IWA 'Call to Arms'

[Allan(nb Albert)]

IWA is asking waterways supporters to:-

 

1. Write to your MP drawing their attention to the fact that the waterways are being transferred over into the charitable sector, and that it is vital that the funding package is sufficient that it allows them to be maintained in a sustainable condition. Let them know that you don't want to see the waterways become another Defra inspired 'forestry' type disaster.
   
2. Please also ask your MP to contact the Waterways Minister Richard Benyon MP, directly, to register their concern, and to ensure that he knows that there needs to be more money put on the table.
   

Call to Arms

 

I have some reservations:-

 

The penny drops

 

I am posting this here because it seems that the IWA is ignoring this forum on what they consider to be an important issue. This may have something to do with the 'traditional welcome' given to IWA's Jo Gilbertson some months ago!

[carlt]

 

I am posting this here because it seems that the IWA is ignoring this forum on what they consider to be an important issue. This may have something to do with the 'traditional welcome' given to IWA's Jo Gilbertson some months ago!

I thought he took it quite well.

 

Have the IWA posted it on any walking, cycling, fishing or dog walking forums, because they seem to favour them, above boaters, of late?

[soldthehouse]

http://www.waterways.org.uk/campaigns/news/campaign_news/iwa_attends_political_conferences_ Edited November 6, 2011 by soldthehouse

[carlt]

http://www.waterways.org.uk/campaigns/news/campaign_news/iwa_attends_political_conferences_

Where were our esteemed boaters' groups then?

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I thought he took it quite well.

 

Have the IWA posted it on any walking, cycling, fishing or dog walking forums, because they seem to favour them, above boaters, of late?

 

As far as I am aware IWA have not posted to other forums. The campaign seems Facebook and 'IWA member' based with a press release to local newspapers to 'ask questions' (the press release does not ask the public to write to MP's).

 

I suggested a few days ago that IWA should post here (10,000+ waterways enthusiasts) but to no avail.

[carlt]

Whilst I greet the IWA finally getting bolshy with a guarded welcome, I can't help feeling they should have been manning the barricades some time ago, rather than sniffing around the unlikely possibility of them becoming 'poacher turned gamekeeper' (not that they've been a very effective poacher, over the years).

[Allan(nb Albert)]

http://www.waterways.org.uk/campaigns/news/campaign_news/iwa_attends_political_conferences_

 

Yes, IWA has been in there punting. However, to my mind the big thing that the IWA has done is to get the APPWG going. This group of 20 MP's and Lords includes several ex-waterways ministers. The report is at -

 

APPWG memorandum

 

However, now it seems that IWA is turning its back on this report and suggesting than the 'funding gap' is only £20m rather than the >£40m they were previously suggesting.

[Odana]

If the members here are more interested in politicking among themselves and being anti-IWA, anti-BW, andti-non-boater etc than taking little steps that might make a difference, then nobody benefits. Any approach that makes politicians take notice is a good thing - if that means the IWA speaking in their language to get the job done, maybe that's not so terrible.

 

Whether or not you approve of IWA's methods, the idea of writing to MPs to raise awareness of the huge (if not-precisely-known) funding gap is sensible and very urgent. If not, then we will all be non-boaters soon, as we'll have no bloomin' navigable navigations to boat on!! And Robin Evans et all will have to spend OUR millions on their retirement yachts elsewhere...

 

Whilst I greet the IWA finally getting bolshy with a guarded welcome, I can't help feeling they should have been manning the barricades some time ago, rather than sniffing around the unlikely possibility of them becoming 'poacher turned gamekeeper' (not that they've been a very effective poacher, over the years).

 

Agree in the main with this. But who is 'they' ?

 

The IWA is predominantly volunteers giving up their time to do a job, often with minimal training or information or support. Or finance. If 'we' don't help and input ideas/money/manpower, then there is no 'they' to do the job which needs doing....

 

So while it's easy to grumble (which I do), those who grumble-but-don't-get-involved (and no, I'm not aiming that at you at all Carl), should remember that if WE want THEM to say what WE think is important, then WE need to get involved, even in little ways!

[Higgs]

I am struggling to keep up to speed with figures flying in from all over the place. Now would be a good time to find some common ground, have reliable facts and decide wether we're all agreeing on something that would display definite goals.

 

An observation made of news reports, relating to the same news item on different channels, was that figures were frequently different. The only information that such figures conveyed was nothing very accurate but possibly a relative measurement; big number, small number.

 

The shortfall figure of funding for the canals is beginning to be an irrelevance to take notice of, where it's being quoted. Most boaters do not have the time or patience, I would imagine, to work it all out. It ought to be a relatively simple matter to arrive at a figure that can be published, but there's no one to trust. Those that should be relied upon to act in good faith just don't fill me with confidence.

 

Nothing seems to be joined up. It's bollocks. Words have lost their meaning and straight talk has gone out with the dodo.

 

I have a cunning plan....B E D. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Edited November 7, 2011 by Higgs

[carlt]

Agree in the main with this. But who is 'they' ?

 

"They" are the IWA who thought they were in with a shout of being the new BW.

[Laurence Hogg]

So the IWA have finally woken up, so what??

I wrote to my MP some time back over this issue and I know a lot of other people have too. The IWA is history, they are so slow at coming forward on issues its unbeleivable, I welcome the formation of a new Canal and River trust, at least being a member of that will give you some direct say to the people in charge. I find it strange they havent yet advertised their membership scheme, LHP has been helping "harvest" names and addresses of interested parties for some time by sending out reply cards for BW in with our products.

Quite honestly I have little time for the IWA, having spent most of my working life connected with the waterway trade I have seldom if ever seen IWA promote or help the trade, without which there would be no Inland Waterways industry. They have though over the years managed to take a fair bit of finance from it!

[Odana]

"They" are the IWA who thought they were in with a shout of being the new BW.

 

I know. But the bit below was trying to stress that when we talk about 'they' as some disconnected entity, it is actually 'us' - if we choose to participate and make our voices heard within an organisation. (Or maybe I'm too tired and ought to shut up and try again when more coherent!.)

[sueb]

If the members here are more interested in politicking among themselves and being anti-IWA, anti-BW, andti-non-boater etc than taking little steps that might make a difference, then nobody benefits. Any approach that makes politicians take notice is a good thing - if that means the IWA speaking in their language to get the job done, maybe that's not so terrible.

 

Whether or not you approve of IWA's methods, the idea of writing to MPs to raise awareness of the huge (if not-precisely-known) funding gap is sensible and very urgent. If not, then we will all be non-boaters soon, as we'll have no bloomin' navigable navigations to boat on!! And Robin Evans et all will have to spend OUR millions on their retirement yachts elsewhere...

 

 

 

Agree in the main with this. But who is 'they' ?

 

The IWA is predominantly volunteers giving up their time to do a job, often with minimal training or information or support. Or finance. If 'we' don't help and input ideas/money/manpower, then there is no 'they' to do the job which needs doing....

 

So while it's easy to grumble (which I do), those who grumble-but-don't-get-involved (and no, I'm not aiming that at you at all Carl), should remember that if WE want THEM to say what WE think is important, then WE need to get involved, even in little ways!

See you on Saturday then?

Sue

[carlt]

I know. But the bit below was trying to stress that when we talk about 'they' as some disconnected entity, it is actually 'us' - if we choose to participate and make our voices heard within an organisation. (Or maybe I'm too tired and ought to shut up and try again when more coherent!.)

But, in this case 'they' are specifically the IWA.

 

Despite my cynicism I will write to my MP (again) but I expect the same neutral, non-committal response.

[soldthehouse]

Where were our esteemed boaters' groups then?

In typical British fashion scattered to the four winds backbiting and tittle tattling over minor issues of procedure instead of voting with their feet!!!!!!!!!

Edited November 6, 2011 by soldthehouse

[Odana]

See you on Saturday then?

Sue

Not sure what's happening this Sat? But I fess up to being one of those who has tried and failed to combine voluntary work with a more-than-full-time job, and have handed over what I used to do (monitoring planning applications for IWA in Bham) to someone else who can keep on top of it. And like many I also often park writing to MPs etc on the 'To Do' list too long - it is one more task to try and fit into our already overloaded lives, and often a thankless labour given the bland replies, if any. But it doesn't mean (in my opinion) that it's not important for individuals to try to do what they can before moaning about what others' haven't done.

[sociable_hermit]

Well, I wrote to my MP.

 

There is some history there, as I also wrote to him before the last election to ask what his party's stance was with regard to BW. The reply back then wasn't very informative.

 

I've modified the standard IWA letter to include one or two other key points that I feel are worth getting across, in the hope they'll make the whole thing less easy to ignore (I suspect they give generic letters short shrift).

 

We'll see.....

[David Schweizer]

Well, I wrote to my MP.

 

There is some history there, as I also wrote to him before the last election to ask what his party's stance was with regard to BW. The reply back then wasn't very informative.

 

I've modified the standard IWA letter to include one or two other key points that I feel are worth getting across, in the hope they'll make the whole thing less easy to ignore (I suspect they give generic letters short shrift).

 

We'll see.....

I could write to my MP, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it will make no difference to the Government's decision.

 

Our new MP is one of the inexperienced Lib Dems who surprisingly ousted the Tory Candidate in this 'True Blue' constituancy. We have written to him on several occassions, and each time have received a comprehensive reply which indicates support for our suggestions, However he consistently votes in the House in favour of the Tory proposals, which in each case was what we were lobbying against.

 

I recently had a long and interesting conversation with him, and it is clear that his personal views are not a million miles away from ours, but when it comes to voting he runs with the sheep. On the issue of Waterways, I doubt that he will even understand the issues involved, let alone be in a position to argue any points, so I think I will be wasting my time (again), but I will try.

Edited November 7, 2011 by David Schweizer

[Tiny]

But, in this case 'they' are specifically the IWA.

 

Despite my cynicism I will write to my MP (again) but I expect the same neutral, non-committal response.

 

My MP is long past his 'useful to constituants' sell buy date and has his head so far up his leaders fundiment that all you get is gov speak. Its a shame as he is proud owner of a very canal constituency but the boating lot lost him years ago when he was willing to support them and they ignored his approaches as they wanted 'to be equally fair to all parties'. He (who at that time was approachable and talked to me) was really pissed off by this and never joined an canals group. After 5 years an MP he went over to the dark side as in 'I don't listen - I tell you as I am an MP'. Sending him a letter now gets a standard reply from a wench who was the most useless waste of space as a local borough councillor we ever had - she now being one of his assistants and on the future MP ladder - or she thinks so. So no point in writing.

 

[Guest]

I'm ashamed to say I don't even know the name of our MP - the last one pegged it and was quite a decent chap taking notice of local issues, he also worked very hard at being 'visble' in the community.

 

For all I know of the current one (ie nothing) I don't think it would do any good writing.

 

(Even worse I am not sure I'm even certain what flavour (political) he or she even is.

[deletedaccount]

"write to your mp"

 

ho ho ho

 

I could write to my MP, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it will make no difference to the Government's decision.

 

Our new MP is one of the inexperienced Lib Dems who surprisingly ousted the Tory Candidate in this 'True Blue' constituancy. We have written to him on several occassions, and each time have received a comprehensive reply which indicates support for our suggestions, However he consistently votes in the House in favour of the Tory proposals, which in each case was what we were lobbying against.

 

I recently had a long and interesting conversation with him, and it is clear that his personal views are not a million miles away from ours, but when it comes to voting he runs with the sheep. On the issue of Waterways, I doubt that he will even understand the issues involved, let alone be in a position to argue any points, so I think I will be wasting my time (again), but I will try.

 

This sums it up pretty well, except I've given up the trying.

 

Our guy is a turncoat only interested in saving his own skin and towing the party line. He doesn't care what his constituents want or think.

[sociable_hermit]

I'm ashamed to say I don't even know the name of our MP - the last one pegged it and was quite a decent chap taking notice of local issues, he also worked very hard at being 'visble' in the community.

 

For all I know of the current one (ie nothing) I don't think it would do any good writing.

 

(Even worse I am not sure I'm even certain what flavour (political) he or she even is.

I think communication is a 2-way street. It's easy to find out who your MP is, and contact them (try www.theyworkforyou.com, and use the 'search by postcode' function). You won't know how responsive they are until you try.

 

As others have pointed out, most politicians tow the party line and follow the flock. However that means they start to get very twitchy if their colleagues all start talking about something at the same time, that they'd written off as insignificant. I think this should be viewed as a two step process - stir things up enough that one or two MPs then carry things forward.

[Guest]

I think communication is a 2-way street. It's easy to find out who your MP is, and contact them (try www.theyworkforyou.com, and use the 'search by postcode' function). You won't know how responsive they are until you try.

 

I know the info. is easy to find if I wanted to and I agree to an extent but my point was the current incumbent is way less 'active' or so it seems to me then his predecessor.

 

Some used to say he used to revel in the local publicity a bit too much but at least we knew who he was without having to look it up on the internet.

 

I'm afraid I know I am way too cynical about politicians in my old age. The only decent one I ever met (and I met a few through my work) was Mo Mowlam, a real people person if ever there was such a thing.

[DaveG]

Yes, I wrote to my MP a while back....one of the so-called "Cameron's Cuties" in her first term. Now, I don't know if it was something I said, but she then announced she wasn't going to stand at the next election as she is finding it "too difficult being a single mum", although she has an ex-husband (who she describes as "brilliant"), a current husband and two nannies. So, given the hardship she is suffering, I think it unlikely she will be bothered about such a little thing as the waterways despite the fact a waterway runs right through the town where she lives.

[soldthehouse]

As far as I am aware how the system works is this:

 

If you are a large company or organisation with the ability to efectivly lobby an MP or if you just "happen to hit on an issue close to their heart or is "very " current you may get some support, but only I suspect if they are carrying a torch for the particular issue that you care about.