MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Items in red are confidential
Minutes of a meeting of the Board of Trustees (the Trustees) of Canal & River Trust (the Trust) held on Thursday 18 July 2019 – 08.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m at the Loxley Suite Hilton Sheffield, Victoria Quays, Sheffield, S4 7YA
Present Allan Leighton, Chair Dame Jenny Abramsky, Trustee and Deputy Chair Nigel Annett CBE, Trustee Ben Gordon, Trustee Sir Chris Kelly, Trustee Jennie Price CBE, Trustee Sue Wilkinson, Trustee Sarah Whitney, Trustee
Apologies Janet Hogben, Trustee Tim Reeve, Trustee
In attendance Richard Parry, Chief Executive Julie Sharman, Chief Operating Officer Stuart Mills, Chief Investment Officer Sandra Kelly, Finance Director Heather Clarke, Strategy, Engagement and Impact Director Tom Deards, Company Secretary (minute taker) Simon Woods, Customer Service Manager (19/049 only)
19/043 APOLOGIES Apologies were received as noted above.
CHAIR’S WELCOME AND REMARKS The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting.
The Chair reported that notice of the meeting had been given to all Trustees entitled to receive it and that a quorum was present.
19/044 REGISTER OF INTERESTS AND DECLARATION OF INTERESTS IN ANY MATTER ON THE AGENDA
The attendees declared interests and set out in Information Report Trust420. No further declarations of interest were made.
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19/045 MINUTES AND SCHEDULE OF ACTIONS
The minutes of the Board of Trustees meeting held on 23 May 2019 were approved. Summary of actions arising from Board Meetings
All matters arising were in hand or on the agenda.
19/046 HEALTH & SAFETY REPORT [TRUST421]
JS talked through the report Trust421 which gave the Board a review of Health and Safety for the period May and June 2019.
19/047 STRATEGIC REVIEW [TRUST422]
The Chair asked for Trustee comments on report Trust 422 which provided the Board with an outline of current thinking and options for a review of the Trust’s current strategy.
19/048 APPROVAL OF 2018/19 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS [TRUST423]
The Board considered report Trust423.
Following discussion, the Board
Reviewed and commented on the Annual Report for the Trust and subject to amendments recommended them for signing by the Chair; Recommended for signature the letter of representation which is substantially unchanged from last year; Approved the accounts for the Investment Partnership for the year ended 31 March 2019 and delegated authority to the Finance Director to sign the accounts on behalf of the Trust as General Partner; Proposed the reappointment of BDO LLP as auditors for the Trust and its subsidiaries (except for Canal & River Reinsurance DAC) to Council and the appointment Mazars as auditors of Canal & River Reinsurance DAC.
19/049 CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTRE AWARD OF CONTRACT [TRUST424]
Simon Woods (Trust Customer Service Manager) joined the meeting to give a presentation to accompany report Trust424 which recommended to Trustees the award of a contract to OpenContact for the provision of Customer Contact Centre services.
(Simon Woods left the meeting).
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19/050 NATIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT EXTENSION OF CONTRACT [TRUST425]
The Board noted report Trust425 which related to the contract for the collection and disposal of waste from the Trust’s 300+ bin sites; provision of regular and “one-off” skip services; collection and disposal of hazardous waste; and removal of fly tipped waste.
The Board approved the recommendation to apply the option to extend the contract to October 2020.
19/051 THIRD PARTY DREDGING AWARD OF CONTRACT [TRUST426]
The Board noted report Trust426 which contained a recommendation to award a contract to Land and Water (LAW) and Ebsford for the provision of Third Party Funded Dredging Services and furthermore to award the first three funded known schemes totalling circa £2m to LAW.
RP agreed to take away the question of efficiency and effectiveness RP assurance for Trust dredging operations, for presentation to the Board at a future point.
The Board approved the contract award.
19/052 GOVERNANCE MATTERS FOR APPROVAL [TRUST427]
TD presented the report Trust427 which sets out the governance matters which require a decision or noting by the Board.
TD talked through highlights of the report.
Following discussion, the Board: Agreed the September Council AGM and Meeting draft agenda
Noted the current Trustee terms and recommended to September Council a change to the Trust’s Articles of Association to provide for an additional 3-year term for Trustees (i.e. up to a total of 9 years) with the Chair term unchanged.
Ratified the appointments and renewals/extensions for Members of the Regional Advisory Boards
Noted the clarification of the role of Trustees in respect of The Waterways Infrastructure Trust.
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Noted the update on the CIC review
Noted the analysis of Key Performance Measures in terms of the Trust’s charitable objects
Noted the Charity Commission response to the Oxfam Safeguarding scandal.
Approved the Flexible Apportionment Agreement for Scottish Canals and the Scottish Waterways Trust
Noted the imminent retirement of the representative of the Chair of the Waterways Pension Trustees Limited and the options for replacement or alternative Chair arrangements
19/054 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT [TRUST429]
The Board noted the Chief Executive’s Information Report Trust429 and the appendices which had been prepared by the Executive Directors.
RP took the Board through Appendix 1 – Key Performance Measures and Targets 2019/20 which included the newly agreed measures in a new format.
RP agreed to take away Trustee comments and refine the Key Performance RP Measures and Targets for the next Board meeting.
In relation to Appendix 2: Operations Report JS highlighted various items in her report including Improved rainfall but with restrictions still in place due to recent warmer and drier weather. JS confirmed that the Trust was looking ahead to improve long-term resilience of its hydrological units (e.g. carrying out improvements to leaking lock gates) BG/SWh provided some very good feedback from their visit to the Tees Barrage, which showed a different side of the Trust’s work and the importance of the structure to tidal flood defence in the Tees Valley area.
The Board noted Appendix 3: Asset Improvement Report
The Board noted Appendix 4: Investment and Commercial Report
The Board noted Appendix 5: People Report.
The Board noted Appendix 6: Strategy, Engagement and Impact Report
HC highlighted
Plastic Challenge – substantial media coverage to kick off the 3-year programme
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Trust prospectus on “Unlocking the potential of London’s canals and rivers” which set out how the Trust’s waterways support good growth, prosperity and wellbeing, to support the spatial planning agenda in London – HC had handed round copies to Trustees Recruitment of Youth Panel – HC hoped that Trustees would have a chance to meet Panel members at the September Council meeting. Six User to Supporter Priorities in Section 3.2 of the paper – HC confirmed her intention to provide an update on progress against these regularly to the Board Building affiliation – HC noted a number of potential sign ups Brand advertising campaign – regional TV coverage (outside London, on cost grounds) had started, with digital coverage starting next week. Air quality discussions with the Department of Transport and Defra – particularly around the use of diesel and wood burning fuel and stove use.
The Board noted Appendix 7: Risk Management
RP noted particularly an update to the Corporate Risk Register around climate change – division of underlying asset risk and operational impacts.
19/055 FINANCE DIRECTOR’S REPORT [TRUST430]
SK presented her Information Report Trust430 which was noted.
19/056 BOARD COMMITTEE MINUTES
The minutes of the Investment Committee Conference Call Meeting on 22 May 2019 were noted. The minutes of the Appointments Committee Meeting on 20 June 2019 were noted. The minutes of the Audit & Risk Committee meeting on 24 June were noted.
19/058 Close
Date of the next meeting – Friday 20 September 2019 (West Midlands – Birmingham) TD agreed to check scheduling, to ensure Board and Board Committee TD meetings were scheduled to at least the end of 2020. There being no further business, the Chair closed the meeting.
Chairman
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Board Meeting 18 July 2019 Information Report Trust421 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 for the period May and June 2019 unless stated otherwise. The report covers Visitors, Employees, Volunteers and Contractors. 2 SAFETY STATISTICS -APRIL TO JUNE 2019 2.1 The Trust’s overall 12-month RIDDOR accident frequency rate (AFR) at the end of June 2019 is 0.27, down from 0.29 at the end of April
TRUST People* AFR Target Employees 0.37 Volunteers 0.00 Contractors 0.08 Trust Overall 0.27 0.15
May June current Prior year RIDDOR INCIDENTS (YTD) 2019 YTD YTD Employees 1 3 2 Volunteers 0 0 1 Contractors 0 0 1 Totals 1 3 4
May June current Prior year Fatalities 2019 YTD YTD Canal 3 6 8 River 0 1 1 Dock Marina or Towpath 0 0 0 Totals 3 7 9
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3 SAFETY ACTION PROGRESS 3.1.1 The 2019/20 H&S improvement plan and Communication Programme continues to focus on accountability of line managers for the safety of themselves and their colleagues. Our ‘back to basics’ campaign launched in April continues with weekly and monthly safety communications to all colleagues. 3.2 We appointed Tribe culture change in June to support our safety improvement, they have commenced a H&S culture survey of colleagues and volunteers, in parallel they are holding a series of focus groups workshops across the Trust this month. An action plan will be developed in August with an update to Trustees at the September board meeting. 3.3 We completed our internal listening sessions with 179 colleagues in May who responded to the question ‘Why are incidents increasing? Why now?’ all the feedback gathered has been collated and shared with Tribe and our operational managers in regions and central teams. 3.4 The online self-audit tool ProEvaluate has been launched to Regional Directors and central department heads. The audit supports responsible managers with the questions to ask to provide them with assurance that our H&S management system is being followed. The output will inform the updating of local safety plans. We have also reignited regular safety audits throughout the Trust to a common format by line managers at all levels. 3.5 We are introducing our safety message Work Together work safely to all workwear from this month with the introduction of the new workwear provider.
3.6 During June we have started work with the web team to make changes to visibility and accessibility of the safety pages which will be more prominent on Gateway our intranet over the next month. 4 SAFETY REPORTS 4.1 FATALITIES 4.1.1 During May and June there have been a total of 3 fatalities reported on our waterways, 7 in the year to date comparing to a total of 7 in May/June last year and 9 from April to June Safety Report May/June 2019 2019/20 YTD 2018/19 YTD Fatalities 3 7 9
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4.1.2 Redacted. 4.1.3 Redacted. 4.1.4 Redacted. 4.2 RIDDOR Graph
4.3 EMPLOYEES 4.3.1 There has been 1 RIDDOR 4.3.2 Redacted 4.3.3 There have been 1 Marine Accident Investigation Branch reportable incident: 4.3.3.1 Redacted
4.3.4 Following the Occupational Health RIDDOR (HAVS) reported in February in the Wales and South West Region, HSE requested further information. This has been provided and HSE require no further action from us. 4.4 VOLUNTEERS 4.4.1 There has been no reportable injuries and 1 serious incident: 4.4.2 Redacted 4.5 CONTRACTORS 4.5.1 There have been no reportable injuries or serious incidents
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4.6 INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED INJURIES 4.6.1 There were 2 (5 YTD) Member of Public infrastructure related Injuries in the two month period (2018/19) and one alleged incident. 4.6.1.1 Redacted. 4.6.1.2 Redacted. 4.6.1.3 Redacted
4.7 POSITIVE INTERVENTIONS. 4.8 During May and June, we recorded 91 Positive Interventions; 124 near misses;, 149 Loss, Injury or Death reports; and 9 anti-social behaviour reports. Year to date and comparator figures are tabulated below.
Safety Report May/June 2019 2019/20 YTD 2018/19 YTD Positive Intervention Reports 91 126 - Near Miss Reports 124 199 170 Loss, Injury or Death Reports 149 215 135 Anti-Social Behaviour Reports 9 16 210 TOTALS 373 556 515
5 PUBLIC SAFETY 5.1 REDACTED 5.1.1 Redacted. 5.1.2 Redacted 5.1.3 Redacted 5.1.4 Redacted 5.1.5 Redacted. 5.2 INQUESTS 5.2.1 The inquest of Orlando Nyero (who died in June 2018) was concluded on 16th April 2019 with a verdict of accidental death. The Manchester coroner wrote to us and Manchester City Council with a letter of concern which have now responded to. He highlighted this death and the similarity in circumstances (young male, intoxicated location) with that of Charlie Pope. Our response highlights the actions we have implemented in response to the Rospa report (fence improvements, engagement, security improvement). The council have responded in line with our own letter.
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5.3 PONTCYSYLLTE AQUEDUCT 5.3.1 Our Project Manager has developed a draft brief for the consultants and will be consulting with stakeholders on the brief from July. A copy of the brief is attached for information. 5.4 VISITOR RISK ASSESSMENTS (VRAS) 5.4.1 All 22 visits of the test sites which are popular public sites have been completed as of the end of May. The report format has been proposed and needs to be finalised. Also the remaining reports are in the process of being written up. 5.4.2 A draft new public risk assessment standard has been drafted and once agreed, will be tested by our regions over the next 6 months, following which it will be finalised and issued.
6 HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS 6.1 Plan Do Check Act (HSE Guidance) 6.1.1 A year-long HAVs audit has commenced that will see 25 different groups and activities across the Trust, including volunteers, being tested with regards to line managers safeguarding our colleagues against developing HAVs. 6.1.2 A paper-based audit program has commenced in lieu of developing a digital form. This is to encourage Line Managers, in conjunction with local H&S Reps. This has been distributed to operative and other teams. 6.1.3 Internal guidance on ‘Safety Responsibilities – Line Manager’; ‘Safety Responsibilities – Senior Manager’ and ‘Safety Responsibilities – Trustee and Director’ are currently being agreed. These guides will clearly explain what actions and behaviours the Trust expects of these leaders in Safety. These will complement the new training programme which commences in July for all line managers and the executive 6.1.4 Learning from external sources included a meeting on the 8th May with the Scottish Canal’s safety team to exchange ideas and best practice; attending the government seminar on wellbeing in the workplace and; visiting the Safety and Health Expo in London. 6.1.5 The COO has met with the head of H&S at Arcadis to share best practice. 6.1.6 An MCA audit took place at West India Dock. No non-conformance reports were raised.
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H&S Report Appendix
SAFETY REPORTS SUMMARY FOR MAY – JUNE
Positive What Happened Intervention Near Miss Loss or Injury Grand Total Accidental damage property/asset/equipment 17 27 29 73 Animal/insect incident 1 5 3 9 Boat sink/capsize/hangup 6 8 11 25 Electrical contact/discharge 0 3 0 3 Exposure to harmful substance 1 3 1 5 Fall from height 3 6 11 20 Fire/explosion incident 2 1 0 3 Handling, lifting or carrying 6 4 6 16 Hit by moving, falling object or vehicle 3 10 7 20 Hit something fixed or stationary 0 4 13 17 Injured by vegetation / plants 1 7 5 13 Injury from machinery / equipment 2 5 6 13 Personal Protective Equipment 18 1 2 21 Road traffic incident 1 6 7 14 Slipped, tripped or fell on same level 9 23 26 58 SSoW (safe systems of work) 14 3 1 18 Structural or equipment failure 3 6 5 14 Threatening/aggressive behaviour towards Colleague(s) 0 0 4 4 Threatening/aggressive behaviour 0 2 12 14 Training/Competence 2 0 0 2 Injured by vegetation/plants 1 0 0 1 Housekeeping Issue 1 0 0 1 Grand Total 91 124 149 364
Note compared to the table in 4.8 this list excludes Antisocial behaviour reports
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POSITIVE INTERVENTIONS FOR MAY – JUNE
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NEAR MISS REPORTS MAY – JUNE
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INCIDENT REPORTS MAY – JUNE
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Board Meeting 18 July 2019 Information/Decision Report Trust427 Confidential Wording in Red
GOVERNANCE MATTERS FOR APPROVAL 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 Trustees are invited to: 2.1.1 Agree the September Council AGM and Meeting draft agenda (Section 3) 2.1.2 Note the current Trustee terms redacted (Section 4) 2.1.3 Ratify the appointments and renewals/extensions for Members of the Regional Advisory Boards (Section 5) 2.1.4 Note the clarification of the role of Trustees in respect of The Waterways Infrastructure Trust (Section 6) 2.1.5 Note the update on the CIC review (Section 7) 2.1.6 Note the analysis of Key Performance Measures in terms of the Trust’s charitable objects (Section 8) 2.1.7 Note the Charity Commission response to the Oxfam Safeguarding scandal redacted (Section 9) 2.1.8 Approve the Flexible Apportionment Agreement for Scottish Canals and the Scottish Waterways Trust (Section 10) 2.1.9 Note the imminent retirement of the representative of the Chair of the Waterways Pension Trustees Limited and the options for replacement or alternative Chair arrangements (Section 11).
3. AGREEMENT OF THE SEPTEMBER COUNCIL AGENDA 3.1 The next Council meeting will be held on Thursday 19 September 2019. This will also be the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Trust. The draft agenda is set out in Appendix 1.
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3.2 Following positive feedback from Council members after the March meeting open discussion/debate on “sharing the towpath”, it is proposed that a further discussion (following a similar format) is held on the topic of “youth engagement”. 3.3 Further changes to the Trust’s Rules are proposed, to amend nominated and elected member constituencies in advance of the upcoming Council elections, following the Appointments Committee’s meeting on 20 June. 3.4 A copy of the draft Council Election Regulations approved by the Appointments Committee and proposed for inclusion in the September Council papers is included at Appendix 2.
4. TRUSTEE TERMS 4.1 A table of current Trustee terms is included in Appendix 3. 4.2 5 Trustees (including the Chair and Deputy Chair) are due to complete first terms in September 2019 and proposed to be reappointed for second terms at the September Council Annual General Meeting. 4.3 Redacted. 4.4 Redacted. 4.5 Redacted.
5. REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARDS 5.1 Five of the 6 Boards are now advertising for new members: East Midlands, London & South East, South West, West Midlands, Yorkshire & North East. 5.2 A full list of Regional Advisory Board Members and their terms of office is included as Appendix 4. 5.3 New Member Appointments and Renewals 5.3.1 East Midlands Andy Oughton, 1st term 3 years to 30 June 2022 Redacted. 5.3.2 London & South East Louis Howell, 1st term 3 years to 30 June 2022 Redacted 5.3.3 David Brough, 1st term 3 years to 31 July 2022 Redacted 5.3.4 South West David Fearns, 1st term 3 years to 31 May 2022
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6. ROLE OF TRUSTEES IN RESPECT OF THE WATERWAYS INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST 6.1 The annual review of Trust subsidiaries was reported to the Audit & Risk Committee on 24 June. 6.2 At the meeting further clarification was requested in relation to the role of Trustees with respect to the Waterways Infrastructure Trust (WIT). 6.3 Redacted. 6.4 Redacted. 6.5 Redacted 6.6 Redacted. 6.7 Redacted. 6.8 Redacted 6.9 Redacted 6.10 Redacted 6.11 Redacted
7. CIC REVIEW 7.1 A report on the Trust’s relationship with the CIC was also provided to the Committee, as part of the subsidiary review, in light of the recently published Charity Commission Guidance for Charities with a Connection to Non-Charities. 7.2 Redacted 7.3 Redacted. 7.4 Redacted
8. KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES and CHARITABLE OBJECTS 8.1 A request was made at the May Board to set out the Key Performance Measures agreed in May against the Trust’s charitable objects. 8.2 A table of the Key Performance Measures with relevant Trust charitable objects (for both the Trust and the WIT) is set out in Appendix 6. 8.3 Redacted
9. CHARITY COMMISSION RESPONSE TO OXFAM SAFEGUARDING SCANDAL 9.1 The Charity Commission has published its response to the 2018 Oxfam Safeguarding scandal. A summary of the response is included at Appendix 7 9.2 The main findings were as follows:
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9.2.1 Although the trustees had not ignored safeguarding, Oxfam’s culture and response fell short of expectations in terms of resources committed and executive implementation, 9.2.2 Trustee delegation was not accompanied by effective oversight, assurance and accountability mechanisms, for example through specialist committees, internal audit, meaningful briefing and executive reports 9.2.3 There was limited evidence of reporting to drive effective management of strategic, thematic/tactical and performance matters in respect of safeguarding – for example there was no measurement of safeguarding against strategic or operational key performance targets and no regular structured quality assurance or audit reports presented on safeguarding case management or compliance with policies and standard 9.2.4 The importance of responsible behaviours and conduct was not embedded in Oxfam’s daily activities across the organisation and it work and people. This led to a workforce that was not empowered or confident enough to challenge poor behaviours and a lack of confidence in management and systems for reporting concerns 9.3 The Government has noted the Charity Commission’s report and intends to follow- up the recommendations with Oxfam. 9.4 Redacted 9.5 Redacted. 9.6 Redacted.
10. FLEXIBLE APPORTIONMENT ARRANGEMENT – SCOTTISH CANALS AND THE SCOTTISH WATERWAYS TRUST 10.1 The Trust is the principal employer of the Waterways Pension Fund (WPF), in which both Scottish Canals and Scottish Waterways Trust (SWT) are members. Scottish Canals currently acts as a guarantor for SWT liabilities 10.2 SWT is to cease trading this year and consequently will withdraw from the WPF, triggering section 75 of the Pensions Act 1995 (known as a section 75 debt), whereby payment of outstanding liabilities is calculated on a buyout basis 10.3 SWT has insufficient funds to be able to meet such a debt and consequently this debt is to be apportioned to Scottish Canals, though a flexible apportionment agreement (“FAA”). 10.4 The Trustees of the Waterways Pension Trustees Limited are satisfied with this apportionment, given that Scottish Canals is a statutory body and part of Scottish Government and, therefore, it is extremely unlikely that such a debt would not be met. 10.5 The FAA has already been signed by the WPF trustees, Scottish Canals and SWT. Once the FAA is fully executed, WPF trustees will notify the Pension Regulator.
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10.6 Under paragraph 18 of the Scheme of Delegation, significant matters relating to the Waterways Pension Fund are generally reserved to the Board. 10.7 Approval is, therefore, sought to enter into the FAA and authorise the Finance Director to sign on behalf of the Trust.
11. APPOINTMENT OF A NEW CHAIR OF TRUSTEES FOR THE WATERWAYS PENSION FUND 11.1 Giles Craven, the long-standing individual representative of the current Chair (Best Trustees PLC) of Waterways Pension Trustees Limited (WPTL – the Trustee of the Waterways Pension Fund) is due to retire next March. 11.2 Rather than find another representative, WPTL are proposing to ask Best Trustees PLC to resign with a view to appointing an individual chair, as permitted by the Articles of Association of WPTL (on the basis that there will still be at least one-third of member-nominated directors). 11.3 Assuming that the Board is content with this approach, the process will be commenced to source such an individual replacement for subsequent Board appointment.
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17th COUNCIL MEETING AND 7TH AGM To be held on Thursday 19 September 2019, 1330-1630 at IET Austin Court, 80 Cambridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2NP
DRAFT AGENDA
The Council meeting is preceded by the Canal & River Trust Annual Public Meeting in the Kingston Theatre at Austin Court, 1030-1230 (preceded by refreshments in The Waterside Room from 0945)
From 1230 – Council members are invited to join the APM guests for lunch in The Waterside Room
1330 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
1. Apologies Allan Leighton - Chair
2. Minutes of the 6th AGM held on 26 September 2018 Allan Leighton - Chair
Notes of the 16th Council Meeting held 20 March 2019, for agreement, and Matters Arising
3. Matters arising from the Annual Public Meeting Allan Leighton - Chair
1340 ITEMS FOR DECISION (on which properly appointed proxies will be allowed to vote)
4. To receive the Appointments Committee Report Dame Jenny Abramsky - Chair of Appointments Committee
5. To receive and consider the Trustees’ Annual Report & Allan Leighton – Chair Accounts for the period ended 31 March 2019, together with the Auditors’ report
6. Rotation of Trustees Allan Leighton – Chair
7. To reappoint BDO LLP as auditors and to authorise the Allan Leighton Chair Trustees to fix their remuneration
1400 ITEMS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (Tea 1515-1535)
8. Youth Engagement Debate Lead? Louis Howell, Co-opted Council Member for Youth
9. [Any other topic for presentation?]
1615 STANDING ITEMS
10. Council Member Contributions Allan Leighton - Chair
1630 CLOSE
11. Date of Next Meeting:
Thursday 26 March 2020 – Yorkshire & North East (Leeds tbc)
Company Number: 7807276
CANAL & RIVER TRUST NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
NOTICE IS GIVEN that the seventh annual general meeting of Canal & River Trust (“the Trust”) will be held at the IET Austin Court, 80 Cambridge Street, Birmingham, B1 2NP, on Thursday 19 September 2019 commencing at 1330 (or as soon as convenient thereafter) for the following purposes:
1. To receive the Appointments Committee Report.
2. To receive and consider the Trust’s accounts for the period ended 31 March 2019 together with the Trustees’ report and Auditors’ report.
3. To agree Trustees’ rotation: [info be inserted]
4. To reappoint BDO LLP as auditors and to authorise the Trustees to fix their remuneration.
NOTES:
Report & Accounts Copies may be found online at https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/annual-report-and- accounts [Add/check link]. Hard copies will be available at the meeting or may be requested in advance by sending a request to [email protected] or by calling 0303 040 4040.
Trustee Biographies Information about Trustees may be found at page xx of the Report & Accounts.
Appointment of Proxies Any member of the Trust (a ‘Council member’) is entitled to appoint another person as his or her proxy to exercise all or any of his or her rights to attend and speak and vote at a meeting of the Trust. A proxy must vote in accordance with any instructions given by the Council member by whom the proxy is appointed.
The proxy may be the Chairman of the meeting or any other person the Council member wishes to appoint and need not be a Council member. A proxy notice must be given in writing and must contain all the information in the form of the notice attached. It should be sent by post or electronically to the Assistant Company Secretary to the Trust at the address given in that form to arrive not less than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays) before the meeting.
Tom Deards Secretary to the Trust Xx 2019
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF PROXY
I, ______, being a member of Canal & River Trust, APPOINT (Full name) either (1) the Chairman of the meeting [delete if not applicable]; or (2) NAME: ______
ADDRESS: ______
______
______to be my proxy in my name and to attend on my behalf upon any matter proposed at the annual general meeting of Canal & River Trust to be held on 19 September 2019 or at any adjournment of that meeting and to vote either (a) in such manner as my proxy shall think proper [delete if not applicable] or (b) to vote on the business proposed to be submitted as follows (and if expedient demand a poll):
i. To receive the Appointments Committee Report
FOR / AGAINST [delete as applicable]
ii. To receive the Report and Accounts for the period ending 31 March 2019
FOR / AGAINST [delete as applicable]
iii. To agree Trustee rotation: [Add info]
FOR / AGAINST [delete as applicable]
iv. To re-appoint BDO LLP as Auditors and to authorise the Trustees to fix their remuneration:
FOR / AGAINST [delete as applicable]
Notice giving all the above information should be sent
either electronically to [email protected]
or by post to: Yetunde Salami Assistant Company Secretary Canal & River Trust Station House 500 Elder Gate MILTON KEYNES MK9 1BB in either case to arrive by 11:45 on Tuesday 17 September 2019.
If the notice is sent by post it should be signed by the Council member giving the Notice; if sent electronically it should be sent from the email address registered with the Trust.
Canal & River Trust Regional Advisory Board Membership Appendix to Governance Board Report 18 July 2019
Key Name Term Firstname Keyname Start Date End Date Regional Advisory Board - East Midlands 1st Term Anil Majithia 02-May-2018 30-Jun-2021 Andy Oughton 17-Jun-2019 30-Jun-2022 Jane Stubbs 21-Mar-2019 31-Mar-2022 Ahtesham Mahmood 30-Nov-2018 30-Nov-2021 2nd Term Kathryn Dodington 02-Sep-2017 02-Sep-2020 Shirley Rogers 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 1st Term Extended Tim Carter 09-Dec-2015 30-Dec-2019 Regional Advisory Board - London & South East 1st Term David Brough 01-Jul-2019 31-Jul-2022 Emma Waslin 15-Mar-2017 15-Mar-2020 Jenny Ballinger 19-Sep-2016 19-Sep-2019 William Atkinson 02-May-2018 30-Jun-2021 Louis Howell 01-Jul-2019 31-Jul-2022 1st Term Extended Dermot O'Brien 21-Jan-2016 30-Jan-2020 Dominic Pinto 18-Nov-2015 30-Nov-2019 Matthew Hunt 13-Jun-2019 30-Jun-2020 3rd Term Dick Pilkinton 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Jim Crooks 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Regional Advisory Board - North West 1st Term Gerry Proctor 05-May-2017 05-May-2020 John Hatton 04-Jun-2018 29-Mar-2020 Nigel Weatherill 08-Mar-2019 28-Feb-2022 2nd Term Nicholas Mead 14-Nov-2017 14-Nov-2020 Peter Jordan 14-Nov-2017 14-Nov-2020 Rowlinson 04-Jun-2018 14-Nov-2019 3rd Term Audrey Smith 14-Nov-2017 14-Nov-2020 Keith Sexton 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2020 Tayo Adebowale 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Iain Taylor 04-Jun-2018 30-Apr-2022 Regional Advisory Board - South West 1st Term David Fearns 31-May-2019 31-May-2021 Tamsin Phipps 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 2nd Term David Hagg 19-Jun-2018 31-Mar-2021 Ken Oliver 24-Jan-2017 24-Jan-2020 3rd Term Edward Helps 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Lois Francis 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Robert Moreland 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2021 Regional Advisory Board - West Midlands 1st Term Imran Mirza 01-Mar-2018 01-Mar-2021 John McNicholas 01-Mar-2018 01-Mar-2021 Hudson 08-Oct-2018 30-Jun-2021 Helen Paterson 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Waseem Zaffar 31-Mar-2019 31-Mar-2022 2nd Term Adam C Boyle 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Ewan Hamnett 31-Mar-2019 31-Mar-2022 John Yates 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Philip Bateman 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Regional Advisory Board - Yorkshire & North East 1st Term Adrian Curtis 27-Apr-2017 27-Apr-2020 Caroline Schwaller 13-Jul-2018 30-Jun-2021 2nd Term Caroline Thorogood 31-Oct-2018 31-Oct-2021 Richard Atkinson 14-Nov-2016 14-Nov-2019 3rd Term Hilary Brooke 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2020 Robin Stonebridge 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2021 Trevor Roberts 30-Apr-2019 30-Apr-2022 Oxfam: case report - GOV.UK Page 1 of 4
GOV.UK
1. Home (https://www.gov.uk/) 2. Charity case report: Oxfam (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-case-report-oxfam)
1. (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission)
Decision Oxfam: case report
Published 19 December 2017
Contents
1. About the charity 2. Why the Commission got involved 3. The action we took 4. What we found 5. Our conclusions 6. Impact of our involvement 7. Lessons for other charities
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-case-report-oxfam... 11/07/2019 Oxfam: case report - GOV.UK Page 2 of 4
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-case-report- oxfam/oxfam-case-report
1. About the charity
Oxfam’s objects are to prevent and relieve poverty and to protect the vulnerable anywhere in the world. Oxfam furthers its objects through interlinked activities of humanitarian relief, development work and advocacy and campaigning. Oxfam is an affiliate member of Oxfam International.
Further information about the charity can be obtained from the Commission’s register of charities (http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx? RegisteredCharityNumber=202918&SubsidiaryNumber=0).
2. Why the Commission got involved
We engaged with Oxfam over its handling of a number of concerning allegations about recent and non-recent safeguarding incidents involving senior programme staff, including allegations of sexual harassment of other staff. Our case focused on establishing how the charity manages safeguarding, including its response to such individual allegations. This has included considering the steps the trustees take to ensure all people who come into contact with the charity, including its staff and volunteers, are protected from harm and distress.
3. The action we took
We conducted a detailed review of relevant records relating to the charity’s strategic and day to day management of safeguarding, including related HR matters, and its handling of allegations of incidents involving staff. We also met with the charity’s senior leadership, including its chief executive, and safeguarding managers to discuss our concerns, and to learn more about the
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charity’s approach, policies and practices around safeguarding and related HR matters. This included reviewing and understanding the mechanisms in place to enable effective trustee oversight over policy, practice and emerging trends in this area.
4. What we found
Oxfam cooperated fully with us. We established that the charity has a strong policy framework around protecting staff and beneficiaries from sexual exploitation and abuse, which is underpinned by the activities of a dedicated safeguarding unit. We also saw evidence of several examples of best practice including the publishing of data and trends about allegations of sexual abuse or exploitation against Oxfam staff and partners.
Many of the allegations reported against senior country staff relating to sexual abuse and exploitation were not substantiated, and the Commission has seen no indication to suggest that the risks to staff at Oxfam are any greater than those facing staff in other similar organisations. However, there clearly have been incidents of behaviour that did not meet the organisation’s culture and values and which have brought into question how confident trustees could be in the charity’s wider people management systems.
We also identified some weaknesses in how trends in safeguarding allegations were picked up, reported to trustees and management follow up properly agreed.
5. Our conclusions
The public hold charities to high standards and expect them to be safe environments so that all who come into contact with them, including a charity’s own staff, are protected from harm and distress.
In engaging with Oxfam following allegations of exploitation and abuse, we have found that the charity does demonstrate elements of good practice in its safeguarding management and how it responds to allegations. But we concluded there is further work for the charity to do to in respect of HR culture, and the overall governance and management of safeguarding in the charity. The Commission considers that the charity needs to be more mindful of the allocation of resources which enables an appropriate balance between proactive and preventative activity and the investigation of individual allegations.
6. Impact of our involvement
The charity has taken swift steps to improve its case management systems and reporting to ensure incidents and trends will now be fully transparent, tracked and reported internally, and externally wherever appropriate. Additionally, as a result of our engagement, the charity has committed to:
• an externally led review of its HR culture, to ensure senior programme staff are recruited, trained and managed and supported in a way that ensures that they live the organisation’s values, as well as complying with all relevant laws • extending the terms of reference for an existing independently led governance review to ensure that trustees have appropriate information, oversight and accountability on safeguarding matters
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• review organisation structures, management reporting lines and resourcing to support the effective delivery of the organisation’s safeguarding objectives • ensure that an effective safeguarding management framework is developed where the charity has shared responsibilities in the Oxfam confederation, in particular with Oxfam International
The Commission expects the charity to report back on its progress by the end of March 2018.
We consider that there will be wider lessons to learn for the sector from this work and intend to publish a further case report in 2018 on the conclusion of our engagement with Oxfam on this matter.
7. Lessons for other charities
The Charity Commission’s recently updated safeguarding strategy makes clear that safeguarding should be a key governance priority for all charities, not just those working with groups traditionally considered at risk. We have published an alert, reminding charities how important it is to provide a safe and trusted environment and safeguard anyone who comes into contact with it including beneficiaries, staff and volunteers.
The alert reminds charities of the importance of ensuring that:
• the charity’s culture prioritises safeguarding so that it is safe for those affected to come forward and report incidents and concerns with the assurance they will be handled sensitively and properly • there are measures in place to protect people and adequate safeguarding procedures and policies • there is clarity about how incidents and allegations will be handled should they arise, such as reporting to the relevant authorities, including the Commission.
The Commission is also reminding charities that trustees are ultimately responsible for safeguarding. That means that they are accountable if something goes wrong in a charity, and are expected to take responsibility for putting things right.
The full alert and the Commission’s safeguarding strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategy-for-dealing-with-safeguarding-issues-in-charities) are available on gov.uk.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charity-case-report-oxfam... 11/07/2019 Board Meeting 18 July 2019 Information Report Trust429 Items in Red Confidential CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report covers the period to the end of May, with more recent updates where available.
2. INTERNAL MATTERS 2.1 As the Board is aware, the new Trust’s new Finance Director (Steve Dainty) has been appointed and will start with us in September, before the next meeting. The Board is also aware that the Director, Wales and South West left the Trust at the beginning of July. An interim arrangement is in place with Jon Horsfall covering the role, pending a permanent appointment.
2.2 Redacted.
3. EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT 3.1 Redacted
3.2 Redacted
4. PERFORMANCE 4.1 Appendix 1 sets out our performance against the current set of KPIs for the first two months of the year. This is in a new form and reflects the new set of KPIs agreed by the Board. Of particular note, the new Engagement Monitoring survey (without the large re-weighting applied by the former agency) shows a very marked increase in visitor numbers, and linked to that, higher awareness scores also. We don’t propose to adjust historical data and will instead be transparent about the change of underlying approach. We have sought advice from across the research sector (including from other large survey managers and expert bodies like the Royal Statistical Society) and they have all expressed some concern at the previous re-weighting, mostly supporting our view that the data should be adjusted as little as possible.
4.2 The most significant results to date are the new results for customer (boater) satisfaction from our new Monthly tracking survey, and the more frequent colleague engagement survey.
The Boater survey now sources around 600-800 responses each month to give us a more immediate response to their recent customer experience. At 67% for the year to date, this shows a rise on last year’s satisfaction measure (61%) but also shows the room for improvement if we are to reach the target.
The Colleague ‘Pulse’ survey – with four waves through the year based on smaller sample sizes to give a more regular check on engagement – has also just reported its first wave and this shows employee engagement at 64% (based on around 300
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colleagues), down 1% on last year (perhaps still reflecting the residual impact of the recent re-structure), and volunteer engagement at 76%, down slightly on previous results – an indication that the restructure has impacted on volunteers as well.
5. EXECUTIVE REPORTS 5.1 The Executive’s reports feature as Appendices 2 to 7, with a Risk appendix (8) to update on recent changes. Most now include a ‘what’s gone well, what are we most concerned about’ overview. The Health & Safety Report has been combined with the summary at the top of the agenda so no longer features here.
Chief Executive July 2019
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Key Performance Measures and Targets – 2019/20 *See Appendix for key Note Full year Prior year MEASURES FOR SUCCESS (KPIs) FOR NATIONAL & May target actual REGIONAL REPORTING YTD
2019/20 2019/20 2018/19 № of users & visitors to 4.1 million Visitor our waterways in typical 6.0 million 2 4.3 million users / Volume two-week period within 1 visitors specified period Growing the Towpath User number & 2 88.2% 92% 92% Satisfaction satisfaction of Satisfaction Rating users & visitors (user & visitor Boater Satisfaction 2 1 67% 73% 61% experience)
Public № of reported incidents Improving our 2 2 27 28 Safety due to infrastructure public safety and
health & safety Safety of Combined employee, volunteer/ contractor 2 of our our 2 0.27 0.15 0.29 RIDDOR accident colleagues Colleagues frequency rating
Good overall A combination of the new waterway Asset asset condition score (0 condition to 100) & the N/a 3 Establishing Health 50.22 New KPI (assets, water, consequence of failure (1 the Baseline Index heritage/ to 5)) with 0 being environment) excellent
1 We changed supplier for the WEM earlier this year and the data has been rebased (final approach has yet to be finalised)
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Full year Prior year MEASURES FOR SUCCESS (KPIs) FOR NATIONAL & REGIONAL Note May YTD target actual REPORTING
2019/20 2019/20 2018/19 % of local people (living within 1km / 10-15 mins walk) Being inclusive - 2 Local Users using our waterways 29.5% 32% 30% Growing the number & BAME regularly of local users & Participation BAME (1km) % of local people specifically participation*** from local BAME Being Being N/a 19.4% communities using our determined determined waterways regularly Value of % of people living within 1km Waterways corridor recognise the value 2 67.8% 67% 64% of waterways Being relevant & (1km) valued locally Personal safety/security Feel Safe by rating of our waterways by N/a Being Being 81.3% Water local people living within 1km/ determined determined 10-15 mins walk) Growing our brand awareness, Brand % of prompted awareness of 39.4% (all) 45% (all) 38%(all) particularly those Awareness the Trust among total 2 51.3% (1km) 54% (1km) 50%(1km) living within 1km of (All & 1km) population & local people our waterways 423,000 № of Supporters (active & supporters 2 466,000 480,000 Building a strong passive) across all Supporter and broad supporter channels Growth 28,580 base № of active Friends & other 2 29,553 35,000 active regular individual donors Friends
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Full Prior year MEASURES FOR SUCCESS (KPIs) FOR NATIONAL & Note May YTD year actual REGIONAL REPORTING target 2019/20 2019/20 2018/19 % of recruitment Improving our 2 colleague Diversity colleagues from BAME 6.01% 6.5% 5.9% background engagement & Colleague engagement diversity of those Colleague 2 64% 68% 65% score Engagement working & volunteering for (Employees/ Volunteers 2 76% 80% 78% the Trust Volunteers) Expanding our Active № of volunteer hours 84,5892 725,000 671,840 volunteer base / 2 Volunteers & № of active volunteers 3,6083 impact Towpath Towpath condition graded Annual KPI ≥80.0% 80.8% Condition C or better N/a Defra Waterway Principal Principal assets grade C or Targets – 2 86.8% ≥86.5% 86.8% improving our Assets better waterways/assets Flood Condition of flood management assets N/a Annual KPI ≥99.0% 99.0% Management graded C or better
2 There is no concern currently that the target of 725,000 will not be met, current actuals appear low due to the lag in time recording
3 The way of calculating No of active volunteers is to be confirmed, this value is individuals who’ve volunteered as little as 1 hour in the past 12 months.
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Full Prior Note year year MEASURES FOR SUCCESS (KPIs) FOR NATIONAL & F2 full year target actual REGIONAL REPORTING forecast
2019/20 2019/20 2018/19 Forecast annual total Property 2 Portfolio return on our property 3.4% 3.4% 7.5% portfolio Non-property Forecast annual net total 2 Investments return on non-property 6.3% 6.3% 5.9% portfolio
Total Return Five year rolling total 4 return on the endowment 2 8.6% 6.8% 11.8% Financial Measures portfolio CPI+5% Non- Non-investment income to
investment grow at greater than 6.7% 5 2 2.8% 5.7% CPI+1% on a five-year Income CPI+1% rolling annualised basis Support Costs Forecast support costs 2 8.2% share of total cost 8.2% 8.3%
4 Target was 6.4% - CPI + 5%
5 Target was 2.4% - CPI + 1%
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On track to achieve full year target Risk that full year target may not be achieved Unlikely that full year target will be achieved/full year will not be achieved
1 2 Measure stays at red/green/amber (number of months shown in centre) 2
Measure moves up to green/amber, having been red/amber
Measure moves down to red/amber, having been amber/green. N/a Measure not due for this reporting period
Note 1. Boater satisfaction: Recent changes to license fees, concerns about maintenance of the network, water resources and the perceived issues relating to the cost of the Trust’s rebranding appear to have impacted on boater satisfaction 2. Health & safety: whilst there is a reduction from the year AFR, this higher than target figure means that performance has to be <0.13 for the remaining months for the target to be achieved which is challenging so there is a risk the target will be missed. 3. Waterway condition: This new measure will change as we continue to measure this as a result of adding additional assets and assessing calibration of the new asset models
Page 5 Trustees Meeting 18 July 2019 Information Report Trust429 Text in red confidential APPENDIX 2: 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 GONE WELL, NOT SO WELL 2.1 Positives; 2.1.1 Rainfall has considerably eased our concerns regarding potential canal closures in the south the water supply for the rest of the season should be secured. 2.1.2 Reopening of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Burnley and the Peak Forest Canal at Marple 2.1.3 Progress on interim appointments in L&SE. 2.2 Challenges: 2.2.1 Redacted 2.2.2 Unplanned closures on the Rochdale Canal 3.1.2, Llangollen Canal 3.1.3 and closures on the K&A canal at Caen Hill Flight due to one of the main pumps failing 3.2.1. 3. OPERATIONS 3.1 Operational incidents 3.1.1 L&SE -have successfully passed the docklands MCA oil response audit with no non- conformances which is an excellent achievement with all the current challenges. 3.1.2 Rochdale Canal Lock 66 (NW) gate quoin failure, resulting in a 3 week closure whilst the gate was lifted out and rebuilt at our workshop. The canal reopened 5th July. An investigation into how it failed is ongoing following a post incident report from a customer. 3.1.3 Llangollen Canal Closure (WM) following a period of heavy rainfall a small embankment destabilised between Bridge 22 and Marbury lock. Stabilization works are now complete, restricted passages started on Monday 24th June with the canal reopened on the 27th June, works continued for a further week before restrictions were fully removed. 3.1.4 Aire & Calder (Y&NE) a SCADA alarm at the end of May alerted the team to a sudden drop in water level between Fishpond Lock and Woodlesford Lock. The overflow weir just above Woodlesford Lock was leaking badly and the canal level was dropping quickly so an emergency canal closure was issued. The region and Direct Services worked together to repair the weir and the canal reopened. 3.1.5 Woverley Landslip – Following a burst Severn Trent water main causing a large landslip into the Staffs & Worcestershire canal back in March and resulting in the canal being closed for two weeks, daily two-man visits by the customer ops team to supervise boats Page | 1
through are still ongoing. The Trust has arranged a meeting with Worcester CC on repair proposals and Trusts costs are being recorded and will be claimed back. 3.2 Water Management – Water resources 3.2.1 K&A Water Resources - Limited water resources due to lack of rainfall, combined with a pump failure at Caen Hill on Thursday 21st June, mean that it has become necessary to restrict navigation over the summit of the Canal. The affected area stretches from the bottom of Caen Hill Flight to the bottom of Crofton flight. The pump has gone for repair with a lead time on replacement parts meaning that repairs should be complete by 19th July. Meanwhile restrictions remain in place. The 2 pumps which supply this lock flight are bespoke to order and therefore not readily available to hire. 3.2.2 Restrictions - Leeds & Liverpool Canal –some restrictions have been lifted following the rainfall in June, others remain in place. Similarly, on the Oxford & Grand Union (Ox&GU) hydrological unit, resources have improved with holdings now at 80% full. Careful water management is still required and we are keeping all restrictions under regular review. 4. ORGANISATION 4.1.1 Jon Horsfall is interim Regional Director for Wales & South West whilst permanent recruitment is underway. He continues to cover his substantive role as head of customer service support. 4.1.2 The restructure is largely complete with only a few outstanding colleagues unplaced. 4.1.3 Matthew Symonds has been appointed as the Trusts National Leisure Boating Manager. 4.1.4 L&SE - Extensive recruitment activity has been taking place with interim and permanent positions filled. A successful recruitment campaign has secured: General Manager/Harbour Master for the Central/Docklands team, H&E manager, Interim Community engagement and event support and two Community Roots co-ordinators. Recruitment continues for the remaining permanent positions including 3 of the 6 senior management positions within the team. 4.1.5 Our external recruitment has been particularly successful in the EM with several new excellent appointments. We are in the process of recruiting 12 Area Operations Managers across all regions and several other vacancies in the regional structures. 5. STRATEGIC PROGRAMMES - DELIVERING THE SERVICE 5.1 Beauty on the Doorstep 5.1.1 Green flag Award progress: 5.1.1.1 We have received embargoed confirmation of Green Flag awards for the Erewash Canal, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Stonebridge lock, on the Lea Navigation and Hanwell Locks on the GU canal. We were unsuccessful in Sheffield but this was expected and gives us feedback to respond to and we will submit again next year. 5.1.2 W&SW held study days across the region for four of our (K&A communities, Mon & Brec, G&S and B&T water activity) strategic programmes. The events presented the opportunity for key stakeholders to engage with us and learn more about our aims and aspirations for their local waterway. At each event we presented a briefing on the programme, our waterway and wellbeing mission and the upcoming projects we will be working on over the next three years. As a result we are currently developing action Page | 2
plans incorporating feedback from each session, which outline our future aspirations for engagement with partners within W&SW 5.1.3 The Hinterlands Phase 2 part of the Beauty on the Doorstep strategic programme (W&SW) started in May with Creative Director Melissa Appleton returning to lead phase 2. The programme funded via Arts Council Wales will continue until autumn 2020. 5.1.4 Communities on the Western Kennet & Avon Canal (W&SW). Following the Trustees visit we have met up with key contacts including the police, councils and local communities on several occasions. We have put together a draft leaflet explaining what we plan to do to make the space between Bradford on Avon and Bath a beautiful place that all users can enjoy. This leaflet includes four areas that we intend to work on; clear towpaths, out of hours contacts for anti-social behaviour, and bringing extra staff into the area to increase the presence on the towpath. 5.1.5 Leicester National Citizen Service (NCS) - The EM team are currently preparing for the upcoming NCS programme in Leicester, engaging with local young people to help deliver a series of plastic waste projects on the waterways in the city. The project will involve working with the community to tackle and highlight the plastic waste issues in the city, promoting the Trust and raising the profile of the charities work to tackle plastics pollution. The project will be pitched to 900 young people in 6 project phases. if successful this would lead to up to 90 young volunteers delivering the project and promoting the Trust’s work in Leicester – delivering over 5,500 volunteer hours. 5.1.6 In WM as part of the strategic programme in the city centre for beauty on the doorstep the local team have engaged a local lead graffiti artist and using his influence we set up a working agreement to allow the artists to create their murals along a select length of the canal. in exchange they have agreed to keep other walls and structures clear of graffiti and remove any new graffiti which arises. To complement this working arrangement the lead graffiti artist has painted our community litter boat. We have successful secured a number of corporate volunteering days to use the boat and enough volunteer support for a different group to operate the workboat on a floating 14 day cycle around the target area, the urban litter boat can be seen in the photo. 5.2 Community Safety including crime prevention 5.2.1 Y&NE team had a major fly-tipping of waste at long term moorings at Kiveton, Chesterfield Canal which has now been cleared and a fence installed with help from the local authority and the EA, a good example of cross agency working. 5.2.2 In L&SE, Chess Basin is the site of recurrent fly-tipping activity, resulting in complaints/social media coverage, where litter is thrown over a fence into the bin store. Persistent work by our colleague has resulted in involving Three Rivers District Council Enforcement Team who will do twice weekly monitoring to increase the chance of identifying those responsible. 5.2.3 The Chair of the L&SE RAB has brokered a second meeting between local groups, including University College London, and Hackney Council to progress plans for the long- Page | 3
term, sustainable management of the A12 East Cross Route under-croft on the Lee Navigation. The Council has undertaken to liaise with Transport for London to ascertain constraints and opportunities. 5.3 Customer Service 5.3.1 Customer contact calls were within forecast range at 12,583 versus a forecast of 11,555. There were no specific major issues that caused the increase with the usual queries around maintenance, rubbish and vegetation dominating contacts. Email response rate at 100% within 2 working days. Satisfaction from customers in resolving their queries is 93.3%, An increase of almost 2% from April. The main area of dissatisfaction was around issues self-serving online, and website reliability which we are investigating. 81.2% of customers reported the service as being good or excellent. 5.4 Customer Service Improvements 5.4.1 Redacted. 5.4.2 We are drafting the 2nd Annual Boaters Report to be released shortly after the Trusts annual report. 5.4.3 Waste Cost Reduction Project/ Waste Review: Of the 39 sites targeted for improvements this financial year works are now complete at 7, planning in various stages is in hand for a further 13 sites and the remainder are still to start. Works completed range from the introduction of recycling bins to improved security measures with minor maintenance to the creation of a secure site in an unused building. 5.5 Boating & Mooring 5.5.1 We have commenced the monthly boat owners survey, there is a slight improvement in satisfaction scores, rising from 61% to 69% over the 3 surveys, compared with 70% last year, the results can be seen below;
5.5.2 Our Navigation Advisory Group has been working with us to determine the historic dimensions -primarily width- of the canals and these are now updated on our website. This follows a growing number of wide beams boats using the north Oxford canal and parts of the Grand Union Canal which are traditionally narrow canals built with wide bridge holes or tunnels. Guidance was recently included in the updated boater’s handbook and the boaters update. We are taking legal advice before meeting with those
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Marinas (Dunchurch and Barby) that present the greatest risk of unsuitable widebeam craft accessing narrow canals. 5.5.3 L&SE to improve the experience of visiting customers and due to limited towpath mooring availability a new pre- bookable, chargeable visitor mooring was opened in Paddington Basin on 10 June, providing six berths in addition to the two existing berths at Little Venice. The agreement is with European Land for use of their pontoon and they have offered their assistance with daily boat sightings. The first booked customers arrived on 12 June, and the mooring is already 50% booked throughout June and July. Discussions are continuing with Argent about using their off-side mooring at Granary Square, to provide three berths. A further three berths are in the process of being delivered on the Lee Navigation in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. These facilities are important for customers from outside the city who are increasingly deterred from visiting due to the high demand.
5.5.4 Y&NE team are working with the boat licensing team to bring licensing on the River Tees onto the national system. The first stage of this is to bring them onto our licencing software system, which will cost c. £10k for software changes but will contribute more in the long term as it can be managed centrally. The second stage will be to bring terms and conditions of the licences in line with our national T&Cs. 5.5.5 L&SE – we are working with the EA and Network rail to remove unauthorised and abandoned craft from land owned by the Trust and Network Rail on the Environment Agency’s Castle Mill Stream in Oxford City. Network Rail is still considering a cost proposal for removal of the craft, as well as considering the most appropriate enforcement mechanisms with us to prevent the return of unauthorised mooring. Waterside Moorings are preparing various reports for the City Council as part of their pre-application planning proposal for the site, with a view to a permanent residential mooring as part of a sustainable management solution. 5.6 More activity on the water 5.6.1 The Y&NE team held a successful Pop Up Festival on 25th May at Hebden Bridge, timed to complement the Historic Narrow Boat Club’s annual rally held at the same location. This was the Trusts first event at this location and with 1750 people attending. We also attended Skipton canal festival over 3 days with an estimated 15,000 people attending. Our canoe tasters and education games were very busy throughout the bank holiday weekend. 5.6.2 Soulbury Open Day. L&SE - As part of the restoration project, we held an open day at the Pumping Station in May. We had over 115 people attending, and activities included an exhibition on the restoration, videos telling the stories of our Volunteer Lock Keepers, tours of the building and a family activity trail. 50 people took part in our Let’s Fish! taster sessions held just downstream from the building.
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5.6.3 A successful Gloucester Tall Ship event took place over the May bank holiday in W& SW. we engaged directly with 1494 people over three days. 5.6.4 The Leeds Waterfront Festival 29/30th June was a success, centred on Leeds Dock and stretching to Granary Wharf near the station, we estimate over the weekend we had 10,000 visitors to Granary Wharf (2k higher than last year) and we believe around 20,000+ to the festival overall across the 4 sites. We had 9 Friends sign ups and 250 newsletter sign ups. 5.6.5 in Y&NE in Sheffield we hosted a canal canter as part of the year of celebration for the canal’s 200th anniversary. Over 50 people took part and we are now looking at regular quarterly canal runs in partnership with the Olympic legacy park and Accelerate running. Some of the team also took part in a world record hop scotch event as part of Sheffield’s move more month to improve the health of people who live, work and play in the city. 5.7 Attractions Development 5.7.1 At Foxton Locks (EM) two new family activities to trial throughout the summer holidays have been developed Let’s Dip and Let’s Paint, aimed at engaging families in activities they can enjoy together. These events will be evaluated after each session with the hope of improving the Trust’s interaction with visitors and visitor enjoyment feedback. 5.7.2 At Standedge Tunnel (Y&NE) during May and June have held 8 weddings, 2 in one weekend and several private hires midweek. The venue continues to grow in reputation and feedback from our guests is excellent. To improve efficiency and reduce boat running costs, we are working with the Huddersfield Canal Society to train volunteer boat masters, to supplement our existing team. In time, we aim to be fully volunteer led in this area, this would give a potential annual saving of £70k. 5.8 Connectivity 5.8.1 Active travel and connectivity, 5.8.1.1 L&SE - Works starting on site in July on 250m towpath upgrades on the Limehouse Cut for walking and cycling. This work is funded by S106. 5.8.1.2 Talks have taken place with Stoke-on-Trent city council with regards to funding as part of the Railway station – Bus station – Etruria valley cycle link that will take in some of our towpaths and therefore generate funding for towpath improvements along the route. 5.8.1.3 We are in touch with West Midlands Trains who are interested in signposting their passengers from local train stations to nearby canal towpaths. We are seeking to build on the initiative developed with Northern Trains in Y&NE,
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5.8.1.4 A new ramped access to the Ashton Canal at Guide Bridge is nearly complete. An opening press event with Chris Boardman, the GM Walking & Cycling Commissioner, is being arranged for 11th July. 5.8.1.5 The 3rd phase of towpath re-surfacing of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal is complete. Directional signage to be installed in July. 6.3km of the canal has been re- surfaced with £712k investment from the Cycle City Ambition grant distributed by Transport for Greater Manchester. 5.9 Restoration 5.9.1 Grantham HLF Project. – the new East Midlands Enterprise Manager has started in post and is currently reviewing potential sources for additional funding for the project that has a projected shortfall of c £200k. Project progress on the second lock has been excellent and the Lock 15 official opening weekend has been confirmed as 21/22 September 2019. Senior NLHF staff will be at the event and may be interested in funding further works given the skills developed by the volunteers on this project. 5.9.2 Montgomery Canal (WM)- School House Bridge Shropshire Highways have now made a commitment to adopt and maintain the new bridge. John Dodwell has commissioned ecological surveys so a full planning application can be made. 5.9.3 Whaley Bridge Transhipment Warehouse (NW) - Trust staff have formed a close and productive working relationship the Whaley Bridge Canal Group which has allowed significant progress to be made over the last seven months. Both groups recently met with Historic England to suggest the proposed roof repairs and community-led use of the building may be sufficient in allowing the building to be removed from the Buildings at Risk Register once repairs have been undertaken in 2019/20. 5.10 Boat Licensing Customer Support 5.10.1 Summary Table
Approved Equalities Region Licence Evasion CC monitoring Overstay Adjustments
East Midlands 106 (+14) 19 (+3) 25 (-6) 12 (0) London & SE 477 (+3) 450 (+19) 149 (-1) 183 (-2) North West 296 (+30) 64 (+1) 13 (-8) 43 (+10) Wales & SW 208 (-22) 94 (+10) 69 (+23) 107 (+3) West Mids 181 (-34) 59 (+8) 31 (-1) 42 (-5) Yorks & NE 163 (+18) 54 (-1) 7 (-5) 4 (-2) Total 1431 (+64) 740 (+33) 294 (+2) 391 (+4)
5.10.2 Nationally we have a monthly increase of 64 licence evasion cases. Except for W&SW all regions show a decrease in approved extended stays. CC monitoring remained stable with only slight on-month fluctuation. Equalities Act cases have continued to increase but have slowed slightly. We have reached 200 approved cases with another 190 under review. 5.10.3 Legal caseload has increased by 6 to 103 total. We are still experiencing long delays awaiting trial dates (particularly in London). Whilst Legal are expediting statements where possible we are 3-4 months behind on some cases. It will take some time to recover
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following the recruitment of additional support in the legal team. Outstanding cases may impact future evasion rates, income and reputation. 6. STRATEGIC PROGRAMMES – WELLBEING 6.1 Personal Health & Wellbeing 6.1.1 Wellbeing on the Mon & Brec. Visitor Experience (W&SW) Working in partnership with History Point Wales the next phase of the History Point markers have been installed along the Mon & Brec at Llangynidir by the Trust’s volunteers. The QR code- based information panels which include the Trust’s logo are an additional marketing tool promoting the canals heritage and wildlife 6.1.2 The EM team worked with British Triathlon to develop two open water swimming taster sessions for Go Tri (encouraging new entrants into triathlon) participants attending the Accenture World Triathlon Nottingham relays. Sessions were promoted with water safety messaging and linked to the Open Water Education Network (OWEN). 6.1.3 in the NW Community Roots, Blackburn & Burnley - Between April and May 35 engagement sessions were held by the Community Roots Engagement Officer including, litter picking, building bird boxes, painting, path repair, planting and wildlife surveying. Volunteers completed 1500 volunteer hours spent renovating, cleaning and improving the canal. Between April & May there were 720 direct community engagement hours working with groups. 6.2 Community Wellbeing & Ownership 6.2.1 Volunteering National Volunteer Target Year to Date 2018/19 Achievement Measures Volunteer hours 725,000 109,800 671,839 Number of Active TBA` 3,551 Not measured Volunteers Volunteer Engagement 80% 78% Not measured
6.2.2 A new time capture tool to make recording of volunteering time easier for our volunteers has been developed. It will be available for all our registered volunteers. Colleagues who have tested the app believe it will improve efficiency and accuracy of recording. 6.2.3 The East Midlands regional team worked with Leicester City Council’s active travel team to plan three health walks supported by Trust colleagues and volunteers. The first walk was held in June, supported by one of the region’s new community and youth events coordinators. All 10 participants were unaware of the Trust before the event and one participant expressed an interest in volunteering as a result of attending the walk.
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6.2.4 An SUP Gloucester plastic clean up at Gloucester Docks in May resulted in 25 bags of plastic collected as well as other larger items, all prior to the Tall Ships Event. 6.2.5 We met with representatives of Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Association SADACCA in Y&NE to look at how we can get their community more involved in the waterways. 6.2.6 A new adoption in Y&NE is up and running with Retford Fire Service’s initiative ‘Litter Heroes’ where Orange Watch have brought together members of the local community to keep a ½ mile stretch of the canal clean and tidy. They have even offered to remove any magnet fishing waste as it arises and use their volunteer days to educate others about water safety. 6.2.7 Chesterfield Canal Trust have been trained by our team leader Dan Hazard to deliver Planned Preventative Maintenance and will be starting work on the end of season PPM. The Trust filmed the day to ensure all volunteers receive the same training. They also featured on Countryfile! 6.2.8 The Sheffield alcohol recovery group became the latest community partner to work with us on improving the appeal of the canal whilst also offering excellent health and wellbeing benefits to those who take part. The recovery group is made up of people from across the city who are on the road to recovery from alcohol addiction. 6.2.9 The new HSBC Adoptions in both Leeds and Sheffield are now up and running. This relationship contributes £7,000 to the Trust. So far 25 have attended in 2 sessions in Sheffield pictured. In Leeds the first event was attended by 13 of First Direct Leadership team, with three more sessions planned before the end of June. 6.2.10 In W&SW we have developed a volunteer reed management team for the K&A Canal long pound. The activity involves regular cutting of new growth in critical areas to improve customer boating experience. it will save the Trust £10k this year in contract costs. We have also initiated underwater surveys using a tiny remote-controlled boat and sonar to survey the bed profile, to monitor sediment build up from a winterbourne feeder above Copse lock, for the benefit of the River Kennet SSSI. The sonar boat will also be used to help prioritise local spot dredging requirements. 6.2.11 On 1st June ‘WASUP big clean up’ took place in Walsall canal with 50 people attending the event. A very neglected part of the canal was cleaned up and filled whole barge with all sorts of rubbish. The team was provided with a free meal at the end of the event by local temple. 6.2.12 We were visited by Her Majesties Prisons & Probation Service (HMPPS) as part of the London Community Rehabilitation Service (LCRC) audit. The audit meeting enabled these organisations to discuss the ongoing London wide partnership and explore
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opportunities for improved ways of working to deliver and develop additional community payback projects. 6.3 Connections with nature, arts and culture 6.3.1 The 2019/20 Let’s Fish campaign has started with around 60 events delivered during April and May and approximately 1750 participants 6.3.2 The National Angling Strategy will be formally launched on Monday June 24th. We are partners along with Environment Agency, Angling Trades Association, Angling Trust and, Get Hooked on Fishing. It recognises that angling is integral to the health and wellbeing of participants of all ages. The Trust and its Let’s Fish campaign are mentioned throughout the document and the presence of a 2000-mile network of fisheries on the doorstep of 8milion people is highlighted. 6.3.3 Explorers attended ‘Festival of Nature’ in Bath, directly engaging with 284 children. 6.3.4 In WMs Black Sabbath rock group un-veiled a plaque to rename one of the central Birmingham’s bridges as ‘Black Sabbath bridge’ with original members of the band on board our Heritage Boats, we have used the event as an opportunity to showcase the canal & the 250 years celebration of Birmingham’s Canals. 6.3.5 A free family Discovery Day event was held at Caen Hill (WSW) in June, with activities including Nordic Walking, Thai chi, yoga, Let’s Fish, Forest School crafts, woodland trails and canoeing, leading to a new partnership established with Nordic Walking UK. We also launched a new woodland trail within Jubilee Woodland adjacent to the locks and plans for a designated Forest School area. 6.3.6 in Y&NE we held a very successful wellbeing event at Dobson Locks to welcome in the longest day, with events from 3:15am until 8:00am. This included Yoga, Tai Chi, walking, meditation and of course a druid ceremony 6.3.7 NW Lancaster Canal Bicentenary- An unveiling ceremony for the Lancaster milestone took place on Sunday 23 June course. To celebrate the official opening date of the Lancaster Canal a tea party celebration was held in June, the family friendly day also had stalls and taster sessions for canoeing and angling. Guided walks also took place on Tewitfield Locks. The event was attended by the Mayors of Preston, Lancaster and Kendal and received good media coverage.
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6.4 Connections: Education & Youth Engagement 6.4.1 In WMs over 50 young people from Feral Spaces in Stoke on Trent have been involved in creative activities around the old Gasometer site. Plans are being made for Feral Spaces to run regular children’s activities from Etruria, potentially using the disused Canal Warehouse next to Etruria Yard as a base. 6.4.2 in W&SW Gloucester College students installed a new footpath at Goytre Wharf on the Mon & Brec Canal. 6.4.3 Three students from South Birmingham and Bournville Colleges have now done work placements at the Roundhouse(WM).. Two carpentry students and one brickwork student. Kier have provided excellent feedback about the students so far. The work placements will continue during the rest of the year. 7. BRAND, SUPPORTERS & INFLUENCE 7.1 Working with Welcome to Yorkshire we were part of the gold medal winning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in May; a highly successful event attracting huge media attention and celebrity interest and we are following up on all connections made.
7.2 BBC Gardeners’ World 2019 – Making Life Better by Water garden. Inspired by volunteer lock keepers, and created with them and award-winning designer Chris Myers, our garden featured a full-size canal, a vegetable patch, wild flowers and a woodland. The design was received Silver Merit Award. Visitors to the show at the NEC, as well as TV viewers, were invited to experience the calmness, beauty and well- being benefits of being close to water. It is estimated that up to 2.45m programme audience could have seen the Trust and its creation. Further, more than 26,000 people visited the garden, with more than 1,000 signing up for the newsletter. 7.3 Through our engagement activity with Bingley town council a wider partnership was established with Northern Rail, connecting with them through our shared wellbeing agenda, we have agreement for the installation of Trust brand signage at stations across the region. Bingley station was identified as the first location as all interested parties (Bingley town council, Bradford city council, Northern rail and the Trust) wanted to improve the accessibility through the town centre to Bingley 5 rise and the promotion of it as a tourist destination. The next step is to identify further stations for signage and agree a way forward with Northern rail to make this happen. 7.4 We received great coverage on BBC Springwatch of Birmingham’s waterways. The first segment was a ‘city safari’ about how canals bring wildlife into our cities and the second segment gave a fantastic plug for the Trust’s Plastic Challenge and massively hit the health and wellbeing message. In terms of audience figures, Springwatch enjoys more
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than 700,000 followers on Facebook alone. A link to the programme is provided here https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0005ptp/springwatch-2019-episode-8 7.5 W&SW Regional Director met with Ian Lucas (MP for Wrexham) and Susan Elan Jones (MP for Clwyd South) in Westminster for an introductory meeting focussed around the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site. A follow-up meeting with constituency AM will take place on 19 July. 7.6 North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen recently visited Sawley Lock. He met the local team of volunteer lock keepers and found out how the areas waterways are contributing to people’s daily lives. 7.7 The Y&NE Regional Director met with Philip Davies MP for Bingley. Philip loves the canal and appreciates its value to the community. He sees it as his constituency unique selling point, particularly Bingley 3 & 5 rise and the stretch through Saltaire and has offered to join our volunteering taskforce for an event. 7.8 L&SE Regional Director spoke at the Future of London Conference in July which has the theme Water Works. We are also in discussion with Future of London regarding broader partnership and sponsorship opportunities. We also launched the new London prospectus at the event – “Unlocking the potential of London’s canals and rivers”. 7.9 WMs CEM recently met with the Mayor of the City of Worcester, councillor Allah Ditta to progress community engagement within the city. The Cllr is in full support and has arranged for me to meet the heads of departments from the councils to help better promote wellbeing, and to help organise a one-day event on the Canal. 7.10 WMs Regional Director and CWG lead took the Coventry City of Culture team on a boat trip along the Coventry arm. For many of the City of Culture Team, this was their first real exposure to the canal. It was positively received. 7.11 Commonwealth Games 7.11.1 Our interaction with the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Exec and Chair is creating opportunities. WMs Regional Director met with Ian Reid and Martin Green, the Games’ CEO and Chief Creative Officer respectively, a positive outcome as can be seen below in a message to their own senior team immediately following the meeting; “the Canal and River Trust … are primed, organised and ready to go for 2022! Clearly a unique part of the story of this city and region.” “There are discussions to be had around being part of the transport solution, engagement on stadium at Perry Bar … and community engagement, as well as PR/Comms”.
7.11.2 Good promotional material is being produced, including drone footage has been taken to help illustrate a video promoting the link between the games venues and the local canals. We also had the opportunity to host, on a short boat trip the Leader and entire Birmingham City Council Cabinet, who are eager to see the City’s canals feature prominently in the Games. While the Organising Committee is responsible for the ‘show’ that is the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham City Council is responsible for the ‘stage’
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on which the show will be performed. Our engagement with the City is also going well. We are meeting with them next month to discuss sites, infrastructure and related issues. 7.12 Monthly activity days are continuing in central Manchester (NW) on the Rochdale (between Lock 89 & 97) our strategic programme focus area. The events are growing popular and are now attracting corporate volunteers from adjacent businesses. The last clean-up day in Manchester attracted local councillors getting involved in the day. The feedback was very positive and as a result have increased our brand and support in the local area as well as providing us with key contacts with the local authority. 7.13 We are meeting with Manchester City Council (NW) on 26th June to discuss our lighting proposal under two bridges at Oxford Rd and Princes Street. Heritage and environment team have agreed proposal, if Manchester agree we could see the scheme in place in time for our July Activity day. 8. FUNDING & FINANCE 8.1 General funding secured 8.1.1 A £5,000 grant from GBL was secured to engage local school children from the Gannow ward on the L&L canal in Burnley to educate young people on the problems of litter in the environment thorough art, craft and practical sessions. 8.2 Towpath funding secured 8.2.1 The Rochdale Phase 2 Towpath scheme has commenced construction from Hebden Bridge to Lock 18 at Todmorden. An opening event for Rochdale Phase 1 is being planned once snagging is completed. The value for phase 2 is £1.9m 8.2.2 We have secured £60k for the design and costing of the Huddersfield Narrow Phase 2 and the Silsden section of the Leeds & Liverpool, for delivery in 2020/21. 8.2.3 Craven Towpath – works are about to commence on up to 11km of towpath works. RDPE are the main funder. The value is £1.8m. 8.2.4 Four towpath schemes, Woodlesford on the Aire & Calder (Leeds CC), Goole towpath on the Aire and Calder (East Riding CC), Leeds Trans Pennine Trail (Sustrans), Skipton Town Centre (Craven) have all secured funding to deliver towpath improvements on our waterways representing an estimated value of £0.7m investment on our property by March 2020. 9. PEOPLE 9.1 in June we celebrated national volunteers week and organised recruitment events and celebrations some organised by local authorities. Pictured on the right is an event in Burnley. We continue to recognise volunteers with Bronze (500 hours) Silver (1000 hours) and Gold (2000hrs) badges throughout our regions. 9.2 In Y&NE on the Stainforth & Keadby Navigation we have taken the opportunity to improve and modernise operational rotas for customers and efficiency, removing the need for overtime following discussions with the Unions. We have also appointed a volunteering leader following a retirement) so we can increase volunteering on the canal.
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9.3 The East Midlands region held a whole team building day with around 60 colleagues gathered to learn more about and help inform the region’s priorities. There was excellent engagement and participation from all colleagues and an end of day evaluation demonstrated that the day was useful and achieved its purpose. Following the awayday there was a BBQ at Newark Lock for the team, and colleagues based at Newark, volunteers and members of the Regional Advisory Board.
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Board Meeting 18 July 2019 Information Report Trust429 Items in Red Confidential APPENDIX 3: ASSET IMPROVEMENT REPORT Simon Bamford, Asset Improvement Director.
1. PURPOSE 1.1 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 After being closed for nearly 2 years for the reconstruction of Locks 15 and 11 together with other repairs the Marple flight was reopened in time for the late May Bank holiday with the completion of Lock 11. The Leeds Liverpool Canal at Finsley Gate, Burnley was reopened in mid June upon completion of the channel lining works and the arising waterway and offside wall repairs. 2.2 Challenges Having seen an improvement in Safety Performance in Direct Services since its formation in 2015, the 5 RIDDOR reportable injuries that occurred in the first 3 months of the year have been a setback and cause for concern. Redacted. Redacted. Redacted. Whilst on plan to achieve the directorate B19 efficiency/savings target of £2.5m the challenge gets even greater in future years. The team continue to explore and develop ideas and initiatives for embedded and one off savings. Key to achieving the targets is stability of the 3 year work programmes. Following the temporary dam failure at Saltersford Lock, River Weaver a detailed investigation has taken place and options for returning to the lock to complete the permanent works, with confidence in the temporary works, have been explored. Given the time needed to undertake the works and the length of time the navigation would be closed, an interim solution has been developed that will be undertaken by divers with a planned navigation open date of 9th August. As the works are to be undertaken by divers, there is a risk that the solution won’t work and we will have to revert to completion of the permanent solution with a prolonged closure.
3. Asset Management 3.1 Asset Strategy Work continues on finalising the new Asset Health Index measure, which will in due course replace the Network Stewardship Score index. It has been measured since April and the methodology has evolved slightly based on initial feedback. Work on the Phase 3 asset strategies continues with focus on 2 key strategies; reservoirs and dredging. 3.2 Asset Management The Network Stewardship Score has remained at the same score as last year. The score for 2018/19 is 120. Therefore, it remains 20% ahead of the base year. The index is made up of two separate indices: The Waterways Condition Index and the User Benefit Index. The Waterways Condition Index measures the overall condition of the network in terms of physical condition of infrastructure assets, usability of the network, and asset- related safety. The User Benefit Index assesses progress in delivering public benefits, in terms of visitor numbers and customer experience. The Waterways Condition Index has increased marginally from 124 to 126 and the User Benefit Index has decreased marginally from 111 to 108. The reduction in User Benefit Index is due to a reduction in the propensity of boat owners to recommend the Trust and a fall in the number of towpath visitors. The Network Stewardship Score is reported to DEFRA and included in our Reports and Accounts. It is a very complex index that is difficult to understand, and the aim is to replace it with the Asset Health Index. Work continues in developing an alternative lock gate design. Arcadis are supporting us and have commenced works to complete the outline design for a new steel composite lock gate. The brief is to design a gate that will last 50 years and enable interventions to replace wearing strips without dewatering. Two sets of gates are being programmed to be installed in the forthcoming stoppage season. The first on the Kennet and Avon and the second of the River Lee. We are working in partnership with the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust to develop and trial the new gates. Siobhan Butler, Principal Geotechnical Engineer, has passed her Supervising Engineer interview and been admitted to the reservoir panel. Her success increases the number of panel engineers employed by the Trust to 4, thereby improving our resilience and increases female representation on the predominantly male panel.
4. Redacted
5. Priority Projects 5.1 Saltersford Lock, River Weaver Kier have completed the investigation following the dam failure on 28th April. Their final report is now with the Trust and being reviewed to understand what changes / improvements we need to make our temporary works procedures as a consequence. Following a review of options it has been decided to proceed with a short to medium term repair using divers rather than a full dewatered repair solution. It is hoped that this repair will last 3-5 years at which point we will need to undertake a full dewatered repair. Diving operations are currently proceeding to plan and we are on plan to re- open the lock on 9th August.
5.2 Marple Lock 11 Rebuilding of the locks progressed well, and the lock reopened as planned on 24th May.
5.3 Finsley Gate and Burnley Embankments The canal was re-opened as planned on 18th June.
5.4 Saturday Bridge Retaining Wall A retaining wall on the Farmers Bridge flight in the centre of Birmingham has started to fail causing the road above to be restricted. Cause of movement is unknown to date, but recent heavy rainfall is affecting the movement of the retained footpath/highway. The wall is being closely monitored whilst a solution is developed and design finalised. A solution for the failing retaining wall has been developed which will require Soil Nails 15-30m long under the Birmingham City Council (BCC) road. BCC are supportive of the solution and so design is progressing and start on site is planned for early September..
5.5 Stainton Aqueduct, Lancaster Canal The masonry rebuilding on the eastern wing wall is progressing well and the project is on plan for complletion early October.
5.6 Redacted 6. Priority Works 6.1 Programme Progress In the first two months of the financial year the construction teams completed 122 packages of work including a number of additional drought mitigation works on the Grand Union and Oxford Canals. Early indications suggest that the implementation of a stable programme is having a beneficial impact on change. In the first two months of this financial year there were a total of 17 arising or emergency works that impacted the programme. During the corresponding period in 2018 the total number was 34 – a 50% reduction by volume. The challenge with this years construction programme is to deliver the programme with an efficiency saving of £1m. The teams have risen to this challenge and so far have delivered the programme with a total saving of £230k. These are predominantly the result of productivity gains, use of materials stored in depots and innovation on site, resulting in actual costs coming in lower than the estimate.
6.2 Chelsea Flower Show Garden designer Mark Gregory approached the Trust in autumn 2018 to seek assistance with his design for the 2019 Welcome to Yorkshire entry in the Chelsea Flower Show. His idea and inspiration being the canals of Yorkshire. Eventually this led to to Direct Services and our lock gate workshops. Initially he was looking for an old set of lock gates and some support on how to make the lock look authentic. Which we were able to help him with. During site visits with Regional Construction Manager Ged King the life expired lock gates from Lock 1 on the Huddersfield Canal were taken to Stanley Ferry Workshops. where they were cut to size and squared up by construction craft operatives Vanessa Coakley and Adam Cluny (both former construction apprentices). Transported to London they were installed in the garden and helped secure both a Gold Medal and the People’s Choice Award for Mark and his team. Trust colleagues (including Vanessa, Adam and Ged) attended the show on each day to help promote our work and the wellbeing agenda to the tens of thousands of people who visited the Chelsea Flower show.
Photographs show original garden design; designer Mark Gregory with Direct Services craft operatives Vanessa Coakley and Adam Cluny at Stanley Ferry; and the completed garden at Chelsea.
6.3 Work Examples
Emergency repairs to lock gate from Lock 66 on the Rochdale Canal following boat impact. New mitre post installed by Stanley Ferry Workshop. Gate currently being installed by NW Construction Team
Example of a culvert 45 headwall repairs undertaken by Direct Services apprentices on the Macclesfield Canal
Emergency Works Lock 61 Leeds & Liverpool Canal – Repairing damaged lock gate
Before and after photographs of the footbridge at Beeston Iron Lock on the Shropshire Union Canal
Before, during and after photographs of the drought mitigation works at Whetstone Lock on the GU Leicester Line
Waterway Wall Repairs on the Titford Canal, West Midlands. Work here was completed using different working methods than identified at business planning saving £36k as the canal was not drained saving in pumping and cofferdam costs.
6.4 Grantham Canal Heritage Initiative Volunteer activity at Lock 14 continues to be strong with good progress being made with the lock reconstruction and progress will be boosted by Water Recovery Group working camps planned for the summer.
Concrete pour Lock 14 Restoration – Grantham Canal
7. UNLOCKING THE SEVERN 7.1 Fish Pass Construction 7.1.1 Bevere With the archaeological investigation works complete and with nothing significant found works commenced on site as planned on the 28th May and the team are constructing the access haul road to site.
7.1.2 Diglis Following a meeting with Severn Trent Water we have now secured access though their Diglis Wastewater Treatment Works to our compound and works. This is excellent news and will offer significant time and cost savings and reduce negative impacts on the PRoW and neighbours by negating the need for access across adjacent school playing fields and footpath.
7.2 Activity Plan / Interpretation / Communications 7.2.1 Education Teachers have been giving fantastic feedback on the Tewkesbury fish counting visits by the weir and build a river in the library. ‘To see their faces and the sheer excitement when they spotted shad going over the weir will stay with me forever; I can honestly say it was one of the best, if not the best visit I have ever undertaken with a class. (I have been a teacher for a very long time!) The library sessions were amazing. My class can be particularly challenging at times but all children were engaged and the behaviour was exceptional as a result. The day had very clearly been extremely well planned.’ A successful holiday activity day for families was held at the Hive on 30th May jointly run by SRT and Canal & River Trust. The theme was family learning and STEM, and participants enjoyed learning about floating and sinking, and meeting river bugs from the Severn.
7.2.2 Volunteering The fish migration monitoring element of the Citizen Science programme was expanded with 30 volunteers involved across two sites: Upper Lode and Powick weirs and the first of the years staff volunteering days focussed on the fish migration in Tewkesbury with a small team of Severn Trent volunteers.
7.2.3 Communications It was a busy month on social media driven by activity around the shad run. We posted 80 tweets (including replies) gaining 93,000 impressions and 1849 active engagements. The project also achieved 24 pieces of media coverage during May, with media leads generated by the shad run. This included coverage of the shad run and our monitoring activity in the Sun (circulation: 1.4million) and Western Daily Press (circulation: 13,400)
Board Meeting 18 July 2019 Information Report Trust429 Items in Red Confidential APPENDIX 6: STRATEGY, ENGAGEMENT & IMPACT REPORT Heather Clarke, Strategy, Engagement & Impact Director 1. Update on Key Successes & Challenges
1.1 Beauty on the Doorstep Campaign – Our ‘Plastics Challenge’ On 5th June, we launched our ‘Plastics Challenge’ campaign publicising our new research, with Coventry University, with a key call to action that ‘if everyone picked up just one piece of plastic, and disposed of it correctly, then within a year there would be no plastic left’. The launch secured widespread positive national and regional media attention with 80 pieces of coverage to date, and an overall reach has been calculated at over 55 million opportunities to see or hear. June was the highest performing overall month for media coverage since March 2015, and our Plastics Challenge campaign was the best performing individual story since we started recording media coverage. Our Plastics Challenge website landing page had 4,700 views and our Towpath Taskforce page received over 2,600 views in the week following launch (compared to an average 300 per week). 186 people signed up to join a Towpath Taskforce in June 2019, roughly double the number from a year ago.
1.2 Launch of London Prospectus We utilised the Making the Most of London's Waterways Conference being hosted by Future of London held on 20th June at Hilton Tower Bridge as the platform to launch our London prospectus which sets out the Trust’s vision for London’s waterways. London & South East Director, Ros Daniels, was a member of the discussion panel at the conference. We will also be promoting our London prospectus at the launch of the London National Park City Festival on 22nd July. Copies of the London Prospectus will be available at the Board meeting.
1.3 Youth Panel We have successfully recruited our first ever national youth panel to work alongside regional and national teams to support the development and delivery of our Year of Green Action/#iwill4nature programme. Our national youth panel consists of 13 members, 16 to 23 years old; redacted. The majority are in full-time education; several are university students with vocational interest in the environment and heritage, three have been involved in regional and/or national NCS Youth Boards, one has been involved in work with the Government Equalities Office. The environmental focus of the role has resonated with all the members and they are interested in influencing decision-making, and practical action, promote the use of waterways as a space to encourage community cohesion, and improve wellbeing of young people.
1.4 Redacted
2. Strategy Delivery
2.1 Supporting & Working with the Regions We continue to work with the Regional Directors to define the scope and planned measurable outputs from each the regional priorities so that we are able to track and report on their delivery against plan, and to report upon the outcomes delivered and effectiveness of the interventions and investment made (test and learn).
We are supporting and working with the Regional Teams on: Production of corridor studies for each of the nine Outcome Focus Areas. The Coventry and Sefton Critical Corridor Studies have been completed and the final draft of the Leicester Corridor Study has been issued to the East Midlands Region for comments, and the team is now commencing the Sheffield Corridor Study; Bid preparation to obtain Arts Council funding as part of the Hinterlands participatory arts project in Pontymoile, Enfield/Tottenham and Sheffield; Birmingham Commonwealth Games – Development of propositions to promote the Trust through key interfaces with the Games, for both Games mode and legacy. We have also produced a series of photoshop visualisations to support the Regions presentations and negotiations with the Commonwealth Games team. Street Art & Tackling Graffiti Initiative - We are working with a Street Art Collective in Sheffield, called Concrete Canvas, to develop a programme of art works (including commissioned pieces and artist led community artwork) to tie in with the Waterway Festival in September; sites and landowners have been identified. Some of the Art Works will be completed ahead of the festival and some part-completed to enable community groups and visitors to the festival to get involved and contribute to them through the festival. We are also producing a report on the damage caused graffiti on fabric of historic structures and technical advice on current best practice and innovations in prevention and removal.
3. User to Supporter Strategy & Campaigns 3.1 Supporter Growth to Date We have attracted a further 40,000 plus “passive” supporters (a social media follower of the Trust, email subscriber or a person that identifies themselves as a prospective supporter, by giving us their contact information) since the May Board meeting with the current total now standing at 466,000.
With respect to financial supporters, we signed up 800 new Friends in April and 943 Friends in May. The total number of Friends now stands at 29,553.
3.2 Six User to Supporter Priorities Our User to Supporter Strategy & Campaigns (consisting of six strands) was considered by the Board of Trustees at the May 2018 Board meeting. Following the feedback provided by the Trustees, we are concentrating upon the following six priorities: Community ownership of every mile (urban waterways) Building a mass movement linked to wider societal challenges Building affiliation and ambassadors network Diversification of regular individual giving product portfolio Growing brand awareness through mass marketing & brand campaign, signage and exploiting high profile external events People, insight, systems and processes
3.3 Community Ownership We have commenced a review our regular drop-in group volunteering product, the Towpath Taskforce, with the aim of expanding and adapting it to reach new audiences.
3.4 Mass Movement – Update on Beauty on the Doorstep Campaign: Our Plastic Challenge The launch on 5th June secured widespread positive national and regional media attention including the homepage of the BBC website and a ‘most-read’ story, a slot on Sky News, a feature on Springwatch, and coverage in most of the major newspapers including The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, The Sun and The Week Junior. We also had significant coverage regionally with 20 pieces on television and 67 on radio.
Our social media activities performed well with Facebook reach at 215,000, Twitter 315,000 and Instagram stories having over 16,000 views. Through pre-planned engagement we secured social media influencer coverage from RSPB, WWF EU, Deborah Meaden, Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, Bear Grylls and many more. We also received a hand-written letter from Sir David Attenborough stating he would read our report with interest and a letter for HRH The Prince of Wales saying that he had received the report.
In August, we will pilot our new micro volunteering offer in 10 places around our waterway network under the umbrella #PlasticsChallenge. This low-entry level volunteering offer will allow people to get involved with the Trust. We will use learnings from this pilot to roll out the programme more widely in 2020. Alongside this we are putting together plans for a mass awareness and participation week, looking for media and corporate partners, for the same time in 2020.
3.5 Building Affiliation & Ambassadors Network The Affiliation Model is continuing to take shape as more dedicated resource has been applied. We have been testing the concept of affiliated organisation status with several different canal trusts and societies. Redacted.
3.6 Redacted 3.7 Brand Awareness 3.7.1 Three Year Brand Advertising Campaign Our new brand advertising campaign (TV and digital-led) will be launched on the 15th July and is scheduled to be aired on prime-time television. The aim is to build awareness amongst people living within 1 km of our waterways and get them to feel positively towards the Trust, understand our positioning as a wellbeing and waterways charity, and visit their local waterway.
We have developed a character ‘Well-B’ to front our campaign, embodying wellbeing and ‘recharging by your local canal’. Well-B has a monitoring device – in the form of the Trust logo – which glows blue with better wellbeing, particularly by the water.
We tested the character, the name and advert using focus groups with 18 to 40-year- olds (canal users and non-users) from a range of different demographic backgrounds in Birmingham and Leeds. The headlines from this research were overall very positive in terms of: using the idea of ‘recharging by the canal’ is strong and resonated with everyone; advert message was very clear, believable and desirable, even after a single viewing of the film; Well-B drove memorability, affection and modernity and seen as an expressive and likeable creative device to demonstrate happiness, fun and recharging by the canal. Redacted
We will be airing the campaign on television for four weeks alongside YouTube pre- roll adverts and digital advertising for six weeks focussing on areas within 1km of our waterways. The TV advert will be shared with Trustees at the Board meeting.
Redacted 3.7.2 Brand Response Digital Campaigns We continue our programme of organic and paid, direct and indirect, offers, content and direct communications to help increase our supporter numbers, gaining over 40,000 additional supporters.
Dog walking interest based Regional guide advert for newsletter social advert in East midlands 208 Brand short film June: 865 sign-ups regional guide downloads
3.7.3 Brand Signage We are progressing our ‘brand blitz’ to sign all access points in the West Midlands in July with a view to roll out this out across the country taking account of the learnings taken from the West Midlands experience. We are rebranding a further two welcome stations and new site-wide audits have been completed in Manchester, Liverpool/Litherland and at Anderton Boat Lift, with another 21 audits to take place before the end of July. Work is progressing with a number of partners and developers for brand hoardings including sites at: Bulbourne Yard; Canary Wharf; and nine sites across the West Midlands.
3.7.4 BBC Gardener’s World Live: Canal & River Trust Garden After a year of planning and working side-by-side with volunteers, this June we unveiled our show garden at the BBC’s Gardner’s World Live 2019 at the NEC in Birmingham, with an 10-minute primetime slot on its flagship BBC2 show and a prestigious silver-merit award. The garden was designed by Chris Myers in partnership with Volunteer Lock-keepers from Curdworth (east of Birmingham) and involved over 30 Trust volunteers. The main aim was to highlight how being next to our waterways has wellbeing benefits and the many ways you can use our waterways.
The garden attracted over 26,000 visitors and we signed up 1,100 people to our newsletter and 79 Friends to the Trust. Talks were held on three of the four days run by volunteers and our ecology team. We also reached over 100,000 people on Facebook, 140,000 on Twitter and had 6,000 Instagram video views. Gardener’s World Live has 2.7 million viewers and Gardener’s World Magazine a circulation of 170,000 with regional radio and press activity.
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4. Redacted 5. Policy & Public Affairs 5.1 Westminster We continued the programme of meetings with key ministers and shadow ministers. The Trust met Sports and Civil Society Minister, Mims Davies in June to discuss the Trust’s role in enabling greater uptake of active lives and promoting wellbeing.
Shadow Culture. Arts, and Heritage Minister Kevin Brennan MP, met the Trust at the Pontymoile canal basin, which has received investment as part of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal ‘Adventure Triangle’ project, and is also the site of one of the Trust’s Hinterlands community arts programmes.
On the 27th of June, Secretary of State for Justice David Gauke MP visited Sharpness Docks to see the Trust’s partnership pilot with HMP Leyhill, providing opportunities for offenders to give back to their community and develop work skills and experience.
5.2 Wales The Director for Wales & South West met Ian Lucas MP (Wrexham) and Susan Elan Jones MP (Clwyd South) to discuss the World Heritage Site. Both were engaged in the Trust’s work, and a follow-up meeting with Elan Jones and Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates (who is also Minister for Economy and Transport in the Welsh Government) will take place in July. In a Plenary session, Assembly Member Andrew RT Davies mentioned our research on plastic pollution during a debate on a Welsh conservative debate on reducing plastic waste.
6. Heritage, Environment & Water – Policy & Legislation 6.1 Heritage Related Consultations We formally responded to the UK Government’s ‘Tailored Review of Historic England’ and to Historic England’s review and update of Historic England’s heritage crime prevention and heritage crime risk assessment guidance documents.
6.2 Air Quality We have continued to work with the Department for Transport (DfT) on their plans for reducing propulsion emissions from waterway craft. Engagement has secured input to the drafts of the DfT’s forthcoming ‘Call for Evidence’ and created better understanding amongst DfT officials of the challenges in changing the inland waterway fleet.
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6.3 Litter, Plastics, Waste & Fly-tipping
We are continuing the development of plastics management options with local teams following the launch of our ‘Plastics Challenge’ campaign. Examples include an “EcoBrick” plastic collection at Ellesmere Port National Waterways Museum to be developed as a community engagement tool; and the setting up a pilot “Waste Action Group” with colleagues in the Wales and South West region.
6.4 Tree Management
A tree management review is being carried out with Safety, Asset Management and Operations, to consider the need for changes to the existing Standard to ensure coverage of the Trust’s whole estate and to keep in line with recent developments in case law and external codes of practice.
6.5 National Consultations
We will be responding to a series of live consultations which include flood risk management, river basin management in Wales, and the updated Development Plans Manual relating to Welsh planning legislation.
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6.9 Redacted 7. Strategic Engagement, Partnership Opportunities & EU Funding 7.1 Community Rehabilitation
We are continuing to work with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the New Futures Network to develop a formal ROTOL (Release on Temporary License) Programme with Prisons close to our network. Our first pilot with HMP Leyhill is up and running with four visits to date and we are now in the process of identifying a second prison to work with this year.
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7.2 EU Funding Programmes Our current portfolio of EU Interreg Funded projects are progressing well and we are focused on submitting further bids over the coming months before the window of opportunity closes. Redacted.
7.3 UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK Government Replacement) We are currently in dialogue with the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (Trade & Investment Negotiations Team - EU Funding) who are providing us some detail of the proposed future UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Redacted.
8. Planning & Design 8.1 Statutory Consultee Performance 2018/19
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Our statutory performance reports for 2018/19 have been duly submitted to the UK and Welsh Governments. These report a response rate of 96% and 97% within 21 days or agreed extension respectively.
8.2 Waterside Places’ Brentford Lock West Scheme Award
Phase 2 of the Trust’s Waterside Places joint venture scheme at Brentford Lock West has been awarded a prestigious National RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Award, following receipt of the RIBA London Award. The RIBA national winners form a list from which the Sterling Prize shortlist will be selected.
9. High Speed Two & Other National Third-Party Projects
9.1 Phase 1
Commencement of the building of the railway infrastructure has been delayed until December 2019. It is understood that this relates to cost pressures. Redacted
9.2 Phase 2a - West Midlands to Crewe
The Trust reached agreement with HS2 over a side agreement. This removed the need for the Trust to appear before the select committee. The side agreement has now been signed. 9.3 Phase 2b - Crewe to Manchester, West Midlands to Leeds
The Department for Transport has issued a ‘Design Refinement Consultation’, which closes on the 6th of September. This offers positives and negatives for the Trust. A response is currently being considered.
Strategy, Engagement & Impact Director July 2019