I just want to clear up my position on @CanalRiverTrust.
I am very grateful for my time with the Trust as a volunteer, helping to make the waterways a better place to be.
But as I spent time in the Trust I learned about some of its institutional problems.
I am very grateful for my time with the Trust as a volunteer, helping to make the waterways a better place to be.
But as I spent time in the Trust I learned about some of its institutional problems.
Its communication issues were my first discovery. Departments didn't communicate well with each other, let alone with the public, and staff seemed to lack even general knowledge of the system they were caring for.
Staff were often as in the dark as the public.
Staff were often as in the dark as the public.
Then I learned about the #GeneralCanalByelaws.
These were due to be updated by BW before CRT was created. After CRT was created they were ignored, no longer updated, no longer enforced.
Enforcement became Customer Licensing Support.
These were due to be updated by BW before CRT was created. After CRT was created they were ignored, no longer updated, no longer enforced.
Enforcement became Customer Licensing Support.
The debacle over the 'safety zones' on the River Lea was awful. Lead entirely by rowing clubs this became an assault on boaters attempting to live on the water.
Sport was given priority over human rights to housing.
Sport was given priority over human rights to housing.
Now I find CRT unworthy of being called a navigation authority - because of the abandonment of the #GeneralCanalByelaws.
They do, however, perform as well as they can in trying to maintain the infrastructure of the waterways.
They do, however, perform as well as they can in trying to maintain the infrastructure of the waterways.
They use their property portfolio, and their #DEFRA grant, to generate as much income as possible - which is put to caring for the system.
Albeit, some of this income is wasted as private profits because they are forced to competitive tendering for the work they do.
Albeit, some of this income is wasted as private profits because they are forced to competitive tendering for the work they do.
Because I appreciate that work, and the very good people who make up their workforce (yes, including the property managers,) I think they are actually trying to do good things.
But they are hamstrung by the principles forced upon them at their founding by a 'public/private partnership' as the Tories would put it.
So I remain a 'critical friend' to the Trust. I like what they do, mostly, and I want them to perform better, but inevitably I would rather the waterways were put wholly back into public ownership.
@threadreaderapp please #unroll.
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