement,

t##ts: One whom emerges from Latin to struggle with English

 

Sorry!!

[jenlyn]

... which is not particularly surprising because we (we the IWA) are a campaigning organisation for the Inland Waterways and we (we the CRT partnership members) are there to support encourage and influence CRT in the management of its part of our inland waterways.

 

 

 

There is a diagram (p5) of the relationship between Partnerships and CRT mangement, Trustees and Council in this document "Changing Lives Together" which we (we the NorthEast CRT partnership) presented to a meeting of representatives of regional organisations in Wakefield last month.

 

 

The CRT Trustees, as with most things, are responsible for ensuring that the Canal and River Trust works properly. The Partnerships (we are all volunteers) do not have an executive function: "failure" would be in terms of failing to help raise extra funds for the waterways, failing to influence management in doing their job, or failing to create a coherent vision and ten-year plan for the region's waterways.

 

On the general subject of appeal processes: as a boater, I find the direct approach to issues is to report them to CRT mangement in the first instance: if that doesn't solve the problem, there is a CRT complaints procedure, and our boat has been involved in complaints at all its three levels (manager, director, ombudsman), with some success.

I am not impressed with your statement regarding the IWA. Their continued campaign against boaters with "no home mooring" is a very negative approach, and merely shows how out of touch your association is. Your chairman's arrogance can be seen by all. It's time the IWA let some youth into it's committee. The IWA attempts to flourish on it's past achievements, yet has nothing new to offer. It sickens me that the IWA has influence over CRT. Too many pompous fools with pompous ideas and mindsets. Their statements on visitor moorings shows how totally ignorant their views and misconceptions are.

[davidc]

I am not impressed with your statement regarding the IWA. Their continued campaign against boaters with "no home mooring" is a very negative approach, and merely shows how out of touch your association is. Your chairman's arrogance can be seen by all. It's time the IWA let some youth into it's committee. The IWA attempts to flourish on it's past achievements, yet has nothing new to offer. It sickens me that the IWA has influence over CRT. Too many pompous fools with pompous ideas and mindsets. Their statements on visitor moorings shows how totally ignorant their views and misconceptions are.

 

 

Have a greenie

 

IWA only got members on the C&RT committees due to a very flawed voting system which favoured them very much.

 

 

And I do wonder what percent of boat licence holders are members of IWA???

 

Also who vision of the network are the putting forward (not mine).

Also as public money is involved at the so called volunteer level there should be NO closed meeting.

In my opinion Observers must be allowed to show everything is above board and legal.

[jenlyn]

Have a greenie

 

IWA only got members on the C&RT committees due to a very flawed voting system which favoured them very much.

 

 

And I do wonder what percent of boat licence holders are members of IWA???

 

Also who vision of the network are the putting forward (not mine).

Also as public money is involved at the so called volunteer level there should be NO closed meeting.

In my opinion Observers must be allowed to show everything is above board and legal.

In my opinion, it's a case of the IWA peeing down my back and attempting to convince me it's raining.

[matty40s]

Its chucking it down here so theres a few of 'em at it.

[PiRSqwared]

In my opinion, it's a case of the IWA peeing down my back and attempting to convince me it's raining.

I reckon so.

[alan_fincher]

I think Verna Wass has gone.......

What evidence do you have for that John, please?

 

(Other than she never realy seems to have "arrived" in the first place!).

[cotswoldsman]

What evidence do you have for that John, please?

 

(Other than she never realy seems to have "arrived" in the first place!).

She is not on the updated website and at the last meeting in July she was not even mentioned in the apologies. Just my speculation though.

[Lockie Junior]

Hi John,

 

As an East Mids volunteer I would be interested to hear your opinion on my local waterways partnership. You seem to know an awful lot about South East and I'd be interested to hear what you knew/thought of the East Mids.

 

PM me if you'd rather not disclose stuff on the public forum.

 

Thanks in anticipation,

Lockie.

[alan_fincher]

The Chairman has the final word in your case John Best I guess

 

This seems to be the problem.

 

It is a closed "club", and much of what is written about how it should work, is then qualified by "at the discretion of the chair". That applies even in the case of dismissing partnership members who are not making it to the prescribed number of meetings. If "the chair" uses their discretion on this, then there seems to be little right of appeal.

 

Roger Hanbury, head of Governance Services, simply sticks to the same line...... "John Best has a clear vision of what he wants, and the decision is his....."

 

So in the South East we have a partnership where just one is apparently a private boater, but the web-site doesn't actually consider worth mentioning that any are. The "chair" is self declared as not a boater, and seems not to consider boats and boating important, despite this being the region with far more boats than any other CRT region, and hence having its own special set of challenges.

 

The local waterways manager is also on the Partnership of course, and I feel both he and the chair will inevitably resist looking at applications from people like myself who have been very active in trying to promote boater issues, and to register objections to proposals not supported by the majority of boaters.

 

The AGM of the partnership barely mentioned boats or boaters, unless it was in the same sentence as "non compliant" or "overstaying". Unfortunately they do not seem to understand that the vast majorty of boaters on their patch are "compliant", and are not serial over-stayers, and want their say in the "vision" for the years ahead. My personal view is that the partnership desperately needs more focus o boats and boating, which is why I applied, but as they have the final say so about partnership formation, I can't see how we change their minds!

[cotswoldsman]

Hi John,

 

As an East Mids volunteer I would be interested to hear your opinion on my local waterways partnership. You seem to know an awful lot about South East and I'd be interested to hear what you knew/thought of the East Mids.

 

PM me if you'd rather not disclose stuff on the public forum.

 

Thanks in anticipation,

Lockie.

No problem will be tomorrow when I am on my computer Edited August 4, 2013 by cotswoldsman

[Lockie Junior]

Thanks for the quick response John. I will await further details with interest.

 

Regards,

Lockie.

[PeterScott]

[iWA] continued campaign against boaters with "no home mooring" is a very negative approach, and merely shows how out of touch your association is. ...Their statements on visitor moorings shows how totally ignorant their views and misconceptions are.

There's no such campaign. We (we IWA) support boaters who live on their boats. Indeed it would be wonderful - with both my IWA and my CRT partnership hats - if we could attract more residential boters to our underused and under-appreciated NorthEast waterways. On the subject of living and working / caring / parenting etc from a boat, I've debated my blog on the board here before and would be pleased to do so again.

 

Your chairman's arrogance can be seen by all.

Here is text of Les's speech at the National in CassioburyPark and here is a (wobbly) video of him saying it. Our readers may judge for themselves whether they agree with you.

 

It's time the IWA let some youth into its committee. ...Too many pompous fools with pompous ideas and mindsets.

Yes I too wish we had more young people volunteering to help us. We need volunteers who are passionate for the waterways' cause, who can put forward their ideas with force, good grace, and can debate them constructively. In my experience our volunteers are all very practical people too, in the sense of picking up a windlass, a broom or a paintbrush whenever it's useful.

 

The IWA attempts to flourish on its past achievements, yet has nothing new to offer. It sickens me that the IWA has influence over CRT.

It's an inspiration to look at the achievements of IWA's founders against formidable official complacency and opposition. For example I always admire the level-headedness of my illustrious namesake which was a wonderful foil for RobertAickman. Our current concerns are in Les's speech above and are explained more here. I was writing on pp4-5 here about CRT phone-service at weekends, and then being caught in a RiverCalder flood last weekend (issues are here) I wonder whether we do have any influence on CRT, however hard we try - and we do try hard.

[jenlyn]

There's no such campaign. We (we IWA) support boaters who live on their boats. Indeed it would be wonderful - with both my IWA and my CRT partnership hats - if we could attract more residential boters to our underused and under-appreciated NorthEast waterways. On the subject of living and working / caring / parenting etc from a boat, I've debated my blog on the board here before and would be pleased to do so again.

 

 

Here is text of Les's speech at the National in CassioburyPark and here is a (wobbly) video of him saying it. Our readers may judge for themselves whether they agree with you.

 

 

Yes I too wish we had more young people volunteering to help us. We need volunteers who are passionate for the waterways' cause, who can put forward their ideas with force, good grace, and can debate them constructively. In my experience our volunteers are all very practical people too, in the sense of picking up a windlass, a broom or a paintbrush whenever it's useful.

 

 

It's an inspiration to look at the achievements of IWA's founders against formidable official complacency and opposition. For example I always admire the level-headedness of my illustrious namesake which was a wonderful foil for RobertAickman. Our current concerns are in Les's speech above and are explained more here. I was writing on pp4-5 here about CRT phone-service at weekends, and then being caught in a RiverCalder flood last weekend (issues are here) I wonder whether we do have any influence on CRT, however hard we try - and we do try hard.

I've had the IWA's "member" views on several occassions, including one at the south east agm, where the fellow asked "when you going to sort those ccers out".

I admire your "fluffy" response on behalf of the association, but you have failed to change my view. I don't honestly see the need for the IWA anymore (in its present disguise), and as for influencing CRT, I suggest your days are numbered. I dont see anyone making the mistake of allowing the reps debacle happen again. The average boat owner is starting to speak up, more importantly, CRT are listening.

The voice that was once loud and clear has become merely a whisper, moan, whinge, mumble and grumble, looking for £150 handouts to attend a meeting.

Na, sorry, we want a bit more than fluff guv, no what I mean?

[jenlyn]

"THE Inland Waterways Association has called upon the Canal & River Trust to be steadfast in its resolve to sort out the misuse of visitor moorings by boaters, many without home moorings, who occupy such popular spots on a near continuous basis".

 

"IWA has a heavy postbag from boaters concerned at the visitor moorings situation, with the vast majority of boaters wanting CaRT to take fair, but tough, action against those who are abusing the rules who seem to have little regard for the wider boating community. IWA fully supports and encourages residential boaters provided they act responsibly"

 

I would love to see that heavy postbag, was it the same bag that got the boaters reps elected?

[The Pipe]

"THE Inland Waterways Association has called upon the Canal & River Trust to be steadfast in its resolve to sort out the misuse of visitor moorings by boaters, many without home moorings, who occupy such popular spots on a near continuous basis".

 

"IWA has a heavy postbag from boaters concerned at the visitor moorings situation, with the vast majority of boaters wanting CaRT to take fair, but tough, action against those who are abusing the rules who seem to have little regard for the wider boating community. IWA fully supports and encourages residential boaters provided they act responsibly"

 

I would love to see that heavy postbag, was it the same bag that got the boaters reps elected?

Well I don't know how big the post bag was but one in there was mine.

[cotswoldsman]

Thanks for the quick response John. I will await further details with interest.

 

Regards,

Lockie.

Hi Lockie,

The main reason I needed to be on my own computer was that I wanted to provide you with some links that maybe you might find useful.

I would put East Midland Waterways Partnership up the top. They have people on the Partnership with a genuine interest in The East Midland Waterways. The attendance record (unlike the South East) is also excellent very rarely to many apologies for non attendance. They have 11 Partnership Members and IMO one of the best Chairmen Link to list of Members>>>>>>>>>http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/noticeboards/east-midlands-waterways/whos-who

They have come out with an excellent draft document of the way forward and are asking for feedback before 16 September the documents is worth looking at >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/3903.pdf The good thing is after you have read the document you even have the chance to complete a survey and give your views >>>>>>>>>>>>>>http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3RFJL95

 

This IMO is a model for how a Partnership should be run very open and progressive you will have a chance to attend the AGM on 16 October 2013 it would be a chance for you to meet the people and ask questions.

 

Hope this helps. I would suggest that everyone takes a close look at their local waterways Partnership

[jenlyn]

Well I don't know how big the post bag was but one in there was mine.

"I think we shall have to get Cotswoldman and Jenlyn on the case and have cart issue the wasps with a Roving Nesting Permit. They have rights as well."

 

Yes, I noted you seem to have a bee in your bonnet :-)

[cotswoldsman]

There's no such campaign. We (we IWA) support boaters who live on their boats. Indeed it would be wonderful - with both my IWA and my CRT partnership hats - if we could attract more residential boters to our underused and under-appreciated NorthEast waterways. On the subject of living and working / caring / parenting etc from a boat, I've debated my blog on the board here before and would be pleased to do so again.

 

 

Peter I have to disagree the IWA is obsessed with boaters without a Home Mooring they accuse them of overstaying at Visitor Mooring with no evidence other than the fact that IWA Members have been brain washed to think that the only people that overstay are boaters without a Home Mooring. Can I suggest that maybe senior members of the IWA attend one of our CCing meetings with CRT.

The one thing that pleases me is that CRT are now meeting with boaters and listening to other groups besides the IWA, I appreciate that you defend the IWA and that after your failure to be voted onto Council you were given the second prize as a place on the North East waterways Partnership

Well I don't know how big the post bag was but one in there was mine.

I would be interested to see what evidence you provided the IWA to go with your complaint can you please provide it so we can all see the evidence?

[cheshire~rose]

I started reading this thread and was appalled by what I was reading about what happens (or doesn't) in the South East. My limited experience of these partneships has always led me to believe what a positive influence they can have on what happens on my local stretch of canal. I continued to read on and realise that is because my limited knowledge of partnerships is based solely on East Midlands!

 

They do a grand job!

[cotswoldsman]

I started reading this thread and was appalled by what I was reading about what happens (or doesn't) in the South East. My limited experience of these partneships has always led me to believe what a positive influence they can have on what happens on my local stretch of canal. I continued to read on and realise that is because my limited knowledge of partnerships is based solely on East Midlands!

 

They do a grand job!

Yes they do and you are lucky I know from reading the minutes they are also supporters of The Chesterfield Canal