Trust Board Meeting, 27 January 2021
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Items in red are confidential Minutes of a meeting of the Board of Trustees (“the Trustees”) of the Canal & River Trust (“the Trust”) held on Wednesday 27 January 2021 at 8:30am – 1pm via Zoom Present: Allan Leighton, Chair Dame Jenny Abramsky, Deputy Chair Nigel Annett CBE (until end of minute 21/008) Ben Gordon Janet Hogben Sir Chris Kelly Jennie Price CBE Tim Reeve Sarah Whitney (from minute 21/004) Sue Wilkinson
In attendance: Richard Parry, Chief Executive Julie Sharman, Chief Operating Officer Stuart Mills, Chief Investment Officer Simon Bamford, Asset Improvement Director Heather Clarke, Strategy, Engagement, and Impact Director Steve Dainty, Finance Director Mike Gooddie, People Director Tom Deards, Head of Legal & Governance Services and Company Secretary Gemma Towns, Corporate Governance Manager (minute-taker) Gwen Jefferson, Organisation Development Manager (minute 21/005 only)
21/001 WELCOME & APOLOGIES The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting. The Chair confirmed that notice of the meeting had been given to all Trustees and that a quorum was present.
21/002 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS (TRUST 523)
The Board noted the Register of Interests report (Trust 523).
The Trustees present confirmed they did not have any interests in the matters on the agenda.
21/003 MINUTES AND SCHEDULE OF ACTIONS
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The minutes of the Board of Trustees meeting held on 19 November 2020 were approved as a true and accurate record.
The matters arising report was noted by the Board. All actions were in progress or appeared on the agenda.
21/004 HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT (TRUST 524) JS presented her report (Trust 524) which provided the Board with a review of Health and Safety for the period October and November 2020.
The following aspects of the report were highlighted and discussed:
JS provided the Board with an overview of the number of RIDDOR incidents; JS reported that the Trust was investigating all incidents that affect the public within 72 hours of the incident, with repairs dealt within in a prompt manner; The number of fatalities was noted, and JS informed the Board that the number was high but comparable with previous years. The Trust’s infrastructure was not believed to be a factor in those fatalities; and, The Trust’s annual safety conference had been held online in December 2020 and had been well received.
The Board received the health and safety report and approved the Health & Safety Statement.
21/005 PEOPLE STRATEGY & ORGANISATION ‘RE-IMAGINING’ PRESENTATION MG provided the Board with an overview of his report (Trust 525) and delivered a presentation to the Board with input also from JS.
21/006 GOVERNMENT GRANT REVIEW (TRUST 526)
The report (Trust 526) was taken as read. The Board discussed the proposals, noting that a Grant Review Trustee Working Group had been established since the last Trust Board meeting, and had met twice. JP provided feedback from the Working Group. The Trustees had provided useful feedback to RP/HC on the outline of the Trust’s case and further comments were invited.
The Chair thanked the Trustees for their feedback.
21/007 OUTCOMES REPORT (TRUST 527)
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HC presented her draft report (Trust 527) to provide the Board with an early opportunity to appraise the report. HC outlined the methodology used in the report.
HC thanked Trustees for their feedback.
21/008 BUSINESS PLAN 2021 (TRUST 528)
The paper (Trust 528) was taken as read. SD delivered a presentation to the Board highlighting the financial position.
The Board received the report.
21/009 PROTECTOR’S REPORT (TRUST 529)
SM introduced the Protector’s Report (Trust 529). The Board welcomed the report.
The Protector’s Report was received.
21/010 GOVERNANCE REPORT (TRUST 530)
TD summarised the key matters from the Governance Report (Trust 530).
The Board:
(a) Approved the terms of reference for the Remuneration Committee and noted the Grant Review Trustee Working Group terms of reference; (b) Approved the appointment of Julie Sharman, the Chief Operating Officer, to the post of Duty Holder under the Port Marine Safety Code; (c) Approved the annual compliance statement for modern slavery; (d) Noted the updated Council Handbook and Governance Handbooks; (e) Noted the annual return to the Charity Commission; and, (f) Approved the appointments to the West Midlands Regional Advisory Board and the Bwrdd Glandŵr Cymru.
21/011 FORWARD PLAN
The Board received the Forward Plan (Trust 531).
21/012 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT (TRUST 532)
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The Chief Executive’s Report (Trust 532 and Appendices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) was taken as read and the Chair invited the Executive Team to summarise any key issues from their paper.
(a) Chief Executive’s Report: RP confirmed that, since the last meeting, several more colleagues had been directly affected by Covid-19 but there had to date been no hospitalisations. The recent Storm Chrisoph had impacted on works but despite interruptions, the Trust had largely operated as expected. The results of the colleague pulse survey result had been positive, with the full colleague engagement survey expected for delivery in March 2021;
(b) Appendix 1, Key Performance Indicators: RP confirmed that safety performance was below target, as highlighted in the Health and Safety discussions earlier in the meeting. The KPI for volunteer hours was lower than originally planned, with their activities having been impacted directly by Covid-19 restrictions.
(c) Appendix 2, Operations: JS advised that the Trust had responded well to recent flooding. The Trust’s boat licensing enforcement processes had been delayed due to Covid-19 and it was anticipated these would be prioritised when lockdown restrictions eased;
(d) Appendix 3, Asset Improvement: SB confirmed the AI team had continued to deliver the bulk of its work programme despite the virus and the recent challenging weather conditions, though these had caused significant damage that would mean further calls on our funds.
(e) Appendix 6, Strategy, Engagement, and Impact: HC confirmed that the Trust had launched its £1 monthly pledge, promoting through digital channels. The Trust had been successful in the Kickstart bid and had also been appointed as a partner in 2 areas of the Defra green prescribing pilot.
The Board received the Chief Executive’s report and appendices.
21/013 FINANCE DIRECTOR’S REPORT (TRUST 533)
SD introduced the Finance Director’s Report (Trust 533). SD summarised the key matters from his report.
The Board received the Finance Director’s report.
21/014 MINUTES FROM COMMITTEES
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The Board noted the minutes of recent meetings.
21/015 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There being no matters of further business, the Chair closed the meeting at 11.30am.
The Trustees held a private meeting with RP and then a Trustee-only private meeting.
Next meeting: 18 March 2021 (Online)
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Trust Board Meeting 27 January 2021 Information Report Trust/524 Text in Red Confidential
HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT Author: Julie Sharman, Chief Operating Officer 1. PURPOSE 1.1. This paper provides a review of Health and Safety performance for the period of October and November 2020 unless otherwise indicated. The report covers visitors, colleagues, volunteers and contractors. 1.2. Redacted. 1.3. The H&S Policy Statement has been updated for 2021 and is attached for approval. (Appendix C). 2. SAFETY STATISTICS – OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2020 2.1. The Trust’s overall rolling 12-month RIDDOR accident frequency rate (AFR) at the end of October and November 2020 is 0.28, compared to 0.25 at the end of September.
TRUST People October and Target November 2020 AFR not adjusted with respect to reduced hours B20 during Covid working or reduced volunteering hrs AFR
Colleagues 0.22 Volunteers 0.41 Contractors 0.39 Trust Overall 0.28 0.15
October and Current Prior year RIDDOR INCIDENTS (YTD) November B20 YTD B19 YTD 2020 Colleagues 2 4 4 Volunteers 1 2 1 Contractors 1 3 0 Totals 1 9 5
October and Current Prior year Fatalities November B20 YTD B19 YTD 2020 Canal 3 21 27 River 0 1 3 Dock Marina or Towpath 5 7 1 Totals 8 291 312 2.2. The target AFR for B20 is 0.15; the B19 outturn AFR was 0.22
1 3 additional fatality reports received since September relate to incidents prior to current period, included in YTD. 2 The figure for 19/20 has been updated with additional fatalities from ROSPA database. 1
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2.3. We had 4 work related RIDDOR in the period, (see 5.1.1) plus 1 to a member of the public.
3. COVID-19 RESPONSE 3.1. Protocols and processes are regularly reviewed. The test and trace process has been further updated to account for changes in government isolation period requirements. 3.2. The covid toolbox talk will be updated and reissued in January as stand-alone training deliverable through Trust-Ed. 1471 colleagues recorded as having completed the training at the end of December, plus 1264 volunteers. 3.3. 932 colleagues have now completed the home working assessment. As part of Trust’s consultation on homeworking, colleagues will be encouraged in January 2021, to review the training. This responds to some feedback on colleagues prior expectation that homeworking would be temporary. 3.4. There have been no RIDDOR events relating to Covid infection to date. 3.5. Following the introduction of Tier 4 controls, colleagues who are extremely clinically vulnerable will be furloughed where their work cannot be undertaken from home and is in a Tier 4 area. 4. REDACTED 5. DETAILED REPORTING STATISTICS
5.1. COLLEAGUES, VOLUNTEERS AND CONTRACTORS 5.1.1. There have been 4 work related RIDDOR incidents to during October and November (9 YTD cf 5 YTD B19). 5.1.1.1. Redacted 5.1.1.2. Redacted 5.1.1.3. Redacted 5.1.1.4. Redacted
5.2. INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED INJURIES 2
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Public Infrastructure Related Injuries October/November 2020 2020/21 YTD 2019/2020 YTD Numbers of Reported 9 363 16 3 1 additional report received since September relate to incidents prior to current period, included in YTD. 5.2.1. The numbers of injuries reported is significantly higher than 2019. We have compared incident location with sites where we have pedestrian counters to see if there is a correlation with increased use. Only 7 incidents since March 20 occurred in 6 areas with a pedestrian / cycle counter 5.2.2. At the time of each incident, 6 locations show an increase in either pedestrians and / or cyclists (one had a 125% increase in pedestrians and 208% increase in cyclists on the same month last year). Only one incident occurred in an area with decreased use. 5.2.3. Extrapolating from this insight data we may conclude the incident frequency increase is due to 3 possible reasons: 5.2.3.1. Increase in usage of the towpath, potentially with new users driven by the national lockdowns 5.2.3.2. Decrease in wear & tear maintenance during the months of 1st lockdown and furlough of these teams. 5.2.3.3. Increased reporting by the public and improved process of a) capture of the incidents and b) weekly reviews by the safety team.
5.2.4. A positive improvement is the increased use of LogIncident and better recording of customer issues by the customer service teams. In addition, close out of issues is effective. 5.2.5. Redacted
6. SAFETY REPORTS 6.1. FATALITIES Safety Report October/November 2020 2020/21 YTD 2019/2020 YTD Fatalities 8 29 31
6.2. During the period October and November we have received 8 fatality reports, bringing the year to date total to 29 compared to 31 in the similar period last year. 6.2.1. Redacted. 6.2.2. Redacted. 6.2.3. Redacted. 6.2.4. Redacted. 6.2.5. Redacted.
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6.2.6. Redacted. 6.2.7. Redacted. 6.2.8. Redacted. 6.2.9. Redacted. 6.3. REDACTED 6.4. REDACTED
7. SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS PROGRESS 7.1. Following favourable feedback, the online course Valuing Safety: A Leadership Workshop has had an additional 6 dates in January 2021 added to the initial program of 12 commencing in December. The course is delivered by Tribe and uses virtual reality videos. 7.2. The first of three toolbox talks was issued in November in a 3-month series encouraging all teams to explore the safety behaviours of Speak Out, Step Up and Share Ideas, our new behaviour code. These are accompanied by a video and huddle cards which give the discussion leader hints and tips on how to have an effective discussion. 7.3. The 1st of December will saw the Trust’s first virtual safety conference, streamed live via the Trust’s YouTube channel. There were two sessions, morning and afternoon. The morning session included an introduction by our Trustee Janet Hogben and a presentation by external speaker Lawrence Waterman OBE (Chair of the British Safety Council); the afternoon celebrated internal successes as well as an open Q&A session. The conference was recorded and has been made available to all Trust colleagues as well as any FAQs raised through the intranet. At the peak, 250 people were watching giving this the greatest reach of our conferences to date, many more have been able to watch the event later on you tube. 7.4. The winner of the 2020 safety award was announced at the conference. The initiative “To the Left” won. In this scheme, from the East Midlands region, on prompting colleagues take a moment to look to their colleagues on the left to check they are ok. This is then recorded as a positive intervention via logincident. The goal of the scheme is simply to raise people’s awareness of their colleagues safety and make it more likely that people will intervene or say something to colleagues if they see a problem. We are now embedding this in our after Christmas safety campaign as an initiative alongside the new behaviour code Speak Out, Step Up, Share Ideas. 7.5. Regions are continuing to complete visitor risk assessments for weir and high-risk sites and with the various challenges with Covid restrictions and priorities the teams are focussing on all high and medium priority sites and the programme will be reviewed before the end of January. Regions are currently planning their VRA programs for 2021 / 2022 onwards which will be uploaded into SAP by February 2021 7.5.1. 2020/21 programme Weir VRAs
Region Total VRA Site visit Quality Signed off by ZX Forms due to date done Check Regional Notification uploaded completed Director raised
North West 23 17 10 Yorkshire & North East 33 33 26 21 20 21 4
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East Midlands 33 19 13 5 1 Wales & South West 26 18 West Midlands 93 93 93 93 22 93 London & South East 17 16 5 7 Grand Total 225 196 147 119 50 114 Completion reported to end November 2020. 7.5.2. 2020/21 programme High Risk Site VRAs
Region Total due to Site visit Quality Signed off by ZX Forms date VRAs done Check Regional Notifications uploaded completed Director raised East Midlands 4 4 2 4 4 4 London & South East 3 3 1 1 North West 3 2 Wales & South West 3 3 1 West Midlands 4 4 4 4 4 4 Yorkshire & North East 5 5 5 5 5 5 Grand Total 22 21 12 14 13 14 Completion reported to end November 2020. 7.6. Lone Working Review - Peoplesafe have been awarded the Lone Working solutions contract, to supply Trust colleagues and volunteers a specific lone working solution either a physical device or smartphone App. 120 people who currently use the Crysis system will be transferred over to the Peoplesafe system on commencement. In addition, lone working guidance has been updated to clarify other lone working solutions and the Trust’s expectations from the lone worker, their manager or ‘buddy’.
8. PORT, DOCKS and HARBOURS 8.1. Redacted. 8.2. Redacted. 8.3. Redacted. 8.4. Redacted. 8.5. Redacted. 8.6. General updates in relation to local port compliance with the PMSC: 8.6.1. River Ouse (Y&NE): Pilotage services continuing without interruption. Shipping movements to Howdendyke are showing signs of recovery with aggregate barge traffic also increasing in tonnage. The recent breach on the Aire & Calder is affecting the water supply to Goole Docks, which we are managing locally as there is an obligation on the Trust to supply water to these Docks. 8.6.2. Sharpness Port (W&SW): The port operations continue to be unaffected by the current COVID restrictions. The OPRC (Oil Pollution Response Convention) Returns were made, with no concerns reported from the MCA. 8.6.3. Liverpool Docks (NW): Vessel movements in an out of the docks has been minimal because of the Covid 19 pandemic and the fact that all events planned at the docks were cancelled. Winter work projects planned at Liverpool South Docks include: replacing the control systems at Canning River Entrance/Albert Passage; repairs to Albert Passage Dock Gate Hydraulic Ram; repairs to Canning River Entrance gate,
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defect found in December 2020 inspection and; closure of Brunswick Lock for essential maintenance and repairs-25th Jan for 8 weeks. All projects are M&E related, with AMCO/GIFFIN being the main contractor on all three projects 8.6.4. West India Docks; (L&SE): The MCA undertook a health check on West India and Millwall Docks on the 10th December 2020. They advised that the Docklands were found to be not fully compliant with the requirements of the PMSC, however acknowledged that under current management there is evidence that a strong foundation is being put in place to build on towards full compliance. This mirrors the findings of the recent external audit completed by Marico Marine and any additional recommendations by the MCA will be added to the Marine Safety Management Plan. 9. REPORTING STATISTICS 9.1. Overview of reporting statistics Safety Report October and 2020/21 YTD 2019/20 YTD November 2020 Positive Intervention Reports 228 545 448 Near Miss Reports 184 750 654 Loss, Injury or Death Reports 176 698 771 Threat/ aggression to colleagues (24) (77) (76) TOTALS 588 1,993 1,873 More details can be found in Appendix A
9.2. An analysis of data relating to COVID-19 is given in Appendix B. We have reviewed 46 COVID-19 related safety reports on LogIncident during October and November (16 during September). 9.3. During October and November, we recorded 588 Safety Reports, 176 (30%) were Loss, Injury or Death Reports. 9.4. The 126 Positive Intervention Reports for November was the most raised in a single month, 23 more than the previous highest of 103 in February 2020. The total for October and November was 228. 9.5. Detailed breakdown of incident types contained in the appendices. 85% of Safety Reports in October and November are closed, 15% remain open. We will continue this focus with all managers. Appendix A – H&S Reports SAFETY REPORTS SUMMARY: October and November 2020
What Happened HazardNearMiss Incident Grand Total Slipped, tripped or fell on same level 47 (25.5%) 36 (20.5%) 83 (23.1%) Accidental damage property/asset/equipment 18 (9.8%) 15 (8.5%) 33 (9.2%) Structural or equipment failure 21 (11.4%) 4 (2.3%) 25 (6.9%) Threatening/aggressive behaviour towards 0 (0.0%) 23 (13.1%) 23 (6.4%) Colleague(s) SSoW (safe systems of work) 16 (8.7%) 3 (1.7%) 19 (5.3%) Boat sink/capsize/hangup 14 (7.6%) 5 (2.8%) 19 (5.3%) Hit by moving, falling object or vehicle 7 (3.8%) 9 (5.1%) 16 (4.4%) Hit something fixed or stationary 1 (0.5%) 14 (8.0%) 15 (4.2%) Covid 19 13 (7.1%) 2 (1.1%) 15 (4.2%) Road traffic incident 4 (2.2%) 10 (5.7%) 14 (3.9%)
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Fall from height 7 (3.8%) 6 (3.4%) 13 (3.6%) Injured by vegetation / plants 8 (4.3%) 4 (2.3%) 12 (3.3%) Exposure to harmful substance 7 (3.8%) 4 (2.3%) 11 (3.1%) Injury from machinery / equipment 4 (2.2%) 7 (4.0%) 11 (3.1%) Body Found 0 (0.0%) 10 (5.7%) 10 (2.8%) Animal/insect incident 1 (0.5%) 5 (2.8%) 6 (1.7%) Person recovered from water 0 (0.0%) 6 (3.4%) 6 (1.7%) Handling, lifting or carrying 1 (0.5%) 5 (2.8%) 6 (1.7%) Fire/explosion incident 2 (1.1%) 4 (2.3%) 6 (1.7%) Personal Protective Equipment 2 (1.1%) 3 (1.7%) 5 (1.4%) Training/Competence 4 (2.2%) 0 (0.0%) 4 (1.1%) Threatening/aggressive behaviour 2 (1.1%) 1 (0.6%) 3 (0.8%) Unsafe condition or hazard 2 (1.1%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (0.6%) Electrical contact/discharge 2 (1.1%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (0.6%) Unsafe Act 1 (0.5%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (0.3%) Grand Total 184 (100.0%) 176 (100.0%) 360 (100.0%)
Compared to the table in 4.8 this list excludes Antisocial behaviour reports and positive interventions.
From early June we introduced a specific incident type “Covid-19” to our reporting system to more easily identify the incidents that were pandemic related.
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Appendix B – Covid-19 Related Reports SAFETY REPORTS COVID-19 RELATED: October and November 2020 There has been a slight increase in covid specific incident reports in the period compared with September. Dynamic risk assessments undertaken still remain high. Most reports have arisen from colleagues in East Midlands and Direct Services and relate to heightened awareness of observing covid secure workplaces confirmed by the numbers of positive interventions in the two months which is likely to relate to the ‘to the left’ initiative.
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Appendix C
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APPENDIX D – Redacted
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Trust Board Meeting 27 January 2021 Information & Decision Report Trust 530 Confidential Wording in Red
GOVERNANCE REPORT Tom Deards, Head of Legal & Governance Services
1 PURPOSE 1.1 This paper sets out the governance matters which require a decision or noting by the Board.
2 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 The Board is asked to:
2.1.1 Approve the terms of reference for the Remuneration Committee and note the Grant Review Trustee Working Group terms of reference (section 3); 2.1.2 Approve the appointment of the Trust’s Duty Holder under the Port Marine Safety Code (section 4); 2.1.3 Note the proposals for the external Board Effectiveness Review (section 5); 2.1.4 Redacted; 2.1.5 Approve the annual compliance statement for modern slavery (section 7); 2.1.6 Redacted; 2.1.7 Note the annual return to the Charity Commission (section 9); 2.1.8 Note the updated Council Handbook and Governance Handbook redacted (section 10); 2.1.9 Redacted; 2.1.10 Redacted; 2.1.11 Redacted; 2.1.12 Note the refreshed Charity Governance Code (section 14) and the Charity Commission regulatory cases/sector update (section 15); and 2.1.13 Approve the appointments to the West Midlands Regional Advisory Board (section 16) and the Bwrdd Glandŵr Cymru (section 17).
3 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR APPROVAL 3.1 The Remuneration Committee undertook an effectiveness review at its meeting in November 2020. As part of the review, the Committee considered its terms of reference to ensure they remain fit for purpose and up-to-date. Refreshed terms of reference are enclosed at Appendix 1, for approval.
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3.2 The Grant Review Trustee Working Group met on 13 January 2021 and considered their role and remit. Whist the Working Group is not formally constituted as a Trust Board Committee, the Group’s agreed terms of reference are included here for information (at Appendix 2).
4 APPOINTMENT OF PORT MARINE SAFETY CODE DUTY HOLDER 4.1 As detailed in the Health & Safety Board Update, Board approval is sought to appoint the Chief Operations Officer to the role of Duty Holder for the purposes of the Port Marine Safety Code.
5 EXTERNAL BOARD EFFECTIVENESS REVIEW 2021 5.1 To comply with the Charity Governance Code, the Trust is required to undertake an externally facilitated board effectiveness review every three years. As the previous external review was carried out in early 2018, a further review is now due.
5.2 The following timetable has been outlined to the Board in previous governance reports:
November 2020 Begin the process of identifying an external facilitator. January 2021 Trust Board update on scope and instruction of the external reviewer. March – April 2021 External review of the Board. May 2021 Results of the review presented to Trust Board. Action plan developed, if required and scheduled into the board’s workplan for a future meeting.
5.3 Campbell Tickell has now been identified as a suitable external review, given their experience of carrying out similar reviews with other large charities who were happy to provide recommendations.
5.4 Discussions are ongoing with the Deputy Chair on the precise scope and methodology of the review (taking into account the present restrictions on face-to- face meetings etc), which is due to commence in March.
5.5 A further update will be provided to the March Board meeting.
6 REDACTED
7 MODERN SLAVERY: ANNUAL COMPLIANCE STATEMENT 7.1 The Trust is required to publish its Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Compliance Statement within 6 months of year-end (with a further grace period this year, due to Covid-related disruption), detailing the steps that have taken place in the previous financial year to ensure that modern slavery (including human trafficking) is not taking place in the Trust or any of our supply chains.
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7.2 A compliance statement can be found at Appendix 3 which details the steps taken by the Trust’s Procurement Team in 2019/20 to identify risks within our supply chain, as well as other initiatives and standards which directly or indirectly reduce modern slavery risks across the Trust.
7.3 The Board is asked to approve the compliance statement and delegate authority to sign the statement to the Chair of the Board.
8 REDACTED
9 ANNUAL RETURN TO THE CHARITY COMMISSION 9.1 The Trust submitted its annual return to the Charity Commission in late December 2020. A copy of the return can be found, for information, at Appendix 7.
10 TRAINING, HANDBOOKS AND DILIGENT 10.1 The Trust has arranged for refresher director training to be delivered by Stone King. This session will be tailored to the Trust and will focus on director duties for the different types of Trust subsidiary companies but may be of interest to Trustees in their role as directors of the charitable company. Trust staff who are directors of subsidiary companies will be in attendance.
10.2 The session is being run via Teams on 05 March 2021, 11.30am – 12.30am and again on 10 March 2021, 11am – 12pm. Trustees interested in attending one of the sessions are asked to contact the Corporate Governance Manager.
10.3 The corporate governance team has updated the Council Handbook and Governance Handbooks. These are published on the website here1 and can also be found in Diligent in the resources area.
10.4 Redacted.
11 REDACTED
12 REDACTED
13 REDACTED
1 https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/how-we-are-run/the-council
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14 REFRESHED CHARITY GOVENANCE CODE 14.1 The refreshed Charity Governance Code for larger charities was released in late 2020. A copy of the code can be found here2 and also in the resources area of Diligent under “corporate governance codes”. Rather than a re-write, the code was refreshed. The Code’s steering group refreshed principle 3, integrity, and replaced principle 6, “diversity” with a new principle 6, “equality, diversity and inclusion”.
14.2 Principle 3, integrity, has an increased emphasis that charities should reflect their ethics and culture in everything they do and includes a new focus on ensuring the right to be safe for everyone who comes into contact with the charity.
14.3 Principle 6, equality, diversity and inclusion (“EDI”), recognises that prioritising EDI and taking steps to address power imbalances are essential for charities to be accountable to the communities they serve, increasing a charity’s legitimacy and impact. The principle also highlights the importance of Trustees in committing to action to address inequalities and barriers in their own charities and governance approaches, creating the right environment to allow the cultural change needed to be embraced by everyone within the charity.
14.4 The Governance team will undertake an assessment of the Trust’s compliance with the new charity code and report this to the February Audit & Risk Committee meeting.
15 CHARITY COMMISSION REGULATORY CASES/SECTOR UPDATE 15.1 The following Charity Commission cases have been reported:
Charity Commission Action Conclusion Relevance of Case Christ Conclusion of Concluded there had been Not applicable to Apostolic inquiry3 mismanagement and/or the Trust. Church World misconduct in the administration if Concerns raised the charity by its former trustees, over repossession of leading to them taking the charity’s land inappropriate risks. Disqualification and property and of the charity’s former chair, for 10 subsequent litigation years. costs incurred by the Trustees. Action Hunger Inquiry opened4 Serious incident reported to the Outcome will be charity alerting the Commission to reviewed in due concerns that money had been course. taken from the bank account. Escalated to a full statutory enquiry in Nov 2020.
2 https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en/pdf 3 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/former-chair-of-charity-disqualified-after-failures-resulted-in-loss-of- property 4 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/regulator-opens-statutory-inquiry-into-nottingham-poverty-relief- charity-after-disqualifying-former-trustee
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Rigpa Inquiry concluded5 Conclusions of mismanagement The Trust has Fellowship and misconduct in the charity’s refreshed its Reports of mental, administration, particularly safeguarding physical and sexual regarding how former trustees policy. The Trust abuse by a spiritual responded to and managed has a nominated director at the safeguarding concerns. safeguarding charity. Trustee.
Moss Side & Inquiry concluded6 Identified that the charity had only The Trust has the Hulme three serving trustees when it necessary number Community Charity became a required four. Two of the three of Trustees (as Development double defaulter, as Trustees had been recently required by the Trust it had not submitted appointed so quorate decisions articles) to make annual returns on had not been made. Trustees failed decisions and more than 2 to adhere to the Commission’s meetings are occasions in 5 years. order to file accounts (they were quorate. The Resulting enquiries submitted late). Trust submits found that for three annual returns on years payments had Commission concluded that the time. Trustees are been made to the Trustees failed in their statutory unremunerated. Trustees without duty to submit accounts on time. The Trust acts in prior approval of the There had been mismanagement the public benefit Commission. by the Trustee by unauthorised and is able to remuneration payments being evidence this in its made and the necessary quorum annual report. had not been achieved. There had been a failure to ensure the charity was adequately carrying out its purpose for the public benefit and the charity did not maintain adequate records. RSPCA Conclusion of Concerns over governance at the Relevant to regulatory case into RSPCA dating back to 2014. Trustees – see governance7 below.
15.2 The Charity Commission’s involvement with the RSPCA dates back to 2014 due to concerns over governance and leadership, focusing upon frequent changes in leadership and a sustained reliance upon Trustees acting as Chief Executive, which the Commission felt went on for too long and risked public confidence in the RSPCA. An official notice was issued by the Commission in August 2018 relating to concerns over a settlement offer to a former acting Chief Executive. The Commission remained concerned, specifically regarding: the large size of Council (at that time 25 members); the long terms of office of Council members; the extent to which the Trustees had the necessary knowledge, skills and experience given the size and complexity of the charity; and,
5 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-inquiry-rigpa-fellowship/charity-inquiry-rigpa- fellowship 6https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-inquiry-the-moss-side-and-hulme-community- development-trust/charity-inquiry-the-moss-side-and-hulme-community-development-trust 7 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/regulator-concludes-regulatory-case-into-governance-at-the- rspca
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excessive involvement of Council members in day to day issues usually the responsibility of the Executive and staff.
15.3 The Trustees were required to take immediate steps to rectify the situation and bring the charity’s governance operations into line with the expectations of a charity of that size and complexity, notably the Council’s operations. The new Chair and Chief Executive led a wide consultation on the proposal. The resulting constitutional changes addressed and went beyond the Commission’s concerns and were adopted by the RSPCA in June 2019. Such changes reduced the size of the Trustee body from 25 to 12. The Commission monitored the implementation of the changes and is now satisfied with the changes made.
15.4 The initial regulatory findings have been reviewed by the Trust’s Governance team with the conclusion reached that these criticisms do not arise at the Trust, with the following justifications: The Trust’s Council can be up to 50 members, it is currently at 36 members, including the Chair. This size is reviewed at intervals by the Appointments Committee who are able to recommend new posts for Council. 36 Council members feels proportionate to the Trust’s size, is consistent with the delivery of its charitable objects and is constituted of elected and (relevant) nominating organisations; The Trust’s Council members are subject to limits on their terms. Nominated members can serve a maximum of two terms. Elected members have no limit on the number of terms they may serve but they must be successfully re- elected to the post every four years; The Trustees have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience for their roles given the Trust’s size and complexity. Trustee recruitment is undertaken by open advert so knowledge, skills and experience are assessed at the beginning of their appointment. In addition, when Trustees seek re- appointment, Council considers their suitability and is the appointing authority for Trustees. Trustees are limited (by the Articles) to three terms of three years on the Board; The Trust has an approved scheme of delegation in place. Specific powers are reserved to Council (appointment of the external auditors, appointment of trustees) and there is no day to day decision making power reserved to Council members.
15.5 The Governance team has therefore concluded that the Trust can distinguish itself from the RSPCA case but the upcoming board effectiveness review can provide external assurance relating to the points on Trustees.
15.6 Further recent releases which may be of interest are: The Charity Commission has released general guidance on Covid-19 guidance for the charity sector8 The Charity Commission has also confirmed it will be consulting on revised
8 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector
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guidance for responsible investments9, referring to financial investments that align with a charity’s mission and purpose; and, NPC has released a State of the Sector 2020: How charities have reacted to Covid-19 publication10.
APPOINTMENTS
16 REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENTS 16.1 The Chair of the West Midlands Regional Advisory Board recommends the appointment of Prubhjyot Singh for a first term of office, from 27 January 2021 to 30 January 2024.
Redacted.
17 BWRDD GLANDŴR CYMRU APPOINTMENTS 17.1 Unfortunately, the renewal of terms of office for four members of the Bwrdd Glandŵr Cymru was missed in 2019. The members were each in their first terms of office. It is recommended that the following members are re-appointed for a three year term, backdated to 2019. The Governance team has adopted a new method of monitoring Bwrdd appointments, to ensure future renewals are not missed.
17.1.1 Carys Howell: First term ran until 30 September 2019. It is recommended Carys is re-appointed for a second term, until 30 September 2022. Redacted.
17.1.2 Celia Jenkins: First term ran until 26 May 2019. It is recommended that Celia is re- appointed for a second term, until 26 May 2022. Redacted.
17.1.3 Peter Ogden: First term ran until 30 September 2019. It is recommended that Peter is re-appointed for a second term, until 30 September 2022. Redacted.
17.1.4 Dr Ruth Hall CB: First term ran until 30 September 2019. It is recommended that Ruth is re-appointed for a second term, until 30 September 2022. Redacted.
17.1.5 Paul Thomas, First term ran until 30 Sept 2019. It is recommended that Paul is re- appointed for a second term, until 30 September 2022. Redacted.
9 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charity-commission-to-consult-on-updated-responsible-investment- guidance 10 https://www.thinknpc.org/resource-hub/stots-covid/
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REMUNERATION COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE
1. CONSTITUTION 1.1. The Remuneration Committee is a Committee of the Board of Trustees. 1.2. The Delegations to all such Committees including the Remuneration Committee is laid down in the Board of Trustees’ Scheme of Delegation.
2. PURPOSE 2.1. The Committee: 2.1.1. Oversees the remuneration polices for the Trust, with particular focus on the remuneration of the Executive Directors. 2.1.2. The Committee shall identify any matters where it considers that action or improvement is needed, make recommendations as to the steps to the taken and report its work, conclusions and any recommendations to the Trust.
3. DELEGATIONS 3.1. The Board has delegated specific decisions to Board Committees, including the Remuneration Committee, via its formal Scheme of Delegation. These delegations are reproduced in Appendix 1.
4. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 4.1. The Committee shall: 4.1.1. Determine the overall reward and remuneration strategy for the Trust, ensuring the remuneration strategy’s rationale and operation is easy to understand and is transparent; 4.1.2. Determine the total annual or periodic pay award; 4.1.3. Determine the annual or periodic bonus pool, if any, for staff below Executive Directors; 4.1.4. Approve the design of, and determine targets for, any performance related pay scheme operated by the Trust for any Executive Directors, ensuring that the range of possible values of rewards and other limits or discretions are identified and explained; to review such performance accordingly and approve the total annual payments made under such scheme; 4.1.5. Determine the remuneration and terms of service, including of the Executive Directors, ensuring the Trust’s culture is considered within the determination;
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4.1.6. Determine the policy for, and scope of, the pension arrangements for the Executive Directors; 4.1.7. Ensure that the terms of termination of the service of any Executive Director, and any payments made, are fair to the individual, and to the Trust; 4.1.8. Ensure that remuneration drives behaviours consistent with the Trust’s charitable purpose, values and strategy, and is clearly linked to the delivery of the Trust’s strategy and the Trust’s long-term performance; 4.1.9. Ensure that failure is not rewarded and that remuneration packages (particularly bonuses) do not encourage risk-taking in a manner incompatible with the Trust’s approach to risk or pose a reputational risk to the Trust; 4.1.10. Keep under review the appropriateness and relevance of the remuneration policy of the Trust; 4.1.11. Oversee any major changes in employee benefits structures throughout the Trust group; and, 4.1.12. Be responsible for establishing the selection criteria, selecting, appointing and setting the terms of reference for any remuneration consultants who advise the Committee, and to obtain reliable, up-to-date information about remuneration in other organisations. The Committee shall have full authority to commission any reports or surveys which it deems necessary to help it fulfil its obligations. The use of a remuneration consultant shall be reported in the annual report. Annual Review 4.2. The Committee Chair shall ensure that Committee members conduct an annual review of their work and these Terms of Reference and make any recommendations to the Trust.
5. MEMBERSHIP 5.1. The Committee shall normally comprise at least 3 Trustees, all of whom shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Chair of the Board of Trustees may attend but may not be a member of the Committee. 5.2. The Committee Chair shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees. 5.3. The quorum for meetings shall be set as one plus one third of the number of Committee members (rounded to the nearest number)1. 5.4. The Committee Chair will ensure there will be an induction programme for new Committee members and that training takes place on an ongoing and timely basis
1 The quorum for Committees with 5, 6 or 7 members is therefore 3 and the quorum for Committees with 3 or 4 members is therefore 2.
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for all members. 5.5. In accordance with paragraph 10.2.4, the Committee may co-opt an external non-Trustee with relevant experience to assist the Committee with its work. 5.6. If a regular member is unable to act due to absence, illness or any other cause, the Chair of the Trustees may appoint another member of the Board of Trustees to serve as an alternate member provided that at any time there is only one alternate member.
6. ATTENDANCE 6.1. The Chief Executive, Finance Director and the HR Director may not be members of the Committee but may attend meetings at the standing invitation of the Committee.
6.2. Where any Executive Director member has a conflict of interest with an item on the agenda, the Committee Chair has the discretion to restrict circulation of that paper to the exclusion of that Executive Director(s) and may request the Executive Director(s) do not attend the meeting in part or in its entirety. 6.3. The Committee may invite other Trustees, other executive directors, staff or advisers to attend meetings when appropriate in accordance with paragraph 10.2.6. 6.4. The Company Secretary (or his/her nominee) shall act as the Secretary of the Committee. 6.5. In determining whether Committee members are participating in a Committee meeting, it is irrelevant where any Trustee is or how they communicate with each other provided that they communicate with one another simultaneously. 6.6. Professional advisers appointed under paragraph 10.2.5 may also attend meetings. 6.7. Except as outlined above, the meetings of the Committee shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Trust’s Articles of Association governing the proceedings of the Board of Directors.
7. FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS 7.1. The Committee shall meet not less than twice in a financial year, and at such other times as it considers necessary. 7.2. The frequency and timing of meetings are decided by the Committee Chair. Any member of the Committee, the Chief Executive or the Chair of the Trust Board may ask the Committee Chair to hold a meeting. 7.3. Notice of each meeting confirming the venue, time and date together with an agenda of items to be discussed shall be forwarded to each member of the Committee no less than 5 working days prior to the meeting.
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8 RECORD OF MEETINGS AND DECISIONS 8.1 The Secretary shall minute the proceedings and recommendations of all meetings of the Committee and keep appropriate records. Minutes of the meetings shall be circulated to all Trustees. 8.2 If an urgent decision is required between meetings, the Committee Chair may deem it appropriate for such a decision to be ratified by email. Where this is the case, the Secretary shall record this as an addendum to the minutes of the previous meeting.
9 REPORTING 9.1 The Committee Chair shall report the proceedings of the Committee to the next following meeting of the Board of Trustees. 9.2 The Committee’s duties and activities during the year shall be disclosed in the annual report of the Trust.
APPENDIX 1
10. DELEGATIONS 10.1. The Board of Trustees has formally delegated certain decision to its Board Committee, via its approved Scheme of Delegation. 10.2. All Board Committees have the power to: 10.2.1. Approve its own agenda (via the Committee Chair); 10.2.2. Investigate any activity within its Terms of Reference; 10.2.3. Seek information from any employee of the Trust; 10.2.4. Co-opt independent members from outside the Trust Board, provided that Trustees remain in a majority on the Committee. Independent members may serve for a maximum period of 3 years, with the ability to be re- appointed for a further period of one term; 10.2.5. Appoint independent professional advisers relevant to its Terms of Reference at the Trust’s expense; 10.2.6. Require any member of the Executive, or any employee nominated by a member of the Executive to attend their meetings or ask them to not attend meetings. 10.3. The Board’s Scheme of Delegation gives the following powers to the Remuneration Committee:
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10.3.1. Determine the overall reward and remuneration strategy for the Trust, including for Executive Directors 10.3.2. Make the required annual or periodic decisions required to implement the overall reward and remuneration strategy, such as annual pay increases and bonus pools; 10.3.3. Approve the design of, and determine targets for, any performance related pay scheme operated by the Trust for any of the Executive Directors; to review performance accordingly and approve the total annual payments made under such a scheme; 10.3.4. Approve the terms of termination of service of any Executive Director, and any payments made; 10.3.5. Approve any major changes in employee benefits structures throughout the Trust group; and, 10.3.6. Approve severance costs of £50,000 or more for any member of staff below Director.
Date of Approval: tbc
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Terms of Reference for Grant Review Trustee Working Group
1 Constitution 1.1 The Grant Review Trustee Working Group is a Working Group of the Board of Trustees.
2 Purpose 2.1 The Board has asked a group of Trustees to form a Grant Review Trustee Working Group (”the Working Group”) to support the Trust in the review of the Grant Agreement with Defra, due to conclude in July 2022.
2.2 The Trust has agreed a Terms of Reference document with Defra, which clarifies the agreed aims, scope and timeframe for the Grant Review.
3 Delegations 3.1 The Working Group has no formal delegation from the Board and is advisory only.
4 Membership 4.1 The Working Group shall normally comprise of at least three Trustees, all of whom shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Chair of the Board of Trustees may attend and may be a member of the Working Group.
4.2 Jennie Price CBE has been nominated as the Chair of the Working Group, with the following Trustee members: Dame Jenny Abramsky Sir Chris Kelly Tim Reeve
4.3 The Working Group may co-opt external non-Trustees with relevant experience to assist the Working Group with its work, provided Trustees remain in the majority on the Working Group.
4.4 The quorum for meetings shall be set as the Chair of the Working Group plus 2 members.
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4.5 If a regular member if unable to act due to absence, illness or any other cause, the Chair of the Trust Board may appoint another member of the Board of Trustees to serve as an alternate member provided that at any one time there is only one alternate member.
5 Attendance 5.1 The Trust Chief Executive; Strategy, Engagement & Impact Director; and Head of Legal & Governance Services will be in attendance at the standing invitation of the Working Group.
5.2 The Working Group may invite other Trustees or other Executive team members, Trust colleagues or advisers to attend meetings when appropriate.
5.3 The Company Secretary (or his/her nominees) shall act as Secretary of the Working Group.
5.4 Except as outlined in these Terms of Reference, the meetings of the Working Group shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Trust’s Articles of Association governing the proceedings of the Board of Directors.
6 Duties and Responsibilities 6.1 The role of the Working Group is as follows: a) To oversee the Trust’s interaction with Defra’s Grant Review process, providing high-level input, advice and commentary; b) To help develop the Trust’s own case for continued Defra funding post-2027, including identifying strengths and weaknesses in the Trust’s case and to request that the Trust commissions its own work to support the case; c) To assist in engagement with Ministers, Officials and other stakeholders as appropriate (and not limited solely to Defra and the Treasury), to help communicate the Trust’s position.
7 Frequency of Meetings 7.1 The Working Group will aim to meet on at least a bi-monthly basis, and as often as the Chair determines. The Working Group is expected to remain in place until July 2022 when the Grant Review concludes.
7.2 The frequency and timing of meetings is decided by the Working Group Chair. Any member of the Working Group, the Chief Executive or the Chair of the Trust Board may ask the Working Group Chair to hold a meeting.
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7.3 Notice of each meeting confirming the venue, time and date, together with an agenda of items to be discussed shall be forwarded to each member of the Working Group no less than five days prior to the meeting.
8 Record of Meetings and Decisions 8.1 The Chair of the Working Group will set the agenda for meetings.
8.2 The Company Secretary (or his/her nominee) shall minute the proceedings and recommendations of all meetings of the Working Group and keep appropriate records. Minutes of the meetings shall be circulated to all Trustees.
8.3 If an urgent discussion is required between meetings, the Working Group Chair may deem it appropriate for such a discussion to take place in the form of an email meeting. Where this is the case, the Company Secretary (or his/her nominee) shall record this as minutes of the email meeting.
9 Reporting 9.1 The Working Group Chair shall report the proceedings of the Working Group to the next following meeting of the Board of Trustees.
9.2 The Working Group’s duties and activities during the year shall be summarised in the annual report of the Trust.
January 2021
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Canal & River Trust – Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Compliance Statement 2020
Organisational Structure and Supply Chains
The Canal & River Trust (the “Trust”) is a charity (registered charity number 1146792). We are responsible for the preservation, protection, operation and management of around 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales, together with associated docks, reservoirs, buildings, sites of special scientific interest and wildlife conversation areas. We also take an active role in promoting wellbeing through the use of the environments and assets we look after.
The Trust is also registered as a private company limited by guarantee with no share capital in England and Wales (registered number 07807276).
The Trust is committed to achieving high standards of ethical practice and places significant importance on guarding against modern slavery.
We work with a broad range of suppliers of goods and services including: construction and maintenance services; clothing and equipment; IT support; temporary labour; and training. We have in place systems to identify, assess and mitigate potential risk areas in our supply chains.
Supply Chain Risk Assessment and Due Diligence
The approved supplier database is monitored and reviewed annually to assess and deal with any risk of modern slavery occurring in the supply chain.
In 2020, the Trust reviewed its approved supplier database and conducted the following actions:
Reviewed our supplier database and issued Modern Slavery Supplier Self-Assessment Questionnaires to all suppliers with annual expenditure of over £150,000 (within 80% of the total expenditure).
After collection and review of this data, it was determined that no immediate further action was required. It was considered that the risk of slavery and human trafficking occurring in the first tier of our supply chain to be low.
We only use the services of employment agencies, for the supply of temporary labour, which have in place a modern slavery policy and statement and/or defined processes to identify and address modern slavery risks.
Policies and Procedures
We are committed to developing and maintaining clear organisational policies and practices to tackle modern slavery.
We take safeguarding very seriously and keep our safeguarding standards and procedures under review. Our Safeguarding Policy was most recently updated in 2020. In 2020 the Trust appointed a Safeguarding Trustee to provide the Board with enhanced oversight of the Trust’s safeguarding regime and to contribute to strategic safeguarding decisions. We have also produced a minimum
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safeguarding standard for organisations and groups working with, or in connection with, the Trust and are working to promote adoption of, and compliance with, this standard.
We provide protection for whistle-blowers, including through our Whistleblowing Policy which clearly sets out how members of staff can safely report any actual or suspected criminal offence, including modern slavery and human trafficking. This policy is kept under regular review and was last reviewed and updated in 2020. In 2020 the Trust enhanced its whistleblowing regime by appointing an independent whistleblowing services provider, via whom whistle-blowers can make disclosures.
Our Employee Assistance Programme also provides staff with a way of seeking confidential advice about any modern slavery or human trafficking concerns they may have. We ensure that the contact details for this support mechanism are displayed prominently at various locations and are easily accessible via our intranet.
We take our obligation to prevent illegal working seriously and carry out checks to ensure that all relevant members of staff have the right to work in the UK.
We reference the Living Wage Foundation pay rates when reviewing our salary bands and undertake monthly and annual reviews to ensure compliance against the National Minimum Wage
Training
In 2020 we rolled out safeguarding refresher training to all relevant employees and volunteers This training provides guidance on recognising signs of abuse, harm or mistreatment and how to properly report these issues to our safeguarding team.
We have updated our Whistleblowing Policy and appointed a whistleblowing service provider to provide an independent avenue via which concerns can be raised. In 2021 we will provide whistleblowing training to employees and volunteers to ensure all colleagues know how to raise complaints and the protections in place for those who do.
Approval
This statement is made on behalf of the Trust in accordance with section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our modern slavery and human trafficking statement in relation to our financial year ending 4 April 2020.
Signed…………………………………
Allan Leighton Chairman
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Charity Commission
Charity Commission Annual Return 2020 Print Cancel
CANAL & RIVER TRUST
Charity registration number: 1146792
Most of the information you give in this form will become publicly available on the Register of Charities. Any field that the Charity Commission will not display will be clearly marked.
This document is a record of the information provided in the Annual Return 2020.
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT AND HAS NOT YET BEEN SUBMITTED.
Do not send a printed copy of this document to the Charity Commission.
PART A - Charity information
Financial period
Financial period start date 01/04/2019
Financial period end date 31/03/2020
Income and spending
Income £
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£ 216,100,000
Spending £ £ 232,800,000
Serious Incidents
For the period of this return, were there any serious incidents in your charity that have not been reported to the Charity Commission? No
Fundraising - professional fundraiser
Did your charity raise funds from the public? Yes
Did the charity work with any professional fundraisers? No
Fundraising - commercial participator
Did your charity work with any commercial participators? Yes
Did your charity have a written agreement with each of its commercial participators? Yes
Government contracts
During the financial period for this annual return, did the charity receive income from contracts (other than grant agreements) with central government or local authorities? Yes
How many contracts did your charity have with central government or local authorities? 160
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What was the total value of these contracts? £ 11,685,682
Government grants
During the financial period for this annual return, did the charity receive income from grants from central government or local authorities? Yes
How many grants did your charity receive from central government or local authorities? 1
What was the total value of these grants? £ 51,900,000
Income from outside the UK
Did your charity receive income from outside the UK ? No
Spending outside England & Wales
Did your charity operate outside England and Wales? No
Total Spending outside England & Wales £
Trading subsidiaries
Did the charity have any subsidiaries? Yes
Were any of the trustees also directors of the charity’s subsidiaries? No
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Trustee payments
Did any of the trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity other than refunds of legitimate trustee expenses? No
Did any of the trustees resign and then take up employment with the charity? No
Employees' salaries
Did any of your charity's staff receive total employee benefits of £60,000 or more? Select No if your charity does not have any staff. Yes
For your highest paid member of staff only, what was the total value of their employee benefits? (For example if your highest paid member of staff received £35,000 enter 35000). £ 233,501
£60,000 to £70,000 28
£70,001 to £80,000 12
£80,001 to £90,000 13
£90,001 to £100,000 5
£100,001 to £110,000 3
£110,001 to £120,000 0
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£120,001 to £130,000 1
£130,001 to £140,000 3
£140,001 to £150,000 1
£150,001 to £200,000 0
£200,001 to £250,000 2
£250,001 to £300,000 0
£300,001 to £350,000 0
£350,001 to £400,000 0
£400,001 to £450,000 0
£450,001 to £500,000 0
Over £500,000 0
Volunteers
How many UK volunteers, excluding trustees, did the charity have during the financial period? 3606
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Financial controls
Did your charity review its internal financial controls? Yes
PART B - Financial information
Account type
Does your charity prepare: Group accounts
Income and endowments
Donations & legacies Legacies £ 6,400,000 £ 33,000
Endowments received Other trading activities £ 0 £ 74,900,000
Investment income Income from charitable activities £ 51,700,000 £ 83,100,000
Other income £ 0
Total Income and endowments £ 216,100,000
Expenditure
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Expenditure on raising funds Investment management costs £ 38,700,000 £ 9,700,000
Other expenditure Expenditure on charitable activities £ 0 £ 194,100,000
Grants to institutions Governance costs £ 0 £ 500,000
Total Expenditure £ 232,800,000
Gains/(losses)
Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed Actuarial gains/(losses) on defined assets benefit pension schemes £ 0 £ 43,500,000
Net gains/(losses) on investments Other gains/(losses) £ 4,000,000 £ 0
Assets
Total fixed assets Fixed asset investments
£ 1,066,400,000 £ 1,010,500,000
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Total current assets Current asset investments
£ 104,400,000 £ 3,000,000
Cash at bank and in hand
£ 23,100,000
Funds
Endowment funds Restricted funds
£ 0 £ 849,300,000
Unrestricted funds
£ 26,800,000
Total Funds £ 876,100,000
Liabilities
Creditors falling due after one year and Creditors due within 1 year provisions £ 92,700,000 £ 179,600,000
Defined benefit pension scheme asset/(liability) This figure should be prefixed with a minus symbol if it is a negative value £ -22,400,000
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Total net assets/(liabilities) £ 876,100,000
Additional information
Support costs Depreciation charge for the year
£ 18,100,000 £ 4,700,000
Level of reserves Average number of employees
£ 26,800,000 1609
Privacy statement
Any information you give us will be held securely and processed only in accordance with the rule on data protection. We will not disclose your personal details to anyone unconnected to the Charity Commission unless:
· you have consented to their release; or
· we are legally obliged to disclose them; or
· we regard disclosure as either (a) necessary so that we can properly carry out our statutory functions or (b) necessary in the public interest.
We may share and disclose information about you with relevant public authorities, regulatory bodies and agencies, outside the Charity Commission but only if:
· we can lawfully do so; and
· we decide that disclosure is necessary for national security, crime detection, prevention, and law enforcement, or other issues in the public interest
Information we collect about you
We will use this information:
To enable us to carry out our statutory functions and duties;
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This will include the following actions:
(a) update, consolidate, and improve the accuracy of our records;
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Declaration
This annual return has not been submitted and no Declaration has been made
https://portal.update-charity-details.service.gov.uk/group/annual-return-2020/print[22/12/2020 15:45:48]
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Trust Board Meeting 27 January 2021 Information Report Trust 532 Text in red confidential
1 1.1 This report covers the period to the end of November, with more recent updates where available.
2 MAIN ISSUES Coronavirus 2.1 The country – and hence the waterways – has been under tight Covid-19 restrictions for the past two months, with a full national lockdown in force from 4 January requiring all navigation to be suspended (other than short essential trips to facilities etc for liveaboard boaters).
2.2 We continue to provide the essential day-to-day management, inspection and maintenance of the network with the more severe winter weather requiring an active response. Our winter works repair programme is continuing with full risk assessments and protocols in place.
2.3 More colleagues than before have been directly affected by the virus with 38 positive case reported since late October and up to 80-90 having a period of isolation after coming into contact/receiving an alert. There have been no serious cases reported requiring hospitalisation, thankfully and any consequent disruption to work is being managed. Our winter work programme in the South East is being affected with one of the Construction teams self-isolating for the required duration. The number of colleagues on furlough leave using the Government’s JRS scheme has increased a little with most on part time leave to ensure work continues. All offices remain closed for all but essential use.
2.4 Our latest colleague ‘pulse’ survey, undertaken in early December with around a quarter of employees and a sample of volunteers, showed similar positive results to the record levels achieved in June and September, with an overall colleague score of 73% (down 2% since June’s high-point but within the margin of sampling error) and other measures remaining relatively stable, and volunteers at 75%. The sustained high scores are encouraging, redacted.
Aire & Calder 2.5 As reported in the appendices, we suffered our first major failure of the winter with the breach of the Aire & Calder navigation in a canal section just outside Goole Docks on 20 December. After a prompt emergency response, and with around 500 tonnes of material deployed, the breach was temporarily stabilised prior to Christmas, with a major redacted repair project mobilised to start imminently.
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3 PERFORMANCE
3.1 Appendix 1 sets out the year to date performance indicator results for the 2020/21 year. in addition to the growing number of infrastructure-related incidents (which may reflect greater reporting), the Accident Frequency Rate measure is now also ‘red’ status as we have passed he number of RIDDOR incidents commensurate with the annual target, as presented in the Health & Safety report. Whilst volunteer numbers are well below the notional target set, the level of volunteering achieved (168k hours) is a cause of some encouragement given the extent of the disruption throughout the year especially when taken with the volunteer survey results above.
4 EXECUTIVE REPORTS 4.1 The Executive’s reports feature as Appendices 2 to 7.
Chief Executive January 2021
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APPENDIX 1: Key Performance Measures and Targets – 2020/21 Nov Full year Prior year MEASURES FOR SUCCESS (KPIs) FOR 2020 target actual NATIONAL & REGIONAL REPORTING YTD 2020/21 2020/21 2019/20 No. of users & visitors to our 9.2 million Visitor waterways in 8.5m 9.5m users / Volume typical two-week visitors Growing the period within number & specified period satisfaction Towpath User of users & 84% 85% 87% visitors Satisfaction Satisfaction Rating - user & visitor experience Boater Satisfaction 62% 70% 67%
No. of reported Public incidents due to 37 15 17 Improving Safety our public infrastructure safety and Combined health & employee, Safety of safety of volunteer/ our 0.28 0.15 0.22 our contractor Colleagues colleagues RIDDOR accident frequency rating Good overall Aggregate waterway combination of condition Asset Health asset condition 44.05 TBC 44.2 (assets, Index score (0 to 100) & water, consequence of heritage/ failure (1 to 5) environmt) % of local people (living within 1km) Being using our 48% 45% 42% inclusive - Local Users waterways Growing the & BAME regularly number of Participation local users % of local people (1km) & BAME from BAME participant communities using 47% 42% 38% our waterways regularly
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Sept Full year Prior year MEASURES FOR SUCCESS (KPIs) FOR 2020 target actual NATIONAL & REGIONAL REPORTING YTD 2020/21 2020/21 2019/20 % of people living Value of within 1km corridor Waterways 76% 75% 75% recognise the (1km) value of waterways Being Proportion of relevant & visitors to/users of valued the Trust’s locally Feel Safe by waterways rating 81% 77% 82% Water their personal security as excellent or good Growing our % of prompted brand Brand awareness of the awareness, 48% (all) 50% (all) 46% (all) Awareness Trust among total particularly 62% (1km) 56% (1km) 57% (1km) (All & 1km) population & local those living people within 1km
Building a of Supporters № 791,315 750,000 626,992 strong and (active & passive) Supporter broad Growth supporter № of active Friends base & other regular 28,304 28,000 30,049 individual donors % of colleagues Improving from BAME 4.8% 4.8% 4.6% colleague Diversity background engagement D&I - % of recent & diversity 13.8% 12.5% N/A hires BaME of those working & Colleague Colleague 73% 70% 66% volunteering Engagement engagement score for C&RT (Employee/ Volunteers) Volunteers 75% 71% 71% Expanding No. of volunteer our Active hours & 168,499 500,000 704,532 volunteer Volunteers No. of active Trust 2,777 3,600 3,606 base/impact volunteers Towpath Towpath condition Defra Annual KPI 81.24% Waterway Condition graded C or better Targets – Principal Principal assets 86.98% 87.06% improving Assets grade C or better our Condition of flood Flood waterways/ managemt assets Annual KPI 99.25% Management assets graded C or better
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Trust Board Meeting 27th January 2021 Information Report Appendix 2 to Chief Executive’s Report Text in red confidential OPERATIONS REPORT Julie Sharman - Chief Operating Officer
1. PURPOSE 1.1 This paper provides an update on waterway operations and customer service team activities. 2. WHAT’S GOING WELL, NOT SO WELL 2.1 Positives Teams continue to adapt to latest lockdown requirements. 2.2 Challenges Emergency response to the Aire & Calder Breach over Christmas and storm Christoph overnight on 20th January. Operational response to pollution incidents has been demanding throughout the year and continues. 3. OPERATIONS - Covid-19 pandemic response 3.1 This has been a volatile period with the 2nd lockdown in November along with the subsequent introduction of tier 4 controls and the 3rd lockdown from 5th January. 3.2 Throughout we have sought to ensure customers and volunteers were kept informed about the changes and consequences for our operations and their activities using specific communications when required and maintaining a weekly update to volunteers which mirrors that to employees. 3.3 All navigation in the lockdown and Tier 4 areas in England, and in Wales, is limited to essential use only. Overnight stays are not permitted for leisure in these areas, people living aboard are asked to limit boating to the minimum required to access services. In these areas the requirement for movement every 14 days has been suspended. 3.4 Our museum and attraction sites closed in November and colleagues were furloughed, except for a skeleton presence. We also furloughed a small number of people who were extremely clinically vulnerable and whose roles could not be completed from home, in line with government guidance; this expanded to all areas with the 3rd lockdown. Currently we have 120 colleagues on full or part time furlough. 3.5 We have kept our procedures under review, specifically updating our test and trace process, and reviewing our cleaning and checking arrangements for our facilities. 4. OPERATIONS – General 4.1 Operational incidents Aire & Calder breach identified on Sunday 20th December with works to address the emergency continuing up to the 24th then restarted from 28th -30th December.
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Sharpness Docks sluice 6, a ram failure has been repaired by AMCO. The sluice was out of action for 6 weeks with implications on the team’s working methods and hours as locking operations were extended. In addition freight carrier ‘Arklow Rival’ grounded on the berth due to the silt build-up. No damage occurred but highlights the need for frequent surveying within the dock. Pollution incident, Swarkestone, Trent & Mersey Canal - an entire tank of diesel leaked from a narrowboat. The scale of the pollution was too great for the local operations team so our response contractor was called in to contain and clean-up requiring closure of the navigation for 3 days. Whilst the EA were aware of the incident, they did not attend site. The Agency has acknowledged their understanding of the MoU on Pollution Incident Response needed refreshing and has agreed to join and assist with training events with the Trust as their response failed to meet the MoU expectation. Pollution events were also dealt with at Earlswood (into River Blythe), North Stratford Canal (Brandwood Tunnel) and Mancetter (Coventry Canal). Operational teams deployed to undertake pollution control in all cases. Ashby Canal, Snarestone - a breach of the Leicester County Council owned canal section resulted in water levels dropping and flooding of agricultural land on the 29th November. Trust on-call teams responded and assisted installing stop planks. A fish rescue was completed. Natural England involved following concerns about the release of non-native zander into the adjacent River Mease SSSI & SAC. The Trust’s navigation was able to open the same day. Liverpool Docks - the Albert dock hydraulic internal passage gate has failed in the open position (i.e. flat to dock floor). This gate protects the system of docks from risk of water loss should the outer Canning gate to the river Mersey fail. A dive survey has been completed to inform recovery plans and works to repair are planned for February. As both gates are safety interlocked the use of the Canning lock gate is not currently possible, this limits passage for boats moored in Albert Dock. 4.2 Water Resources With a large number of concurrent reservoir projects during 2021 and beyond, we are modelling the operational impacts of the reduced water supply to the network. This will require a well co-ordinated action plan from the Project Management, Reservoirs and Water Managements teams, to ensure the Regions and others can effectively communicate the risks and issues to affected stakeholders and customers. Coordination meetings later this month will discuss the scale issues, recommended mitigation actions and planned customer communications. Other hydrological support to reservoirs –we are currently undertaking 16 reservoir flood studies with a further six in plan for the future. Additional recruitment is underway to support the extensive work required to support the High Risk Asset work. We have made written submissions to the EA re Hands off Flow (HOF) conditions (Water Act) because of the implications should the EA proceed with imposing HOF conditions on licence applications. To date 2 licences have been determined though no HOF conditions set, this is believed to be because the abstraction control structures already provide some level of low flow protection to the donor watercourse. 5. ORGANISATION 5.1 Redacted. Page | 2
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5.2 Advisory Boards The RAB chairs met in December for a discussion on business planning, strategic programmes and a general update. 6. LONDON & SOUTH EAST REGION 6.1 Black History and Cultural Heritage: A steering group of colleagues and volunteers has been established to pilot a research project on the black history of the canals and docks in Tower Hamlets. Starting with a live community consultation in January, the public will be asked to communicate their thoughts about the future of the Robert Milligan statue. The outcomes will develop the research and be followed by workshops, walks and the production of tangible information. 6.2 The Trust is now represented on Environment Agency’s 2100 catchment partnership working groups including Brent 2100, Lee 2100 and Thames 2100 (London and Oxford) and the Colne catchment. Joint actions include tackling water quality, biodiversity and extreme weather resilience. 6.3 Eco-moorings. Islington is progressing, with a small number of challenges with utilities connections and siting of the infrastructure. We have undertaken further engagement with key stakeholders in preparation for its launch in the New Year. Smoke and fumes continues to be a very hot topic for complaints in LSE particularly in this 3rd lockdown as boats are using stoves and not moving. More eco-moorings are planned, having secured £100k of additional funding with the London Borough of Camden and we recently contributed to an application to DEFRA funding with the City of Westminster for a proposed site in the Paddington Basin. 6.4 Repairs to Parnell Road Bridge have been prioritised for February thanks to Historic England’s Heritage Stimulus Fund. The Bridge, together with Three Colts Bridge at Gunmakers Lane, both spanning the Hertford Union Canal, are scheduled monuments that are the subject of a Management Agreement with Historic England which will be renewed following completion of the repair works. 6.5 Following meetings with Sustrans, we are to develop joint funding bids to make improvements on the towpath where it interacts with the National Cycling Network. We are currently working up detailed proposals and will put forward to DfT. 6.6 A 6-week Let’s Walk London pilot started in October led by a volunteer trained walk leader. 5 people registered and 4 walks took place prior to lockdown, then resumed 2 December. Although most had walked locally, none had walked the towpaths. The walkers attended each week and in response to their enthusiasm, a new route was devised each time extending to Limehouse Basin and Docklands. The walkers are keen to continue beyond the pilot scheme, an evaluation of which will inform future programmes. 6.7 The Oxford canal has been surveyed for vegetation affecting user’s enjoyment from the boundary with West Midlands to the terminus at Oxford City. We have instructed 8.5km of offside vegetation works and the removal of 1.5km of reed fringe. We will lay 100m of hedge at Banbury. These complement the existing planned programme. The total value of additional works ordered is £145K and tackles a significant local customer concern. 6.8 A new system to deliver Water Safety sessions online to Primary schools has been successfully developed. 74 children have been directly engaged in face-to-face
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education, including a group of Brownies. These were via live video link, and all schools within 1km of our waterways have now received an advert for these sessions. 6.9 Artist Joshua Bilton is working with Ferry Lane School where participants will use the Lee Navigation Towpath and Tottenham Lock (N17) as inspiration in the creation of a sculptural space. 7. WALES & SOUTH WEST REGION 7.1 Following receipt of a series of complaints to both the Trust and the Police regarding two individuals moored near Bradford on Avon, we have commenced action to remove a long standing customers crafts. 2 colleagues were verbally abused and threatened. Licence terminations to both individuals were due to be finalised in January but the lockdown has led to us delaying action on the liveaboards. 7.2 Newbury Lantern festival had more than 4,000 members of public using a short section of the towpath. Volunteers facilitated the event with over 300 hours over 5 days. Volunteers helped with the preparation and marshalling of the event. The light displays on the canal were spectacular.
7.3 The Trevor Basin Masterplan has been approved by the Trust Executive and key partners. The Masterplan aims to be a catalyst for transformation, creating a world class destination. Proposals include a new visitor centre, car park, footpaths, river bridge, woodland activity and education centre, glamping & camping, tree top walk, improved landscaping and plots for future development. Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) have confirmed this is one of their key strategic projects. Further consultation with external stakeholders will now take place.
7.4 The National Waterways Museum Gloucester Digital Tour – taking advantage of the empty galleries, the museum team are creating a digital tour to be launched in the New Year. The interactive map will offer our visitors a glimpse into the galleries, where they can watch our staff and volunteers share their favourite part of the museum and local waterways through a series of personal videos. 7.5 Swansea Canal Society have secured a grant from Swansea City Council for the purchase and refurbishment of a former Trust property at Hebron Road, Clydach. The Trust owns the adjoining building, discussions are currently with Estates dept for SCS to acquire and develop as a ‘Canal Centre’ for Swansea Canal Society Volunteers. 7.6 Volunteer involvement is growing on the G&S through the new Bridge Support Rangers and Maintenance Volunteers programme. Volunteers on the eastern K&A have
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completed their signage audit, which has taken four months reviewing over 2,000 signs. They will be continuing this work and moving into the western end. 7.7 An additional £590k grant has been secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to assist in the Trust’s recovery from the financial of both Covid this year, and serious flooding within the Severn river corridor last winter. This takes the total grant award from the NLHF towards our Unlocking the Severn for People & Wildlife programme to £11.2 million, the highest ever grant award for a natural heritage project by the funder. 7.8 On the Swansea Canal £128k of towpath resurfacing from Trebanos to the County Boundary (Swansea) is to start January. These are Third Party Works by Neath Port Talbot Council funded by Welsh Government Active Travel funding. 7.9 £434k EU ESIF funding for the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal Phase III towpath improvements has been secured. The funding will take the G&S canal towpath improvements all the way to the Gloucester City Council boundary with Stroud District Council (Pilot Inn). 8. WEST MIDLANDS REGION 8.1 Volunteering – despite the second lockdown, continues to exceed expectations with a third of the original regional volunteer hours target achieved by the end of November. 8.2 Our work with local authorities continues to strengthen, evidenced by the commitments to secure Town Deal and other funding streams. The recent resolution passed by Warwickshire County Council to work with the Trust to develop a Waterspace Strategy and jointly work to realise the full benefit of the canal network in the County is an excellent example of the Trust’s growing influence within the region. 8.3 Environmental Scientists, Ecologists and Heritage Advisors continue to make excellent progress not only reacting to pollution incidents such as at Worcester and Birmingham, North Stratford and Coventry canals, but much proactive work, such as the West Midlands Cray Fish Study, reviewing Fountain’s effectiveness in eradicating Japanese Knotweed at treated sites, as well as undertaking the second regional Otter survey. A report was also recently produced mapping fly-tipping challenges across the region, which was shared with the Regional Advisory Board and support sought with affected local authority areas. 8.4 City of Culture 2021: Plans for the canal-based activities are being finalised and programme of events for the year is now in production. The approximate cost is over £1m which will bring a positive spotlight on the corridor and surrounding communities over the next year. The £1.4m investment in improved towpath is complete. 8.5 Commonwealth Games 2022: We are working with partners to embed Trust priorities within Commonwealth Games 2022 (CG22) programmes, focussing on connectivity. Equally important, we have developed draft CG22 Volunteer Role profiles to be finalised and advertised in early February. 8.6 One of the only remaining canal side stable blocks in the Black Country, Delph Stables on the Dudley No. 1 Canal is currently used as a welfare and store with half the site in its original condition. We plan to sympathetically repair the building and repurpose part if it as a welcome station and a cycling hub. We are in discussion with Cycling UK and intend to form a partnership with a cycling Community Interest Company who will operate from the building and offer services such as cycling repair, cycle hire, learn to ride sessions. Page | 5
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8.7 We have been developing relationships with the Severn Trent ‘misconnections’ team. This allowed us to respond to concerns about a surface water discharge to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in Kings Norton. Severn Trent traced the pollution and confirmed a number of wrongly connected drains on a nearby industrial estate – foul drains which are supposed to be connected to the mains sewer – have been connected to this surface water drainage system and is polluting the canal. Severn Trent are working to resolve this with the industrial estate, and we are awaiting feedback. 8.8 The Canal Watch Scheme is ready for launch partnering with West Midlands Police. Initially there will be three groups, in Walsall, Sandwell and Stourbridge, each using local volunteers supported by Community Support Officers. Volunteers will be trained by the national Street Watch Scheme and will cover parts of the canal network with high visibility tabards supporting Canal & River Trust and Street Watch logos to identify them and the scheme. 8.9 Our bulb planting & painted river stone activities with primary schools are in full swing, despite the cold weather. These are linked to the Great Spring Flower Project. 472 children are participating in Birmingham and Walsall schools. The river stones, paints and bulb planting kits were delivered to the schools in November. 8.10 The Trust has launched a corporate engagement partnerships with Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wonderers and is currently in talks with West Bromwich Albion. Both Aston Villa and Wolves have adopted sections of canal in their areas, and will work with the Trust and their already established community links to support volunteering on our network. 9. EAST MIDLANDS REGION The EMS region hosted a virtual open day at Blue Bank Lock in Leicester, enabling people to see behind the scenes of the lock gate replacement works taking place. The day included interviews with the Trust’s site supervisor and heritage advisor. The area will shortly have towpath and access improvements and the region’s enterprise manager and a representative of Blaby District Council were also interviewed explaining the importance of the canal to local people and businesses. Each of the videos has had more than 400 views on Youtube. The open day was also promoted on the Trust’s corporate social media channels receiving 280 likes on Facebook and 1,600 views on Twitter. 9.2 Volunteers in the southern operations area have been trained to operate a ThermaTech water graffiti removal system. This is a specialised system that allows for the safe removal of graffiti from masonry and other surfaces using superheated water ensuring that graffiti is removed whilst protecting the masonry underneath. The use of this approach offers environmental benefits too, being less abrasive on the structures. Images show examples of the work process on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal. In 2021 we will expand its use to the rest of the region.
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9.3 The Leicester street art project (partners Leicester City Council & Graffwerk) has now been completed with the sixth and final artwork now installed on Abbey Park Underpass. The project has seen the design and installation of six new high quality murals across the local waterway. 9.4 The Trust is included in the Notts Green Social Prescribing bid to Government. This has helped develop relationships with Public Health and Social Prescribing Link Workers which will support the Isolation to Inclusion project as well as drive referrals onto the Trust’s wellbeing programmes next year. We co-developing a potential Thriving Communities bid too. 9.5 Nottingham city council will shortly distribute a consultation for the Nottingham Canal Improvement Partnership (NCIP). The purpose is to gain community ideas and buy-in supporting funding bids. A volunteering action plan is also being developed with the partnership. The partnership has subgroups for Street Art, Signage & Wayfinding, Biodiversity, Pop-up markets & Events, Active Communities, and Communications. The Street Art subgroup has already secured funding from the City Council and Nottingham Business Improvement Partnership to match to Trust funding to develop the proposed wall art project along the canal corridor. 9.6 A new partner group relationship is being developed with WASUP (World Against Single Use Plastic) – committed to fighting the environmental impact of single use plastics. WASUP will be adopting a stretch of the Grand Union Canal in Leicester to undertake a number of canal cleans with their volunteers. 10. NORTH WEST REGION 10.1 A Water Safety Partnership Group has been formed in Wigan, consisting of members from Canal & River Trust, Wigan Council, and Wigan Fire & Rescue. The group is sharing risk assessments, policies and campaign ideas; and will continue to grow with other stakeholders to be invited. This follows recent canal fatalities in the area. We are also in contact with the local MP for Makerfield, Yvonne Fovargue regarding water safety in Wigan. 10.2 A throwline board was installed at Stanley Flight in Liverpool following the fatality earlier in the year. Throwline boards have also been installed at Bosley, Sutton and Combs reservoirs. Two Portsafe emergency throwlines have been installed at Hurleston Reservoir and uploaded onto Cheshire Fire Service What3Words system. Safety works on fencing continue with works to the Frith Lane boundary, Nantwich Aqueduct and Tilston weir completed. 10.3 Whaley Bridge Transhipment Warehouse – In November, following years of work and partnership engagement, the Whaley Bridge Canal Group signed a lease with the Trust to take over the management and running of the Grade II* Transhipment Warehouse in Whaley Bridge. This significant milestone has allowed the historic warehouse to be re- purposed from an empty shell into a vibrant new hub for the community.
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10.4 On the 5 December, Anderton Visitor Centre reopened to the public for the weekends. This decision was based on the large numbers of people visiting the area through lockdown, combined with 2019 visitor/income numbers. Volunteers from both ABL and the Explorers Team worked to prepare and offer Christmas crafts and games, a ‘selfie station’, a wish tree and the building of a set for a film from Father Christmas, to be used virtually, as he wasn’t able to be on site this year! Unfortunately the weekend opening is now suspended due to the lockdown. 10.5 We were approached by Northwich Town Council in November who were requesting an opportunity to show their appreciation for our Armed Forces in Remembrance Week by lighting up Town Bridge for a week. We were delighted to accept this request and show the Trust’s support with Town Bridge lit up in all its glory for the period of remembrance. 10.6 Towpath funding secured – In partnership with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust (lead bidder) and a number of local partners we have secured £211k to fund 2 project officers to undertake a wide range of environmental enhancements and community activities (engaging people in the environment and canal history) on the Rochdale Canal (from Manchester to the North West region boundary) and on the Ashton Canal within Manchester Council Boundary. The project will start in the new year and is funded until the end of March 2022. 10.7 The first North West Virtual User Forum was held in December which was a great success. Over 70 people attended which was a very good turnout and some very positive feedback has been received. 11. YORKSHIRE & NORTH EAST REGION 11.1 Aire & Calder freight movements – Transit of the aggregate barge into the Knostrop site to the East of Leeds had established weekly but is now disrupted by the breach. A volunteer recruitment and training process is still planned to build capacity in delivering this service, with 3 volunteers already engaged for this activity. The plant operator at Knostrop has approached the Trust about running a similar operation to Rotherham using the South Yorkshire navigations for this purpose. 11.2 The reactivation of freight traffic is causing concern with some residents. Several are threatening claims for property damage following an incident involving the collision of a barge with our infrastructure. We are also investigating reports of fish mortality and complaints by fishing clubs and anglers about the impact of the freight traffic on fisheries. 11.3 Dredging – Silt and debris build-up is causing challenges in operating flood gates on the Aire & Calder Navigation, with Castleford being particularly problematic area. A small programme of spot dredging behind the flood gates and in the navigation downstream of Lemonroyd Lock, and upstream of Fishpond Lock is currently being scoped.
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11.4 Fearns Wharf Island – The Trust has been involved with work to develop feasibility studies, part of a major third party proposed project for ‘Smeaton Park’ – a public realm installation on Fearns Wharf Island to commemorate engineer John Smeaton, born in Leeds. This is part of Leeds City of Culture 2023 proposals. The site was recently used as part of the Leeds Light Night 2020 festival which ran through to the end of December. The Trust’s logo and social media handles have been used in the artwork promotion entitled ‘I Miss You’. 12. CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT 12.1 Boating & Mooring Business boating has continued to be impacted by Covid 19 due to the national lockdown, we have continued to monitor the impact on our boating businesses. Whilst business rallied for the holiday hire sector in the later part of the summer, skippered passenger boats continue to be severely impacted. October and November contact volumes reduced in line with expectations. November calls were 50% of the peak from July to September. Improved recognition and logging of customer dissatisfaction continues, with 211 Level 0 complaints logged in November and 197 in October giving better insight into why customers feel aggrieved. Leisure boating lockdown means a suspension of movement again this month, consequently licence compliance case management backlog and associated future year/s impact on compliance remains a key risk along with Long-term financial impacts on business and leisure boating and income. Headline results from the annual boater report show key measures remaining broadly consistent with 2019, with a slight increase in propensity to recommend (+4%) and overall upkeep (+2% scoring 7+)
Boater Survey Monthly survey wave 1-4 Annual Overall satisfaction 63% (2019 final 67%) 60% (2019 61%) (very/slightly satisfied) Propensity to recommend 63% (2019 final 63%) 62% (2019 58%) (definitely/probably) 69% Overall upkeep (scoring 7-10) 40% (2019 final 49%) 43% (2019 41%)
The third Annual Boater Report has been published online and printed mini report. It is being presented at regional user forums. Distribution of the z-card mini report will take place at key locations such as welcome stations and via volunteers. 12.2 Boat Licensing Customer Support During October and November, customer contact has changed from vegetation and high usage/conflict into winter maintenance (towpath condition, stoppages, flooding/leaks, high water levels, behaviour of our contactors etc.). Email (including live chat/social media/email/web contact form) is the preferred customer channel, with an overall split of 64% email and 36% telephone contact.
A Disabled Boater meeting was held in scheduled for December approximately 20 people attended. Key issues were ‘Be kind, slow down’/share the space campaign and volunteers and improving awareness of disability issues amongst them.
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We are working closely with the chaplains to prepare to launch a fundraising campaign to match a one-off £10,000 grant from the trust to help fill a short-term funding gap. The appeal was launched in Boater’s Update before Christmas and has reached £5.5k so far. Engagement on boat licence terms and conditions consultation (3500 responses) continues. General support is positive however, the Trust has received several formal submissions from NABO on the “readability” of our Terms and Conditions and a number of GDPR concerns. Formal responses in preparation. Final analysis, reporting and publishing of amended proposals will be in January, target roll-out 1st May. Winter mooring implementation has gone smoothly. There have been a small number of refund requests following the 2nd lockdown preventing boaters reaching their booked sites. There is likely to be limited impact on overall income. 436 permits sold so far (543 sold in 2019). Income £228k (£262k in 2019). We continue to see reducing Continuous Cruiser case numbers, less than 50% of cases open year-on-year. This is a result of adaptation of the restricted licence processes to accommodate lockdown and reduced cruising. Though at this time many potential cases have received a full licence when in other circumstances it would be restricted. We anticipate an impact on future case numbers, once the pandemic recovery begins. Redacted.
13. VOLUNTEERING 13.1 Volunteering Volunteer time (YTD end of Nov 2020) 168,499 hours Number of Active Volunteers 2,777 volunteers Number of Active Partner Groups 263 partner groups
13.2 Volunteer Christmas thank you gifts have been sent to around 120 Lead Volunteers and 1900 Active volunteers who have given over 2000 hours. A calendar is being sent to all other Active Trust volunteers. The responses so far have been very positive. 14. BRAND, SUPPORTERS & INFLUENCE 14.1 The L&SE Regional Director met with Sir Mike Penning MP in Hemel Hempstead to help to resolve an issue regarding a weir close to the canal near Boxmoor. This has been an ongoing concern as Proxim Property Management Ltd, who are responsible for addressing this matter, are in non-compliance of their obligations. The matter was resolved satisfactorily. 14.2 Regional Director and other met with Robbie Moore, MP for Keighley & Ilkley, regarding towpath funding within his constituency, in particular the 3km ‘missing link’ section between Kildwick and Silsden. Robbie subsequently tweeted the following: 15. OPERATIONS SUPPORT 15.1 Responding to customer concerns, an additional project will be undertaken to survey off-side and channel vegetation encroachment before end of Mar 21. This will establish a baseline
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from which future works planning can be done; and provide measurement of condition that can be used in the future to chart change. 15.2 Audits completed at 250 of 260 waste sites prior to introducing new bins and signs in the new year. We are changing to green bins for recycling to improve segregation at source from the current 82%. Improved guidance signs are also planned for waste locations. All provided as part of improvements in the recently awarded waste contract. 15.3 Continuous Improvement: Working within the directorate a series of specific cost reduction targets have been identified relating to vegetation management, costs of small tool hire, planned preventative maintenance, waste disposal and materials purchase – targeting c£1m. The targeted action builds on successful local practices to be used nationally and identifying frequently occurring waste which can be reduced. This follows the recruitment of a specific continuous improvement specialist. Regular measurement and feedback will be a key element of driving success.
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Trust Board Meeting 27 January 2021 Information Report Appendix 3 to the Chief Executive’s Report Text in red confidential
APPENDIX 3: ASSET IMPROVEMENT REPORT Simon Bamford, Asset Improvement Director.
1. PURPOSE This appendix provides an update on the activities of the Asset Management function and the Asset repair and maintenance programmes. 2. Positives and Challenges 2.1 Positive progression National Lottery Heritage Fund have informed us that we were successful in securing £590,000 additional funding. This additional support was based on the flooding events that we experienced in 2019/2020 and the ongoing Covid impacts and included agreement to extend the project to June 2022 to allow us to extend the activity plan to recover activities lost due to Covid. Despite the poor weather and modified working methods to deal with Covid, significant construction projects at Bolton le Sands Embankment on the Lancaster Canal and Figure of Three Lock, Calder & Hebble flood damage rebuild have made good progress during the period. The recently recruited fleet manager has continued to identify opportunities to improve the Trust’s management of its commercial vehicle fleet. Review of the existing fleet services contract has resulted in £20k credit from the incumbent supplier and a new contract awarded to Fleet Services GB who start work in April 2021. Despite the limitations placed on us by Covid-19 there have been some positives for the Direct Services team. The pandemic has curtailed any plans for public open days at our stoppages, but the Trust teams have risen to the challenge to promote our work and there have been several virtual open days on our website. Colleagues have been actively participating in videos explaining their work. 2.2 Challenges The partial breach on the Aire & Calder the weekend prior to Christmas put a big strain on our and Kier’s resources at a point when construction work was closing for the Christmas construction shut down. Whilst the embankment failure and leakage were stabilised by close of play on Christmas eve, deterioration of the repair necessitated further works in the following week. Given the scale of the navigation and repair works required, the costs of repair have impacted on the 2021 work programme. Storm Christoph which impacted the North of England during w/c 18th January has resulted damage to the network in the form of a breach on the Shropshire Union Canal near Chester, a landslip on the Trent and Mersey
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near Anderton and a retaining wall failure on the Rochdale Canal. There may have been other damage suffered that has not yet been identified. With advance warnings teams were out in advance to manage water and the Toddbrook Assurance and Management plan was followed with the result that the raise in water level to just over -7.9m was calmly managed. This was the highest level the reservoir has reached since the incident in August 2019. This further flood damage will impact upon the 2021/2022 projects programme. Prior to Christmas a small number of Direct Services sites were affected by the impacts of Covid-19. In an extreme case a positive test of a colleague resulted in the temporary closure of the stoppage at Lock 24 on the Chesterfield Canal for 14 days whilst the entire team had to self-isolate. Since Christmas, another site (Ivinghoe Lock on the Grand Union Canal) has had to close for 10 days for the same reason. We are also seeing an increase in the number of colleagues having to self-isolate since the return from the Christmas shutdown. There remain several vacancies within Direct Services in critical delivery roles particularly in site supervisor and craft operative positions. It has been extremely difficult to recruit for these roles despite the impact that the pandemic has had on the employment market. The teams have also experienced difficulties in finding temporary agency cover.
3. Redacted
4. Asset Management 4.1 Recent Asset Failures There was a breach on the Aire and Calder navigation, 5 miles west of Goole Docks, on Sunday 20th December which resulted in an extensive emergency response prior to the Christmas break. Flooding occurred to farmland with none to properties. A helicopter was used to initially place 350 tonnes of stone with a further 450 tonnes of stone and clay used to finally stabilise the bank. The breach is currently stable but still leaking with canal levels being kept down to minimise leakage, but which is impacting Goole Docks. We are currently planning the dewatering of the canal to carry out an inspection to assess the cause and aid the design and delivery of the permanent repair.
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Aire and Calder Navigation Breach and Temporary Repair
Ashby Canal Breach. On Sunday 29th November, the bank failed above a culvert on the Leicestershire County Council Owned section of the Ashby Canal. Following the incident, questions have been raised regarding the inspection regime implemented by the Council, as it has become apparent that there are no regular routine asset inspections. The only inspection has been a culvert inspection every two years. A full investigation is being undertaken.
Ashby Canal Breach. 3.1.3 Shropshire Union Canal, Sunday 20 December, a cutting slipped with soils sliding into the navigation. The stability of the slope is being assessed along with the rest of the cutting. Heavy rainfall over the weekend is the suspected cause.
Shropshire Union Canal cutting Leeds & Liverpool: The pound between Higherland Lock and Anchor Lock has overtopped twice in 2020 (February and November). Run off from surrounding land causes the pound level to rise and overtop the canal embankment into the adjacent school. An emergency Authorisation Request has been submitted to install a SCADA system on this length to alert the operations team when the levels are high. Installation of the kiosk is planned for January 2021.
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Photos: Pound between Higherland Lock and Anchor Lock
4.2 Redacted.
4.3 Innovation A trial of a remotely operated hydrographic survey boat was carried out in December at Drayton Reservoir. Initial assessments suggest that this would be a useful piece of equipment that would deliver efficiencies and increase productivity. Probable uses include sites with no access for a large boat such as remote reservoirs and for investigating small areas such as bridge holes and spot dredging requests.
Remotely operated hydrographic survey boat#
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5. Redacted
6. Priority Works 6.1 Overview In the period, the priority works programme operated near to normal and put us on plan to deliver the revised F1 B20 Plan. Despite the November Covid 19 lockdown and the restrictions it imposed, the team had a very busy autumn and pre-Christmas stoppage season, completing all pre-Christmas planned stoppages. There were impacts on the works, as some colleagues had to isolate which resulted in some extensions to projects programmes but didn’t prevent completion of the planned outputs. All sites are assessed in line with Government guidelines and the Trust’s protocols to ensure they are Covid Secure. Wherever possible teams are operating in work families to reduce the risk of spread and the impact on the work programme if self-isolation is needed.
6.2 Safety There was one RIDDOR reportable incident within Direct Services for the period. A colleague onboard a crane boat slipped on the gunnel whilst closing a door and injured their knee against the door and shin against the gunnel. An investigation has been completed and found that, whilst the non- slip surface was present and in order, the wet weather and muddy boots were contributory factors to the slip. Overturning of a 1.5t excavator G&S Canal – Whilst slewing, the mini excavator bucket hit the ground and the mini excavator overturned. No injury and no damage occurred however the potential is significant, so a full investigation was carried out. The investigation found that the excavator tracks were not at their widest setting and the arm was extended, all raising the centre of gravity of the machine. The slope of the towpath was also a contributary factor. Once the bucket struck the ground these all resulted in the excavator tipping over. Risk assessments and method statements have been adjusted and re-training delivered for the operator.
6.3 Financial & Programme Overview Year to date the Direct Services budget is underspent by £1,700k compared to the revised B20 (F1) budget. Of this £467k is due to vacancies and other Payroll savings; a further £420k of efficiency savings from completed works; with the remaining balance caused by programme changes following the introduction of emergency or arising works, resulting in rephasing of planned work. To the end of November, the priority works programme was expected to deliver 221 planned packages of works. At the end of November, the team
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had completed 183 (140 planned tasks plus a further 43 arising or emergency works). Many of these emergency works are significant repairs to lock gates which is having an impact on the programme. As a result of these arising/emergency works 38 planned packages of work have had to be deferred to future years.
6.4 Work Examples
Hunts Lock Gate Repairs – River Weaver
Hatters Bridge Repair Leeds & Liverpool Canal
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Stourport Lock 1, Coping Repairs, Staffs & Worcester Canal
Lock 64 Stoppage, Mon and Brec Canal
Volunteers working on Siddals Bridge on the Trent & Mersey Canal
6.5 Grantham Canal Restoration Project
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Prior to the site closing in response to the latest lockdown, significant progress had been made with the lock chamber and canal section being re- watered alongside other bank protection and landscaping works being completed. The site has now been temporarily closed following discussion and agreement with the Grantham Canal Society. The project site supervisor has been furloughed, the equipment off hired and the site mothballed until volunteers can safely return.
7. Priority Projects 7.1 Overview The priority projects programme continues to operate ‘as normal’ and on plan to deliver the revised F1 B20 Plan. Despite the recent Covid 19 lockdown and the restrictions it has imposed we had a very busy autumn and pre-Christmas stoppage season, successfully delivering several significant projects including Yorkshire Calder Valley Flooding repairs. 7.2 Safety All Kier and L&WS sites have undertaken specific Covid-19 risk assessments and are operating safely within the guidance provided by the Construction Leadership Council. Weekly Covid-19 audits are being undertaken.
7.3 Financial & Programme Overview
As we approach the busiest part of the year 39 out of 42 of the fixed priority implementation projects remain in the programme. The implementation projects remaining in the programme are forecast at 94% of the £27.3m F1 plan (like for like comparison with the F1 plan for these 60 projects). The £1.54m overplan at F8 after high level adjustment for risk and carryover is an increase of £260k from F7. The current business planning process has resulted in a significant overplan in B22 because of arising reservoir projects added to the programme with outputs from recent Tier 2 RARS and recent S10 inspections. Whilst not increasing the total planned expenditure, the phasing of the works needs further review to balance compliance dates, risk management and budgetary
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constraints. The core programme expenditure has been reviewed with the regional engineers to reprioritise and is now in line with the budget forecast at B20. 7.4 Knipton Reservoir WITIOS, Grantham, East Midlands The project scope has been extended to include the outputs from the Tier 2 RARS. The planning application has been submitted and with a very tight programme, the team are working on options for bringing the start on site forward to give some time risk allowance to achieve the S10 deadline of14 Aug 2021.
7.5 Yorkshire Calder Valley Flooding 2020 Work are now complete on the Storm Ciara damage repair project. Repair work was prioritised on safety, network critical and flood resilience reasons. Given the prevalence of flooding and damage to structures in the area, the opportunity was taken to build additional flood resilience into the repair designs.
7.6 Figure of Three Locks, Y&NE Works are progressing very well, and we are on track to have the canal navigable using assisted passage and bookings by the 2nd April 2021 (Good Friday).
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7.7 Tinsley Pumping Main, Sheffield The temporary pump heads at Effingham Road have been switched over and we have seen weekly costs reduce as a result. At the same time, we are progressing the design of a new pipeline to replace the life expired pipeline that has failed.
7.8 River Witham Stamp End Lock, Lincoln Works are progressing well on site but unfortunately, a more extensive programme of repairs is needed than was anticipated. This has impacted the programme and therefore the stoppage end date has been extended.
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7.9 Bolton-le-Sands, Lancaster Canal Works progressed well prior to Christmas and Kier worked through the Christmas period to take full advantage of the available time. Cadent have now finished their works to the gas main in the towpath and we are on plan to complete the canal lining improvements by the end of March.
7.10 Aire & Calder Breach The site establishment was set up in early January and piling for the temporary coffer dam (red box in plan below) to isolate and dewater the failed section commenced during w/c 25th January. Once dewatered, we will be able to determine the cause of the failure and develop the repair solution. At this stage we anticipate the canal being shut for 6 months and the total cost being c£2m.
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Aire and Calder Breach
8. Redacted
9. Unlocking The Severn On the 16th December we were notified by NLHF that we were successful in securing an additional £590,000 of funding as requested in November. This was based on the extreme weather events that we experienced in 2019/2020 and Covid impacts. NLHF acknowledged the project was being well managed and what we had experienced was over and above what could reasonably be expected and allowed for. The additional funds increase the project contingency to a level that will enable us to manage the risks during completing Holt fish pass during 2021. This also included a request to extend the project to June 2022 to allow us to extend the activity plan. 9.1 River Severn Construction delivery – progress update On the 23/24th December the River Severn rose yet again flooding Diglis and Lincomb sites but both were prepared and had moved plant and equipment above flood level. At Lincomb the final concrete pour was completed on the 21st as planned and was cured and shutters removed before the flood event. Work restarted on Monday 4th January to pump out with a full work to restart on the 5th January. The workshop has also had some water in it but much
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reduced levels and cleaner due to the flood barriers reduced the flooding to seepage through the walls and floor.
Flood impact – Left Bevere, middle Diglis, right Lincomb. At Diglis, the steel and reinforced concrete works are now complete, and the pools filled with stone. The stairs to the viewing gallery and the windows have now been installed. Works were substantially complete by Christmas with the objective to let the water in to the fish pass by the end of January 2021 and reinstatement and demobilisation complete during February. At Bevere works are now fully complete and the site has been fully demobilised. We will return in the Spring to undertake some minor repairs, seeding and footpath improvements. Work is progressing well at Lincomb with the concrete walls completed and considerable progress made in construction of the internal elements. In the new year there will be a period of 6-8 weeks to install the penstock, walkways and complete demobilisation and reinstatement. This is likely to take place from mid-March through to May, although an assessment will be made in the new year with the possibility of continuing in January. At Holt, further to the decision taken in October to demobilise the site, the team completed works to shore up the existing temporary dam and clear the site in November in between repeated flooding events. Works are scheduled to recommence in April 2021 and be complete by October 2021.
Diglis Viewing Gallery and Fish Pass – Concrete work complete
Lincomb Fish Pass – Progress since November
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9.2 Education We received the final version of the fantastic fish ID poster which has information about each of the species on the reverse. We have ordered prints for the project team and colleagues as a Christmas “thank you”
9.3 Interpretation The travelling exhibition temporarily closed at The Footprint Gallery, Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge on Sunday 1st November 2020 and was to have reopened on Thursday 3rd December. It has now been reclosed in line with the latest lockdown guidance. 9.4 Volunteering Green Team sessions were on hold for the month, due to re-start on December 9th. Due to the nature of the activity, salmon monitoring could continue. We had a team of 19 volunteers working on a daily rota system with this activity generating lots of valuable data. A small team of home-based volunteers was recruited including two data entry volunteers, working with us until December, and two admin volunteers working with us on a permanent basis. 9.5 Events Several members of the team attended the Bristol Natural History Consortium’s annual environmental communication conference ‘Communicate’. Not only was it great to hear from a fantastic line up of speakers, covering everything from the impact of COVID to inclusion and intersectionality to
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social media, but also a good opportunity to experience an online conference using a novel platform and take some notes for our own future events. 9.6 Communications Article about Sturgeon Alliance in Anglers Times mentions the work of Unlocking the Severn (see attached) - https://www.anglingtimes.co.uk/news- 2020/action-group-formed-to-return-sturgeon-to-uk-rivers-within-next-decade November e-newsletter issued Another good month on Twitter with 124,000 impressions over the month Highest performing tweet about the Diglis Fish Pass – with over 16,000 impressions.
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Trust Board Meeting 27 January 2021 Information Report Appendix 6 to the Chief Executive’s Report Text in Red Font to be treated as Confidential
APPENDIX 6: STRATEGY, ENGAGEMENT & IMPACT REPORT Heather Clarke, Strategy, Engagement & Impact Director
1. Purpose & Overview
1.1. The purpose of this report is to provide the Board of Trustees with an update on the key activities of the Strategy, Engagement & Impact Directorate since November 2020. Redacted.
2. Update on Key Developments & Challenges
2.1. Redacted
2.2. Government Stimulus & Recovery Funds Kickstart Scheme - Our bid to the government initiative, the Kickstart scheme has been successful, redacted.
The Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GRCF) – Our second-round £3.38m bid was unsuccessful (<25% of total applicants were successful). A GRCF webinar was held on 7th January 2021 to provide feedback prior to the announcement of Tranche 2 (expected in Spring). The GRCF Panel selected those that were very obviously ‘shovel ready’ (not newly designed such as our bid) and deliverable within the timeframe. Preference for projects that had been stopped due to COVID-19. The GRCF Panel do hope to provide direct feedback to the larger failed applications, and they are also looking to conduct webinars and sharpen up the guidance for next tranche. Redacted.
DEFRA Green Prescribing Pilots - The project will examine how to scale-up green social prescribing services in England to help improve mental health outcomes, reduce health inequalities and alleviate demand on the health and social care system in communities hardest hit by coronavirus. The pilots will be led by local Integrated Care Systems and Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships and delivered with partner organisations. The Trust is a partner organisation in two of the seven areas that have been selected as test and learn sites, namely the pilots being led by Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS and South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw ICS. The next steps are the planning for the delivery of pilots which commenced in January 2021, with delivery starting in April 2021.
2.3. 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) – November 2021 Minister Rebecca Pow MP and The Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith hosted a COP26 Ministerial Roundtable held on 7th January. The roundtable event sought to bring together leaders
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from across the four-nations to discuss ideas to inspire and engage the public on climate and nature in 2021 under the Together For Our Planet campaign umbrella (in the run up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) due to take place from 1st to 12th November 2021, in Glasgow. The Government is seeking to build upon World Leaders' Pledge for Nature: United to Reverse Nature Loss by 2030 for Sustainable Development made in September 2020 - commitment to reversing nature loss by 2030 and to taking decisive action on nature to protect human and planetary health.
Redacted.
2.4. Integrated Customer & Stakeholder Relationship Management System (SugarCRM) We had intended to go live with the new CRM system on 18th January, but there have been some technical issues along with team sickness, in the Trust team and the provider, including COVID, that have delayed this. We will now have a fully built system by the end of January, this will immediately be followed by formal user testing early – mid February. Pending the outcome of the testing we will have a programme of training, engagement and culture change to enable us to go live with the system from mid-March 2021.
2.5. Risks to the Trust’s Water Resources Licensing of previously exempt abstractions due to the Water Act 2003 is now well into the determination phase for our 155 applications. Redacted.
3. Brand and Support
3.1. Redacted
3.2. Redacted
3.3. Redacted
3.4. Redacted
3.5. Redacted
3.6. Redacted
3.7. Campaigns & Well-B In addition to launching our new digital-led Here for You campaign, we have been promoting our #PlasticsChallenge Campaign, #StayKindSlowDown Campaign and Winter Water Safety campaign.
#PlasticsChallenge Campaign - A new activity promoting this campaign launched on 14th January, including a new Well-B animation film (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and- views/features/plastic-and-litter-in-our-canals) and we continued to work with Strictly winner, Bill Bailey, to push our PR message. Redacted. Our collaboration with ethical clothing company Teemill continues to grow.
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#StayKindSlowDown Campaign - Our campaign was boosted over the winter through partner support. Cycling UK and RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) shared our content with their audiences. The next push of this campaign is planned for Spring.
Winter Water Safety campaign - At the beginning of December we actively supported the annual Royal Life Saving Society’s (RLSS) #DontDrinkAndDrown campaign. The Trust’s winter water safety pages were also brought in line with updated RLSS advice and the latest government coronavirus guidance.
3.8. Website, Signage and Filming Income
Website - Website visits are up by 23% compared to last year with just over 5.7 million visits since 1st April 2020. Organic visits in December 2020 were up by around 27% indicating a continued strong interest and visibility for our brand and content during the winter months. This has been bolstered by searches for our Coronavirus-related information as well as organic traffic to our walking and activity content and our virtual hub.
Signage - Recent examples of newly installed signage include this impactful sign opposite Dudley Port Station and 16 large signs being installed during January at Liverpool Docks.
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Redacted.
4. Charitable Income Generation
4.1. Redacted
4.2. Philanthropic Giving In December we received two gifts of £25,000 and £10,000 respectively and a further pledge of £25,000 restricted to Carnforth on Lancaster Canal.
Redacted.
4.3. Redacted
4.4. PPL Sustainability & Climate Action Our PPL funded Climate Action Programme was formally launched in November 2020. A media strategy is being developed, with August 2021 confirmed as the Trust's PPL 'Moment Month', which will showcase one of the projects from the programme.
5. Public Affairs Activity On 12th January Richard Parry met virtually with the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage Minister, Nigel Huddleston MP. This was a follow up meeting, as they both met at Anderton Boat Life in summer, and provided an opportunity to update the Minister on the Trust’s work.
Richard Parry and Sean McGinley also met with Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary, The Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband MP, to discuss our plans for improvements to the Site of Special Scientific Interest at Sprotborough Gorge in his constituency, in addition to the Trust’s work relevant to his role as Shadow Minister.
A meeting between Richard Parry and the Labour Leader, the Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB QC MP is arranged for Friday 22nd January 2021. Regions have also met with a number of MPs including Jonathan Reynolds MP and Owen Paterson MP regarding the waterways in their constituencies.
6. Environment, Heritage & Water
6.1. Environment
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River Usk Abstractions - Following discussions with Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Water on the difficulties in delivering proposed changes to our abstractions out of the River Usk to supply the Mon & Brec Canal in South Wales in line with recently advanced compliance deadlines, we have written on behalf of the Welsh Bwrdd to the Welsh Senedd Minister for Environment for her assistance in dealing with the regulatory issues and securing additional funding to deliver capital works and meet any long-term cost implications.
SSSI Management – Following a recent meeting with Natural England’s Chief Executive and one of their board members, we have been invited to join their “Major Landowners Group” reflecting recognition of our role in managing designated wildlife sites (SSSI) in England. This should give us a better position for working with NE and the environmental NGOs on projects of common interest.
6.2. Heritage The Stewardship Score, which is the Trusts’ heritage KPI, is under review to address the inherent weaknesses and subjectivity in both the data collection and assessment methodology. This review is in the interests of establishing a more transparent and robust measure to minimise opportunities for challenge and reputational risk. Performance reporting is essential to demonstrate that we are meeting our charitable objectives and for submission as evidence as part of the Government Grant Review.
6.3. Water Opportunities to engage - Work is gathering pace with the five Regional Water Resources (WR) Groups and their task to develop Regional WR Plans which, for the first time need to include demands from outside of public water supply, such as navigation. The recently awarded PPL funding will enable the team to accelerate progress on our internal Water Resources Strategy, redacted.
Redacted.
Mon & Brec water supply - Close collaboration with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) continues as the Trust tries to resolve the longstanding risks of curtailment of our abstractions which supply the Mon & Brec Canal, due to the River Usk SAC (Special Area of Conversation) status, redacted.
Flood Risk Management Resilience Innovation Programme - This EA funded programme (2021-2027) will allocate £150 million to 25 local areas for projects that demonstrate how practical innovative actions can work to improve resilience to flooding and coastal erosion. The deadline for expressions of interest has just been extended to 29 January 2021, and the EOIs must be led by a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA).
7. Strategic Engagement & Participatory Development Work
7.1. Youth Our Youth Futures Foundation application is progressing, and in December we responded to an additional information requested for our second level application. The bid is a 5 year, £4m youth employment and engagement programme for the West Midlands. If we are successful, we will be invited to submit a final level bid. Timescales for decisions on
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applications was previously 6 weeks but these have shifted due to the sheer number received.
7.2. Learning & Skills In November we offered all primary schools within 1km of our waterways the opportunity to book interactive virtual workshops delivering information, advice and engaging activities. The mailshot resulted in over 100 workshop bookings. We are re-promoting the offer in January 2021 and using it as a test and learn for developing our other virtual offers.
In December 2020 we created the Explorers Activity Calendar. The content has had over 11,000 views on the Explorers Facebook page. The Trust also applied to renew our Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badges for 24 sites, while also applying for Quality Badges for five new locations.
7.3. Health & Wellbeing We continue to work with the Ramblers to develop their future delivery model of which the Trust will be a key strategic partner. Ramblers are re-branding their ‘walking for health’ programme to ‘wellbeing walks’. The Trust is working with Intelligent Health regarding a second ‘Beat the Street’ programme in Burnley.
7.4. Arts & Culture Our partnership bid with Birmingham Open Media (BOM) for Festival 2022 is one of thirty projects that been invited to proceed to the next bidding stage. Redacted. At the end of the process, ten projects will be selected for full delivery in 2022.
7.5. Redacted
8. Planning & Design – Statutory & Delivery
8.1. Statutory Consultee for Planning Applications We responded to 1,898 planning application consultations in England & Wales in the period 1st April to 31st December 2020, which equated to 98% Compliance (response within 21 days or agreed extension) in England, and 93% in Wales.
8.2. Planning Delivery
In December 2020, we won a planning appeal to secure full planning permission for a H2O Urban scheme at the Trust’s former yard at Marple in the North West, sustaining a 100% track record at planning appeal. Redacted.
The scheme comprises a mix of new build residential development, the conversion of a listed former canal warehouse into community-related uses, together with new boating customer facilities and storage facilities for a charity trip boat. Redacted.
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Redacted.
9. High Speed Two (HS2)
9.1. HS2 Related Funding Redacted. In November 2020, the Trust’s bid for £595k of this funding for towpath improvements was approved and is now awaiting formal sign off by the Department for Transport. This funding will compliment £106k already offered by HS2 Limited, and a further £170k the Trust has secured following a successful bid to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The towpath improvement works will extend from Shugborough on the Trent and Mersey Canal to Milford Bridge on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, a length of approximately 3 kilometres.
9.2. Redacted
Strategy, Engagement & Impact Director, January 2021
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