BW Mooring consultation

[mayalld]

I think that this may be the nub of the problem. I have spoken directly to BW senior managers (in one instance, a director) who have made a series of comments along the lines of attempting to persuade boaters to play the good guy and move, or who recognise difficulties. The director referred to one case where he had decided that there was no point in taking action against an elderly liveaboard boater who never moved and didn't have a licence. "We would be throwing him to social services, which he doesn't currently need, he'll end up in a care centre and sooner rather than later that will kill him". His view was that action would be taken when the boater became incapable of living on board safely and independently. The director did say (and I'm not naming him for this reason) that he wouldn't dare tell a member of the public this.

 

The problem is the public have two reactions. criticising the board for letting him get away with it or trying to get away with it themselves.

 

The problem is that in turning a blind eye, they create the conditions for unrest amongst the paying public.

 

There will always be cases where it is in the best interest of everybody that a degree of compassion is shown, and it is equally important that where compassion is shown, the recipient should be indistinguishable from a paying customer, rather than being indistinguishable from the evaders.

 

So, I have a proposal to make.....

 

British Waterways should set up an arms-length charitable trust, primarily financed by an optional 5% levy on the standard licence, and possibly the recipient of any fees and bonuses that the board and directors elect to forgo.

 

Where BW feel that a licence isn't being bought for genuine reasons, then instead of turning a blind eye, they pass it to the trust, and the trust pays for a licence for the genuinely deserving cases, complete with discs to display.

[magpie patrick]

The problem is that in turning a blind eye, they create the conditions for unrest amongst the paying public.

 

There will always be cases where it is in the best interest of everybody that a degree of compassion is shown, and it is equally important that where compassion is shown, the recipient should be indistinguishable from a paying customer, rather than being indistinguishable from the evaders.

 

So, I have a proposal to make.....

 

British Waterways should set up an arms-length charitable trust, primarily financed by an optional 5% levy on the standard licence, and possibly the recipient of any fees and bonuses that the board and directors elect to forgo.

 

Where BW feel that a licence isn't being bought for genuine reasons, then instead of turning a blind eye, they pass it to the trust, and the trust pays for a licence for the genuinely deserving cases, complete with discs to display.

 

Not looked at it in detail, but an idea that has merit