Government Decision, but C&RT fight to overturn it

[Ronaldo47]

39 minutes ago, Rambling Boater said:

I thought 'New Labour' was the Conservative party? 😉

 

 

 

 

There was a Radio sketch at the time on I think "The Now Show" , on the lines of

 

"  So now we have New Labour. What comes next?  New Improved Labour? Labour Ultra? Or,  I Can't Believe It's Not The Conservatives?  "

Edited June 24, 2023 by Ronaldo47
typo

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

This man likes trains

 

 

Mind that gap !

[magnetman]

8 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

It's true. The state the country's in is entirely down to the Labour Party and what they've been doing for the last dozen years. Rocketing energy costs , spiralling house prices, unaffordable mortgages, ridiculous rents, food banks, street sleepers, all the Labour Party's fault.

Can't deny it.

If only the Conservative Party had been in opposition instead, we'd all be so much better off...

 

Magnetman should leave his comments for the political ghetto, where ignorance is bliss.

I am in favour of investment in railways and also a Labour voter

 

 

I'm unsure why you think pointing out HS2 was created by Labour in the first place would somehow be having a go at them. 

I don't read the Grauniad but quite a good article here 

 

Turns out it was a Labour transport secretary who set up HS2 Ltd. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/07/hs2-the-zombie-train-that-refuses-to-die

 

 

[kris88]

Has anyone thought to ask Damien?

[Allan(nb Albert)]

2 hours ago, kris88 said:

Has anyone thought to ask Damien?

Don't think asking Damien will get any meaningfull reply. I posted earlier -

 

Quote

 

There was meant to be a government announcement on Friday 9 June 2023. This was defered to Monday 12 June 2023 then defered again with no date given.

 

I understand the announcement (almost certainly a tapering off grant) is delayed pending changes to CRT's governing documents to resolve its legal status.

 

It is now becoming very urgent that this matter is resolved.  CRT has been using a derogation from HM Treasury which has allowed it to operate on a temporary basis as a charity rather than a government department. However, that ran out at the end of March.

 

 

I find it peculiar that the various waterways organisations intend to protest via a boat gathering at the mailbox after  the government announcement rather than before.

 

It seems a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted ...

 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

41 minutes ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

I find it peculiar that the various waterways organisations intend to protest via a boat gathering at the mailbox after  the government announcement rather than before.

 

Maybe they are waiting to see exactly what the announcement is ........................

 

It maybe will be that the grant will continue to be paid with a 50% inflationary raise and will be extended a further 10 years.

 

They'd all look pretty stupid gathering and waving placards - "we don't agree", "overturn the decison C&RT", etc etc.

 

Seems sensible to wait !

[MtB]

37 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Maybe they are waiting to see exactly what the announcement is ........................

 

It maybe will be that the grant will continue to be paid with a 50% inflationary raise and will be extended a further 10 years.

 

They'd all look pretty stupid gathering and waving placards - "we don't agree", "overturn the decison C&RT", etc etc.

 

Seems sensible to wait !

 

 

Yes I was thinking the same.

 

"I say, what are you boating chaps and chapesses protesting about?"

 

"The government announcement"

 

"Which government announcement is that then?"

 

"Err.... They haven't made one yet..." 

[Allan(nb Albert)]

45 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Maybe they are waiting to see exactly what the announcement is ........................

 

It maybe will be that the grant will continue to be paid with a 50% inflationary raise and will be extended a further 10 years.

 

They'd all look pretty stupid gathering and waving placards - "we don't agree", "overturn the decison C&RT", etc etc.

 

Seems sensible to wait !

Government has already announced its intention to taper off grant post 2027.  It says it is consulting with CRT about the timescale.

 

Protesting after an announcement will, at best, increase the time scale by a year or two.

 

[Orwellian]

3 minutes ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

Government has already announced its intention to taper off grant post 2027.  It says it is consulting with CRT about the timescale.

 

Protesting after an announcement will, at best, increase the time scale by a year or two.

 

When and where was this announcement made?

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, Orwellian said:

When and where was this announcement made?

 

Further, Damien describes it as a "decision" rather than an announcement. 

 

A decision to taper off the grant beginning in 2027 I would imagine. I too would like to see the announcement as the big question still hanging is "Taper it off down to what level and over what period?"

 

Tapering it off to say 50% over the next 30 years will be much easier to cope with than tapering it off to zero over two years. 

 

 

[LadyG]

On 25/06/2023 at 12:12, MtB said:

 

Further, Damien describes it as a "decision" rather than an announcement. 

 

A decision to taper off the grant beginning in 2027 I would imagine. I too would like to see the announcement as the big question still hanging is "Taper it off down to what level and over what period?"

 

Tapering it off to say 50% over the next 30 years will be much easier to cope with than tapering it off to zero over two years. 

 

 

I suspect Damien is that guy in casual clothing (sandals and socks), who hovers round the coffee machine, and picks up on the topic of the day. Nobody knows his job title,but he must be influential as he has no damien,@.crt.co uk address.

Edited July 1, 2023 by LadyG

[TheBiscuits]

3 hours ago, LadyG said:

Nobody knows his job title,but he must be influential as he has no damien,@.crt.co uk address.

 

Eh?

 

Boating Communications and Consultations Manager

 

damian[dot]kemp[at]canalrivertrust[dot]org[dot]uk

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

Edited 6 minutes ago by magpie patrick
Make email address less spammable

 

It's on every email he sends out, he's already on every spam list on the planet!

Edited July 1, 2023 by magpie patrick
Make email address less spammable

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Here is what Damian Kemp, Boating Consultations & Communications Manager, had to say about himself in an internal magazine (The Source-June 2023) -
 

Quote

 

MY ROLE WITHIN the Trust as a boating communications manager is to mainly work on a national level with the wider comms and boating teams. 

I keep boaters – leisure users and liveaboards, but not boating businesses – updated with all they need to know to have an enjoyable time 
afloat.

Part of this also involves giving them confidence in us, by sharing some of the 
wonderful work we do and the challenges we face, to advocate support to other users of the waterways such as walkers, anglers, and cyclists.

Whilst a large part of my role is about getting these messages out to boaters, it is also a twoway conversation. Boaters are always getting in touch, and it usually underlines the positive impact our work, and the waterways, have on people.

 Of course, not every phone call, email or towpath buttonholing is positive but, for the most part, boaters understand that we are doing our best to protect and preserve the network despite the difficult times we’re living in. 

 

A lot of my time is spent coordinating, writing, and publishing a fortnightly Boaters’ Update – I know that some of you are regular readers!

This means working with colleagues across the Trust to find out what boaters need to know or how boaters can help us.

The best part of the job? I get to learn, and share, the vast range of highly skilled work we do for boaters, and the nation. And the worst? Is nagging colleagues for nformation – I appreciate how hard everyone works so often feel like I’m adding to theburden. Thankfully, there’s a lot of understanding about the importance of sharing the vital work we do so it’s not something that I have to do every day!

 

Fast facts
• I joined the Trust in March 2009
• What matters to me most at work is feeling like what I’m doing makes a difference, and I do!
• My favourite place on the canal network is Saul Junction, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal
• My idea of fun is cooking while listening to Johnny Cash
• I do my bit for the environment by religiously recycling
• My ideal dinner date (or chat show guest) would be Oliver Reed (think of the stories!)
• The most recent book or box set or podcast I enjoyed was Samuel Pepys Diary (unabridged!)
• I’m happiest when I’m with my four boys.
• To relax, I hide from my four boys
• If I could do one thing in 2023, I’d finally run a 5k in under 30 minutes

 

 

Edited July 1, 2023 by Allan(nb Albert)

[Momac]

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/damian-kemp-499b2b6b?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Not sure why MartynG has seen fit to post more on this thread after a month. 

 

However, after - https://narrowboatworld.com/14786-claim-and-counter-claim on 

17 August Damian published the following explanation in Boaters Update 25 August - 

Quote

Just to explain the figure of £300 million, since it has generated a lot of interest: we have measured the reduction in our funding against a baseline that includes a modest element for inflation, had it been applied to our core grant, while Defra has not offered any recognition of the effect of inflation. This is why we describe the reduction as ‘in real terms’. We calculate the total effect on our spending power of a) having no increase for inflation from 2021 to 2037, together with b) the 5% year-on-year cut, as amounting to over £300 million – in real terms.

 

With regard to the £300m claim generating a "lot of interest", does anyone have references to others querying this?

Also, does anyone understand the CRT explanation in the context of its statment following the Defra announcement?

1 hour ago, MartynG said:

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/damian-kemp-499b2b6b?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Allan(nb Albert)