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CRT Changes To Executive Team


Tim Lewis

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Press Release:

All,

As we reflect on our progress over the first five years of the Trust, we can all be proud of the work we’ve done and everything that we have achieved.  As we look ahead, we need also to acknowledge that there is much more to do, with an exciting opportunity to expand on our progress to date, and a critical need to address the significant risks that we still face.  Our predecessors were bold in their vision of turning a public agency into a new Trust and we must fulfil the promise that our independence as a charity affords us – and ensure our future is secure and sustainable.

To deliver this positive future for the Trust, it is clear that we have to make further changes, both in our behaviours and how we work, and in how we organise ourselves.  So I am announcing today some changes to the way that the Trust is organised, which will in some way affect everyone across the organisation, with the direct impact largely on Executive and senior management roles, as we strive to simplify how the Trust works. 

  • Julie Sharman is appointed to a new role as Chief Operating Officer, accountable for all of our day-to-day operations, performance and service delivery, and for our local engagement, through our waterway teams. 
  • Stuart Mills takes on a wider role as Chief Investment Officer, responsible for all of the Trust’s main income streams.  Matt Forrest, Head of Fundraising, will report to Stuart, who also assumes responsibility for museums with Graham Boxer moving to report to Stuart.
  • Heather Clarke becomes Strategy, Impact and Engagement Director, with responsibility for brand, marketing, and public affairs in addition to her current responsibilities for strategy and planning, with Nicky Wakeford and Ed Fox reporting to Heather.    
  • Simon Bamford becomes Asset Improvement Director, responsible for delivering the Trust’s long term asset programmes – both through our Direct Services teams and our contractors.  John Ward and Richard Wakelen will move to report to Simon.

-        Mike Gooddie becomes ‘People Director’, and Sandra Kelly remains as Finance Director, with no change to the scope of their roles, and will lead the changes to simplify and streamline our processes.

As a result of these changes, Ian Rogers will be leaving the Trust.  I would like to thank Ian for all his considerable work in bringing a greater customer focus to the Trust in his three years with us.  I am sure you will join me in wishing Ian the very best for the future. Ian’s direct reports will now report to Julie, other than as above. 

Over the next few weeks the respective Directors will lead the work to develop the roles and new structures within each function. We will of course commence consultation with the trade unions and other relevant bodies concerning any changes as and when appropriate.  I hope to give a further update in around a month’s time. 

My call to you all is that, during this period of change, we maintain our focus on the vital work we do to care for our waterways and support the well-being of our users, continuing to deliver a great experience to the millions of people who enjoy them.  We will be as open as we can as the work progresses.  Please talk to your manager, your colleagues and our People Champions to share any specific concerns and to stay informed.

I firmly believe, with the full support of the new Executive team, that these changes will make the Trust a better place to work, and mean that we can all be more effective in delivering our aspirations and securing our future. 

Richard

 

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I think you will find that the ‘little people’ report to ‘people champions’ who report to the ‘people director’ this sums up everything that I dislike about the management bubble organisations create for themselves.

  • Happy 1
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1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Consult with trade unions, dose that = redundancy of the troupes do you think?

definitely redundancy, same happened to me, Management consulted with the GPMU as to the hoops to jump through to make redundancy possible for those that had been at the firm a long time whilst keeping the two inept sons of the Director and avoid unfair dismissal claims.

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9 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

definitely redundancy, same happened to me, Management consulted with the GPMU as to the hoops to jump through to make redundancy possible for those that had been at the firm a long time whilst keeping the two inept sons of the Director and avoid unfair dismissal claims.

I had occasion to be in the office when the son of the Director was being schooled in questions and answers for his forthcoming promotion job interview.

Sickening.

He was everyhing bad about local Government. Thick, bully, syncophanic, open to bribes etc etc. his father was the same, just a bit more dangerous.

Edited by LadyG
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1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

Consult with trade unions, dose that = redundancy of the troupes do you think?

Probably a process they are obliged to go through for any organisational change so you shouldn't directly read much into it. One post clearly is being removed.

JP

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I think the key thing which probably says more than anything else about the mess they are in is that very senior people CRT (not BW) have recruited not very long ago, are already leaving. (or maybe being asked to leave, in some cases??).
 

Quote

As a result of these changes, Ian Rogers will be leaving the Trust.   I would like to thank Ian for all his considerable work in bringing a greater customer focus to the Trust in his three years with us. 

Another person leaving, (in fact probably already left?),  is Vicky Martin. South East Waterways Manager.

One would realistically have hoped that appointments made after the formation of CRT, and specifically Richard Parry coming to head it up, would have been people they thought were right for the new world of a charitable trust, and who would feel sufficiently engaged and motivated in their new roles that they would want to stay more than a handful of years.

I have not had much to do with Ian Rogers, other than noting he never seemed to respond to anything I sent to him, but Vicky Martin on the other hand seemed very proactive in trying to do the right things for the South East.  I have not met her since her departure was announced, but can only assume she became totally frustrated by the way CRT continues to operate, and how hard it is to get things done.

It really doesn't bode well in my mind.

The one bit of good news seems to be Julie Sharman appointed as Chief Operating Officer.  When I have met Julie, who is a real engineer, from a very real engineering background on major projects, she has demonstrated a high level o understanding of the issues in trying to maintain an infrastructure often well over 200 years old on limited resources.  I hope she says with the trust!

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1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

Yes, I did wonder what that is.

Fancy name for 'Human resources' Director which in turn was a fancy name for 'Personnel Director' would be my guess....

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4 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

And mine Martin. I was just being, well, silly.

Personel,Human Resourses and now.............People Director.

Or Hatchet Man - organisations often change the HR Director just before a big re-org/redundancies.  The name change also means they can get rid of that person after the hatchet work is done and recruit a new director under a different title.  I've worked within resourcing for organisations much larger that C&RT and seen exactly this behaviour.

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Interesting.   Also the North West and Borders very capable waterways manager has chosen now to retire.

ETA: I don't want to imply that there is any suggestion she was pushed, but maybe didn't like the look of the new board.  She was excellent and very hardworking and will be greatly missed from the region.

Edited by dor
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1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

Another person leaving, (in fact probably already left?),  is Vicky Martin. South East Waterways Manager.

I have not had much to do with Ian Rogers, other than noting he never seemed to respond to anything I sent to him, but Vicky Martin on the other hand seemed very proactive in trying to do the right things for the South East.  I have not met her since her departure was announced, but can only assume she became totally frustrated by the way CRT continues to operate, and how hard it is to get things done.

It really doesn't bode well in my mind.

The one bit of good news seems to be Julie Sharman appointed as Chief Operating Officer.  When I have met Julie, who is a real engineer, from a very real engineering background on major projects, she has demonstrated a high level o understanding of the issues in trying to maintain an infrastructure often well over 200 years old on limited resources.  I hope she says with the trust!

I agree with your comments re Julie Sharman , at last an engineer in charge, and Vicky Martin the latter I found , despite not having any previous knowledge of canals, was proactive in boaters favour once she understood the point being made. In the few meetings I had with Ian Rogers he expressed  little interest in boating and as soon as he could hide behind one of the many heads of Boating I imagine his interest ceased,.i suspect the customer service/enforcement teams must be worried about outsourcing given his departure without replacement.

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2 hours ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

Caroline Killeavy, Head of Community Engagement & Programmes, is another very recent senior manager departure after 21 years with BW/C&RT. I don't believe there has been a formal announcement on this.

 

But there is this:

http://www.lincsymca.co.uk/ymca-lincolnshire-announce-new-ceo/

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8 hours ago, dor said:

Interesting.   Also the North West and Borders very capable waterways manager has chosen now to retire.

ETA: I don't want to imply that there is any suggestion she was pushed, but maybe didn't like the look of the new board.  She was excellent and very hardworking and will be greatly missed from the region.

Who was that ?  I get confused by north west and borders, pennine and whatever the other one in the north is ! 

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11 hours ago, jonathanA said:

Who was that ?  I get confused by north west and borders, pennine and whatever the other one in the north is ! 

Wendy Capelle.  NW & B covers the Shroppie system including the Llangollen, plus the River Weaver.

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On 11/9/2017 at 21:40, jonathanA said:

Who was that ?  I get confused by north west and borders, pennine and whatever the other one in the north is ! 

PRESS RELEASE

END OF AN ERA FOR NORTH WALES & BORDERS WATERWAYS AS THREE KEY STAFF RETIRE

 

This autumn marks the end of an era for the Canal & River Trust’s North Wales & Borders Waterway with the retirement of three key staff, who collectively have notched up nearly a century of service to the canals.

 

Waterway manager Wendy Capelle, who is based in the charity’s Northwich office, leaves in December after 18 years’ service, just before her 60th birthday on Christmas Day. As a qualified management accountant, she initially joined the Trust’s predecessor organisation British Waterways in the finance department, but for the last eight years has been at the helm of North Wales & Borders, leading a team of up to 60 staff looking after canals and navigations in Cheshire, Shropshire and North Wales.

 

She said: “I have loved working for the Trust. I’ve worked with some great people and I’ve appreciated all the opportunities I’ve been given in different roles.  The charity is doing some great work to improve the nation’s waterways and make them a special place to visit, and I will miss being part of the enthusiastic team making this happen.”

 

Howard Griffiths (59) has just retired as the Trust’s customer service supervisor for the Llangollen and Montgomery canals. Based out of the Trust’s Ellesmere office, he has lived all his life on the Montgomery Canal, mixing work and pleasure in a career spanning 39 years caring for his local waterways.

 

His father was also a canalman for 24 years and Howard has remarkably spent his entire life living in the same lock keeper’s cottage at Aston Locks, near Oswestry, where he was born, raised, married and brought up four daughters of his own.

 

Howard said it was the people – friends, colleagues, customers – who have helped to make his job extra special. “All the teams I have worked with have been top notch. Our job involves the Llangollen Canal which is one of the busiest waterways in the country and the Montgomery - one of quietest and most peaceful, well-known for its nature. You get to know everyone and when the sun’s shining and everything is going well, it’s hard to beat it.” His colleague Roger Birch now steps up to be supervisor.

 

Neville Preece (62), who will retire in early 2018, is the supervisor for the southern section of the Shropshire Union Canal, based out of Norbury. He first started working on the waterways 41 years ago as part of the dredging fleet on the River Weaver Navigation, which was then still used by commercial cargo vessels.

 

Over the years he has taken on a number of roles from length foreman and harbour master to a supervisor in Chester. He recalls: “The waterways were very different when I first started work. Hundreds of coasters travelled along the River Weaver to ICI at Winnington, near Northwich, every year, carrying soda ash, chlorine, cement and raw talc. They then went via Marsh Lock into the Manchester Ship Canal and sailed to Scotland, Ireland and beyond.

 

“I love talking to people. Every day is different. It is the sort of job that if you like it, you’re here for the rest of your life.”

 

Waterway manager David Baldacchino will take over from Wendy, with interim responsibility for North Wales & Borders from 1st January 2018.

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