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Fuzzy I agree with quite a lot of what you say. My problem all the time with Boaters Manifesto etc. is that they appear to be just anti BW/CaRT and do not seem to have any solutions. Yes we would all like more money from the Government and yes maybe the old BW directors should be paid less, but what BM are doing is not going to achieve any of those things. We are where we are and what we should all be working towards is to ensure that going forward Boaters interests are protected as best as possible. This is going to be difficult on a Council where Boaters have 5 representatives out of a total of 35. confrontation will get us nowhere, we have to work within the system as it has been set up. In order to get the other 30 Council Members on board negotiation and not confrontation is what is required. The BM group have become very arrogant based on one meeting with 2 trustees. The trustees have a duty to look after the interests of all interested parties. Campaigning for the removal of the old BW directors is not going to win you any friends within the Trust and that can be seen from the meeting that was held. Peter Underwood IMO is doing boaters more harm than good, does he really think that non liveaboards do not share the same concerns? Non livaboards make up the majority of licence payers.

Perhaps a claxon like the ones on U boats sounding would be enough to scare someone off. They might think the boat was going to submerge.

The Boaters manifesto seems to have lost its way a little in my view. Having listened to the recording, I am wandering if the trustees are seeing what I am. A small group of people with some radicals thrown in, plus the odd idiot, pushing for unrealistic goals, with little hope of success. Bearing in mind, when I say little group, this is substantiated by the fact they only have 185 signatures. Obviously they scored with the FOIA result, but I think that was a lot to do with Narrowboatworld as well. Yesterday's main feature on their FB page was a drunken woman throwing insults and another poster casting wild assumptions. I think they have now run out of ideas and it's time to move on. The bottom of the document has Peter Underwood stating that all possible candidates support his (small groups)manifesto, in my view this is arrogance and wishful thinking.

I have the letters and envelope in front of me. The Envelope has A round logo in the top left hand corner , and the words "Electoral Reform Services" next to it, with "Contains Important Information" undereath it, all in upper case letters. On the back of the envelope is a standard "if undelivbered please return to: etc. There is no mentuon of BW or CaRT on the envelope,. and it does look like a lot of the junk mail we receive, so some people may have binned it, assuming it was junk mail or as it came from the ERS, an invitation to participate in some sort of survey.

Carl My apologies for the previous brief post. For the sake of completeness here is my "mini manifesto": Andy Tidy, author of website "Captain Ahab's Watery Tales" My passion for boating dates from the "dirty ditches" of the 1960's to the magnificent system of today. I have travelled widely on our narrowboat Wand'ring Bark, and it has been said that canal water flows through my veins! Professionally, I oversee operational integrity within a multinational business, shaping policy, strategy and applying a commercial approach to planning. If elected I will approach this Council role as an enthusiast and a professional, combining 30 years of commercial experience with a 40 year passion for our waterways. It’s crucial that the C&RT strikes the right balance between the needs of the various user groups, particularly the boaters who must remain core to its operation. I will take a critical view of commercial and strategic aspects of the Trust’s proposals and plans. I would be honoured to represent the boating community. If that is the single, here is the EP version (can you tell I am a product of the 1970's!) the extended version which was included on my blog last month and gives a better insight into who I am: The Canal & River Trust Council You may have read that the Canal & River Trust are establishing a Council which represents the various groups with an interest in our Inland Waterways. Most of the members are co-opted on, but four seats have been reserved for representatives of the boating community, elected by single transferable vote. The Council performs an essential role as the guardian of the long term values and spirit of the Trust. The Council will have an important role in helping to shape policy, raising and debating issues, providing guidance and providing a sounding board for the trustees, who determine the policy and strategy of the Trust. Now here is the thing. Having given the matter much thought I have decided to stand for election as a boater representative. You will be aware of my passion for our waterways, but there are some aspects to Captain Ahab that are not immediately apparent from my blog, aspects which are very relevant to my desire to serve in this way. When I am not boating, or thinking about boating, I have a busy career overseeing the operational integrity of the European arm of a multinational company. This role involves taking a commercial approach to big decisions, weighing the risks of the various options, all within the confines of a big bureaucracy. What is more, I spend much of my time wrestling with the application of various rules and regulations coming out the government. Quite often my role seems to be stating what I see as the blindingly obvious - the fact that the emperor has no clothes, if you like. There seem to be a lot of similarities between my professional life and the role expected of a C&RT Council member. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to be able to apply my thirty years of commercial experience to my forty year passion for our inland waterways. Having grown up holidaying on the dirty ditch canals and rivers of the 1960s, I have watched them regenerate into the splendid resource that they are today, bringing joy to millions. We hold this unique network in trust for future generations and the migration to the new Trust represents a pivotal moment in it's history. It is therefore essential that we get it right first time and avoid costly mistakes. With your support I would like to play my part in ensuring the successful development of our inland waterways resource. With love, care and lots of good management I hope to see Jeff cruising an improved and extended network in another 40 years time. So what next? Well, the elections will take place in February / March 2012 but in the meantime it would be great if you could lend my candidacy your endorsement. The boating community is a large and diverse population and I don't stand with any body, group or organisation behind me. I won't seek to represent any specific boating sub group, but rather the boating community in general. I guess you could say that if I am to gain enough votes, I will need to attract the "floating boater" (aargh - what a terrible pun!). But seriously, we boaters are a geographically spread bunch and communication is a challenge. If you feel you could lend me your support, can I ask you to make my candidacy known within your own boating circles please? I have to admit to feeling a bit nervous about standing, so I want to say a special thank you to those of you that have kindly agreed to nominate me. Your demonstration of support and words of encouragement are much appreciated. I appreciate that I am not a core member of the Forum, time limitations mean that the most I can do is to cruise through each day to pick up the topical issues rather than engage in extended debate. Hey, you cant do everything and I have that time hungry blog to feed! Andy Tidy

Of course not: but if they were a juvenile texting fan they might cry "hlp" and I might not understand.

Allow me