The Floater Issue 7

THE FLOATER April 2016 Page 1 INSIDE: ● What happened to making money from C&RT friends? - Page 2 ● No more 3 month Issue 7 April 2016 The only paper for boaters produced by boaters licences - Page 3 Councils seek boat controls Across England local councillors are starting to gather new powers, or strengthen old ones, giving themselves a say in how boaters should behave on our canals and rivers - Peter Underwood has been checking out a power grab ocal councils appear are keeping a 48-hour visitor It says the marina will provide Lto have developed mooring period, with no return the authority with 'vital hostile attitudes towards for seven days on moorings income', and act as a 'catalyst boaters, with our two owned by Cambridge City for regeneration'. university cities and a Council. Boat owners say they have "Inconsiderate and sometimes the right to remain and are major London borough dangerous mooring has fighting the proposed marina using various legal caused a number of issues which they describe as an devices to drive out or with other river users," environmental catastrophe restrict the rights of according to one council man- likely to cost closer to £20m. boaters, sometimes ager. They have produced their own ignoring the navigation Most boaters agree plans for an alternative mari- authorities. Cambridge does not have na, which they say would be In Oxford the relationship enough visitor moorings, with more environmentally sustain- between boaters and the city the majority of boats wanting able and could be built for a council looks like being further to stay longer than 48 hours. fraction of the cost. damaged by an attempt to In London, Hounslow Council The Port of London Authority use a legislation condemned has made allegations of 'dis- (PLA) is the navigation author- by human rights campaigners gusting and dangerous' ity and the final arbiter, and to take over control of the behaviour at 'illegally-moored' the council claims it was only towpath and the actions of houseboats on the Thames in looking at their plan boaters. Brentford, following criticism The local newspaper reports The Labour Council is pushing of its plans for a new marina Stephen Alexander, who owns forward with a Public Space beside Watermans Park. one of the boats at the moor- Protection Orders (PSPOs) - Council Leader Steve Curran ings, as saying the boaters' broad powers which allow is reported by the West plans were rejected without a councils to criminalise particu- London News as claiming hearing and claimed Mr lar, non-criminal, activities tak- 'Illegally-moored' houseboats Curran was "completely mis- ing place within a specified The southern end of the Oxford Canal, this last 400 metres is mainly resi- are being rented out as "sub- informed" about the renting standard accommodation". arrangements, sewage dis- area, to deal with boats moor- dential moorings. ©Mat Fascione ing in the city – despite it's He wrote in a letter to the posal and electrical supplies Oxford Council seems unwill- be scrapped. Oxford. own Scrutiny Committee Hounslow Chronicle: "Most for the vessels. ing to accept that the Thames, Craig Simmons, Green Party “Six years later and this very warning it was unworkable people living on the boats are He also complains of harass- the Oxford Canal and other leader and chairman the questionable, probably illegal, Oxford Council apparently see being exploited and they are ment by the council by illegal- waterways are not controlled council's scrutiny committee, amateurish and very preju- the powers as a way of also being put at serious risk." ly disconnect electricity sup- by them but by navigation said the draft order was "half- diced attempt to overrule attacking what they claim is The council has something of plies, restricting parking, legal authorities and that those baked" and criticised "silly" national legislation is appar- illegal mooring on the canal an axe to grind as it wants to injunctions and court pro- agencies have the only measures restricting how ently the best they can come and the River Thames, as well build a £5.45m marina on the ceedings. enforcement powers. many dogs people could walk up with for how they've spent as scruffy boats and even site and it is taking legal Wherever you look local coun- As soon as the PSPO plans at a time. that money.” drinking on the towpath or action to remove the 30-odd cils seem to have a level of were revealed boaters, includ- "This is an issue about practi- At a meeting after the decision having more than a set num- boats which it claims are ille- hostility towards boaters not ing the National Bargee cality, because at the moment the boaters agreed to start a ber of dogs. gally moored on the seen before. Travellers Association (NBTA), it is unworkable." campaign looking at legal This latest attack is part of a warned that the plans were The city council leaders challenges to the PSPO, deteriorating relationship per- 'unworkable' and risked dis- claimed it was part of efforts recruiting national and local haps going back as far as the criminating against boaters. to tackle illegal mooring, support for their cause. sale of Jericho boatyard. More The council was told it was drunken antics and criminal Meanwhile the Cambridge recently, there has been facing a threat of legal action and environmental damage, Evening News reports that UMBEG (Unlawfully Moored over a proposed public while local boaters warned boats mooring on the Cam Boats Enforcement Group), an spaces protection order that measures would prevent face being slapped with a fine attempt by the Environment (PSPO), which would cover boaters from running engines, in an attempt to create an Agency, British Waterways, as the River Thames, the generators and stoves and 'effective deterrent to prevent it was then, and council work- Cherwell and Oxford Canal. "leave dozens of homes with- visitors from breaking the ing together to control moor- The boaters said the order out lighting or heating. rules'. ings. would criminalise 'normal and Councillor Colin Cook, ignored Visitors on the Cam will be UMBEG failed to do enough in necessary boating activities', the decision of the council's slapped with a fine if they stay the eyes of a small group of Initial victory for boaters came Scrutiny Committee and put more than six hours; with the councillors led by Deputy Lord when the council's scrutiny the PSPO back on the agenda council drawing a parallel with Mayor, Coun. Colin Cook who committee decided the PSPO with a public consultation cars parking on double yellow now apparently see a PSPO had serious flaws and should claiming, according to the lines. as the way forward. Oxford Mail: "Clearly there are Those mooring on designated some things that could be bays for visiting will be able to changed, but I do not think stay for no more than 48 that will be as complicated as hours. some people have made out. Currently boats that the coun- "The whole point of consulta- cil claims are moored illegally tions is to adapt your propos- only have to move on after a als before you implement legal eviction process in the them, based on people's courts. feedback and you have got to The local newspaper reports start somewhere." Coun Carina O'Reilly as say- Local boater and organiser of ing: “It doesn't actually have several meetings about the that much of a deterrent effect PSPO, Jon Ody said: “In 2010 because it's so slow.” Oxford City Council, led by "One of the reasons for bring- Jericho councillors Cook and ing this in is it creates that Pressell, secretly formed the deterrent. At the moment, we Unlawfully Moored Boats have no deterrent process.” Enforcement Group, which The council insists the new Above: The boaters plan for moorings at has spent £45,000 of taxpay- rule will not apply to locally Brentford Below:Boats moored at Watermans Boats on the River Cam in Cambrdige by ers money attempting to erad- registered boats under any Park on the Thames in Brentford © Thomas icate people living on boats in circumstances and that they Midsummer Common. ©Roger Kidd Nugent THE FLOATER Allan Richards investigates . .. April 2016 Page 2 Whatever happened to making money from C&RT friends? It now seems clear that the Canal and River Trust's Friends scheme is not making money but costing the Trust cash that is sorely needed to keep the system going, especially with millions more needed for flood repairs. Allan Richards looks at what has gone wrong. By Allan Richards Criminals to aid Montgomery restoration? The long term restoration of the Montgomery Canal could make extensive use of a hat is the purpose of C&RT ‘Community Payback’ Whaving a friends scheme? scheme. It has already been Surely the prime reason is to able to help with improving provide a significant income towpath surfaces and stream for the Trust. However, hedgerows on a half mile C&RT annual reports to date stretch in Shropshire. suggest that the Trust would be The Canal & River Trust, is much better off financially if it working with Warwickshire and West Mercia Community did not have friends. Rehabilitation Company To understand what has gone wrong Even the ‘prudent’ projec- (CRC) to carry out environ- we have to travel back in time to mental improvement work consider projected income from all tions of income from friends along a section of the dry charitable giving. don’t pan out when just a canal in a trial project. A year before the Trust was formed tenth of the target have been Ten supervised sessions will Head of Fundraising, Ruth allow the Trust to gauge the Ruderham, was recruited at a salary recruited.

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