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Following the disgusting turn out for the elections recently held it is more than obvious CRT has had its day. We need a cedible alternative, with solid power and run in a fair just way to replace what has become a joke. Exclusion of people because they have no internet access, ethnic candidates disappearing from lists, the unfair licensing system, it just goes on and imho is far far worse than BW. Below is Allan Richards superb summary from Narrowboatworld, the facts are true, but what do you think we need to get in place? Allans piece: < No confidence in CaRT Monday, 21 December 2015 10:18 LESS than 7% of eligible boaters voted in the Canal & River Trust (CaRT) Council election according to the Electoral Reform Society, writes Allan Richards. In a show of no confidence in the Trust and its governance structure there was a drop in turnout from 27.4% at the last election (March 2012) to just 6.8% (December 2015). Private boating Just 1,860 (2012—7,556) out of an electorate of 27,280 (2012—28,805) voted for the eight candidates (2012—33) standing. The four private boaters returned, in the order they were elected, were Phil Prettyman,Stella Ridgeway, Andrew Phasey,Vaughan Welch. Other constituencies Business boating (two to elect) also had a poor turnout with 11.1% compared to 37.4% in 2012. With employees (one to elect) turnout fell from 44.0% to 25.8%. In the new constituency of ‘volunteers' (one to elect) just 14.9% voted. In the ‘Friends' category, the only nominee to gain the five sponsors needed (and thus stand for Council unopposed) claimed she was being excluded on ethnic grounds (Ethnic ‘Friend' not allowed to stand for Council). She has now been offered a place for two years but it is not known if this will be accepted. Appalling turnout The truly appalling turnout, particularly from private boaters, is only to be expected. In September, narrowboatworld published some of findings of a report that CaRT had kept hidden for a year. In particular: Respect—only one in four (24%) boaters say they feel respected by the Trust ... The warning signs were all there but not acted on! Internet 'questions and answers' cancelled On 4th December ‘Boaters Update' stated: ‘On the afternoon of the 18 December the boating team will be taking to the internet to answer any questions you may have'. It never happened. No explanation for cancellation was given. Perhaps boating team ‘bottled out' thinking boaters would ignore them. On the other hand perhaps they thought that they might have to answer a few awkward questions... One of the questions the boating team might have been asked is why the number of eligible boaters has dropped by over 1,500 between the two elections... > NOW what do we do with CRT?

2 October 2013 Great British Bike-Off: cyclists complete gruelling 300 mile route to raise money for the nation’s waterways Thirty-one cyclists set off from the Olympic Park in London at the end of September to complete a 300-mile journey to raise money for the nation’s historic canals and rivers. The four-day Great British Bike-Off was run by Canal & River Trust and raised almost £40,000 for vital maintenance, heritage and ecology projects. The route saw the teams cycling through magnificent countryside on roads and cycle-ways parallel to waterways such as the Grand Union, Trent & Mersey and the Macclesfield canals, and taking in sights including Hatton Locks and Standedge Tunnel. The finishing line on 28 September was at the Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire. Ruth Ruderham, the Canal & River Trust’s head of fundraising, said: “We’re delighted to have had such great support for the Great British Bike-Off. It was an exciting and beautiful route that took in some of our most-loved waterway locations. “Our canals and rivers are a national treasure. They have had a renaissance in the last few decades, but we still need to raise more money to look after them. Hopefully the fantastic fundraising work our cyclists have done will make up in some way for the pain of cycling a few hundred miles. If you saw them on a road, cycleway or at one of our waterways attractions, I hope you gave them some encouragement and it’s still not too late to sponsor them.” Ends Notes to editors A photograph of the relieved cyclists at the Anderton Boat Lift is available on request For more media information please contact Jonathan Ludford on 020 3204 4420 jonathan.ludford@canalrivertrust.org.uk

2 October 2013 THREE STUNNING IMAGES TAKE TOP SPOT IN WATERWAYS PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Three very different but spectacular photos have been selected as the winners of the Canal & River Trust’s photography competition to inspire people to visit and enjoy their local towpath or riverbank. The free to enter competition ran throughout the summer and was judged by renowned waterway photographer Harry Arnold, and Canal & River Trust chairman, Tony Hales. The winning entries are: · Early morning start on the Shropshire Union Canal by Mark Welton · Sunday afternoon at the Angel Canal by Ros Conti · Kingfisher emerging with a minnow by Daniel Trim Each is available to view online, together with a link to all 2,763 entries, at: canalrivertrust.org.uk/photo-winners. Each winner will receive a state of the art iPhone 5 from Vodafone. Harry Arnold comments: “The sheer number of pictures submitted, covering virtually every facet of the Trust’s network, demonstrated the enthusiasm of the entrants for the waterways and a keen photographer’s eye for their many individual aspects. As judges, we had a difficult but very pleasant task to reduce this number to three choices which we felt were not only top quality images but illustrated widely differing views of what brings people down to our canals and rivers.” Tony Hales comments: “The entries were really inspiring and I’d like to thank everyone who took part. It was a difficult decision whittling the entries down to just three winners. The narrowboat emerging from early morning mist on the Shropshire Union Canal is particularly evocative. The busy lock on the Regent’s Canal sums up the wider appeal of our waterways, whilst the stunning photo of the kingfisher emerging from the water with a fish in its mouth truly is one in a million.” Ends For further information: Jonathan Ludford, Canal & River Trust, Tel: 020 320 444 20 Jonathan.ludford@canalrivertrust.org.uk