Head of boating has a part time job it seems

[Laurence Hogg]

I was looking into some companies today as part of the day job when a familar name popped up in one, I am sure there cannot be two of these, age seems right, any thoughts?

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/02972938

 

See second director listed.

[matty40s]

not sure there is anything wrong with her having a second job.......she might do it better...

 

represents the most respected names on the inland waterways

 

SUMMER SIZZLER

Get a very attractive 20.12% off any Drifters boating holiday starting before 12 August 2012!

 

up to date too like all the CaRT info....!!

 

drifters uk

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I was looking into some companies today as part of the day job when a familar name popped up in one, I am sure there cannot be two of these, age seems right, any thoughts?

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/02972938

 

See second director listed.

 

You are rather late with that Laurence!

 

Sally Ash's association with this company is part of two Freedom of Information requests and I have written about it on a couple of occasions with the latest just yesterday-

 

Something to Hide?

 

The situation is that BW owns shares in a company that sells narrowboat holidays on behalf of hire companies that represent less than half the 'hire boat industry' (measured by number of boats). Sally Ash, CART's head of boating, is a director of that company, Drifters(presumably nominated by BW/CART).

 

Some 15 months ago a boater made a FOIA request about executive directors 'perks' but also included Sally Ash. At the moment, CART runs the risk of being held on contempt of court because it has not responded to that request. In particular, it has failed to disclose the the Ash directorship and state if a narrowboat holiday undertaken by Ash between two hire bases owned by another Drifters director's company was a 'perk' or not.

 

Perhaps of more concern is a more recent FOIA request which asks for -

 

1. A copy of the resolution by the Board of British Waterways

authorising the purchase by British Waterways of 10 shares of £1 in

Drifters Leisure Limited, Company Registration number 02972938

("Drifters"). In the alternative, if a resolution was not passed by

the Board, a copy of the legal device authorising British Waterways

to purchase shares in Drifters.

 

2. A copy of the resolution by the Board of British Waterways

confirming the appointment of Sally Ash as the nominee of British

Waterways as a Director on the Board of Drifters. In the

alternative, a copy of the legal device by which her appointment as

Director of Drifters was authorised by British Waterways.

 

3. A copy of the minute by the Board of British Waterways

confirming that the holding of shares in Drifters by British

Waterways does not constitute a conflict of interest with its

status as navigation authority. In the alternative, a copy of the

legal device confirming that the holding of shares in Drifters by

British Waterways does not constitute a conflict of interest with

its status as navigation authority.

 

I would add that neither FOIA request was made by me.

[Ian Mac]

Interesting that, given name 1 is an elected trustee representing the hire companies. It would appear Nigel is even more astute than I thought.

--

Cheers Ian Mac

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Interesting that, given name 1 is an elected trustee representing the hire companies. It would appear Nigel is even more astute than I thought.

--

Cheers Ian Mac

Not quite correct.

 

From an earlier NbW article -

 

One of Sally Ash's fellow directors, Nigel Stevens (director of the a company that trades as Shire Cruisers) is also a member of CART's committee.

 

He is a member of CART's committee rather than a trustee.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Interesting that, given name 1 is an elected trustee representing the hire companies. It would appear Nigel is even more astute than I thought.

--

Cheers Ian Mac

 

I would agree that Nigel is astute, and that very rare thing, a successful businessman who is also scrupulous to the point of obsession, but how do you deduce astuteness from the recruitment of Ms Ash?

Edited August 14, 2012 by Mac of Cygnet

[Madmark62]

I would agree that Nigel is astute, and that very rare thing, a successful businessman who is also scrupulous to the point of obsession, but how do you deduce astuteness from the recruitment of Ms Ash?

 

Is that Nigel from Shire Cruisers?

I have always found him to be a true gent and more than fair.

[Dr Bradley]

Is that Nigel from Shire Cruisers?

I have always found him to be a true gent and more than fair.

Agreed

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Agreed

It is not Nigel's company that is linked with possible 'perks'.

 

However, one must query why any hire boat company is associated with a company that BW has shares in unless that company represents the whole industry.

 

Drifters represents less than half the 'hire boat' industry.

Edited August 14, 2012 by Allan(nb Albert)

[MtB]

You are rather late with that Laurence!

 

Might I suggest your reputation for plagiarism has damaged your credibility here Allan?

 

Many people here simply discount your posts these days. Just thought I should say....

 

 

Mike

 

 

Edit to add: For the avoidance of doubt it's NBW with the reputation for plagiarism, not Allan personally. I always thought Allan posted here as a spokesman for NBW, hence my comment. I may be wrong on this.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Mike the Boilerman

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Might I suggest your reputation for plagiarism has damaged your credibility here Allan?

 

Many people here simply discount your posts these days. Just thought I should say....

 

 

Mike

Mike, you suggest a reputation for plagiarism but do not substantiate it.

 

Laurence posted on this issue on CWDF today (and good for Laurence for posting on this issue!).

 

I wrote on this issue in narrowboatworld on 9th July, over a month ago.

 

I would suggest it is better to concentrate on the issues raised.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Allan(nb Albert)

[alan_fincher]

Might I suggest your reputation for plagiarism has damaged your credibility here Allan?

 

Many people here simply discount your posts these days. Just thought I should say....

 

 

Mike

In fairness Allan Richard's material on that site tends to be amongst the small amount not obviously plagiarised from elsewhere.

 

My personal feeling though, is that because much of the other material is simply copied from elsewhere, often with the same errors, (did Alan Tilbury ever write anything of his own, for example ?), it is hard to take anything on there seriously.

 

In my opinion, it is a shame Allan Richards can't find a better mouthpiece, because continuing to put his material on NBW, and then link to it elsewhere, in my view lessens the chance of it being taken seriously.

 

But I think it is probably wrong to group Allan with much of the pinching of other people's material that that site relies on.

 

Hopefully that is a reasonably balanced comment ?

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

I'm talking (of course)about the material on NBW claiming to be factual. Obviously much of the bigotted and nasty opinion, (rather than attempts at news), is the completely original work of its authors - another reason I dislike that site.

Edited August 15, 2012 by alan_fincher

[cotswoldsman]

In fairness Allan Richard's material on that site tends to be amongst the small amount not obviously plagiarised from elsewhere.

 

My personal feeling though, is that because much of the other material is simply copied from elsewhere, often with the same errors, (did Alan Tilbury ever write anything of his own, for example ?), it is hard to take anything on there seriously.

 

In my opinion, it is a shame Allan Richards can't find a better mouthpiece, because continuing to put his material on NBW, and then link to it elsewhere, in my view lessens the chance of it being taken seriously.

 

But I think it is probably wrong to group Allan with much of the pinching of other people's material that that site relies on.

 

Hopefully that is a reasonably balanced comment ?

 

Very balanced IMO

[jenlyn]

Might I suggest your reputation for plagiarism has damaged your credibility here Allan?

 

Many people here simply discount your posts these days. Just thought I should say....

 

 

Mike

Perhaps you should do some research before making such a statement? Going with the flow so to speak, is the easy option. On balance, Alan has brought some information to boaters that we would otherwise not have known about, through sheer hard research. I for one appreciate what he does for boating, and put aside the odd trivial bits of carp that comes from time to time.

[Mac of Cygnet]

It is not Nigel's company that is linked with possible 'perks'.

 

However, one must query why any hire boat company is associated with a company that BW has shares in unless that company represents the whole industry.

 

Drifters represents less than half the 'hire boat' industry.

 

I find this post confusing. I don't understand why it matters that a hire boat company is associated with a company that BW/CaRT has shares in. Are you suggesting that that company will receive favourable treatment? If so I think that is taking conspiracy theory a little far.

 

And of course Nigel Stevens does represent the whole industry in his membership of the CaRT Council.

[Chris Pink]

That's a very naive post. Of course there is a conflict of interest when an executive of CRT is a director of a company that benefits or otherwise from decisions she makes and policies that she helps to formulate. . How could there not be?

 

I've heard a lot of things said about Ms Ash but not that she has dual and separate personalities that don't talk to each other....

 

....mind, could explain some things

 

 

 

 

..

Edited August 15, 2012 by Chris Pink

[Gibbo]

Even the suggestion that someone involved in the running of the waterways could have shares in a company operating on the waterways is unbelievable. How anyone cannot see a serious conflict of interest in that is beyond me.

 

It would be like a politician having shares in a company which is governed by his own department. Oh wait, that's normal isn't it?

[Morat]

Even the suggestion that someone involved in the running of the waterways could have shares in a company operating on the waterways is unbelievable. How anyone cannot see a serious conflict of interest in that is beyond me.

 

It would be like a politician having shares in a company which is governed by his own department. Oh wait, that's normal isn't it?

 

Shares? More likely a non-executive directorship with a healthy salary.

[carlt]

Even the suggestion that someone involved in the running of the waterways could have shares in a company operating on the waterways is unbelievable.

Having worked in both the Civil Service and Local Government I have seen plenty of blatant examples of senior (and not so senior) officers grooming private sector bosses in preparation for leaving the public sector.

 

It works both ways though. I was told on a few occasions "If you ever leave Civil Service there's always a job here for you."

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I find this post confusing. I don't understand why it matters that a hire boat company is associated with a company that BW/CaRT has shares in. Are you suggesting that that company will receive favourable treatment? If so I think that is taking conspiracy theory a little far.

 

And of course Nigel Stevens does represent the whole industry in his membership of the CaRT Council.

 

I think it matters for a number of reasons.

 

Fair trading - is it right that BW/CART should be associated with a company that represents less than half the hire industry?

 

Is it compatible with BW's duties as a navigation authority? (for example BW has powers to regulate the hire industry by, for example, adopting the MCA code)

 

Are BW staff (including Sally Ash)receiving perks such as free holidays or day hire due to BW's shareholding.

 

Is this association detrimental to private boaters?

 

As stated earlier, there are two FOIA requests (neither mine) which might provide some answers.

 

However, one of these requests has been outstanding for 15 months and CART faces risk of a contempt of court action by the information commissioner for not complying with a decision notice to make the information available.

[MtB]

Mike, you suggest a reputation for plagiarism but do not substantiate it.

 

Laurence posted on this issue on CWDF today (and good for Laurence for posting on this issue!).

 

I wrote on this issue in narrowboatworld on 9th July, over a month ago.

 

I would suggest it is better to concentrate on the issues raised.

 

Allan,

 

My apologies, sloppy posting, late at night. I confused you personally with the organisation NBW. Its NBW that has a reputation for plagiarism, and I withdraw my suggestion that you personally plagiarise.

 

I always believed you post here as a representative of NBW. I must be careful in future not to confuse an organisation with individuals within it..

 

I'll add an edit to my original post.

 

 

Mike

[WJM]

While I am all for free enterprise and nurturing entrepreneurial endeavour, I wonder if Sally Ash is overstepping the mark here. Does her position with CaRT allow her to influence decisions that give might give her commercial activities an unfair advantage?

 

Should the gamekeeper have a sideline in poaching?

[Timleech]

While I am all for free enterprise and nurturing entrepreneurial endeavour, I wonder if Sally Ash is overstepping the mark here. Does her position with CaRT allow her to influence decisions that give might give her commercial activities an unfair advantage?

 

Should the gamekeeper have a sideline in poaching?

 

My memory may be wrong here, but as far as I recall:-

Sally Ash used to manage an outfit called UK Waterway Holidays, which was a joint venture between BW and APCO, in the 1970s I suppose. I occasionally had the pleasure of dealing with her at that time.

The bit I'm unsure about is that I think she & her husband bought the company when a decision was taken that it should be sold off, so I was a bit surprised when her name reappeared at BW. This was a long time ago, so my memory is vague, and I'm not making any suggestion that there was anything improper about it if indeed it actually happened.

 

Tim

[Richard Fairhurst]

Drifters has always been a consortium owned jointly by BW (as was) and hireboat companies, set up to market hireboat holidays - not an unreasonable thing for BW to be doing. My vague recollection is that it succeeded UK Waterways Holidays in the mid-1990s. Tim et al will know more than me, but I wonder whether UKWH might have been established after BW closed its own hire operation (the last base being Nantwich in the early '90s).

 

If you look in old BW Annual Reports you'll see details of BW's stake (not huge, 5% or so). I'm surprised that people appear to be assuming that Sally Ash herself holds a stake in the company. As Allan has pointed out, I expect that, as BW's long-term "lead" for the hire-boat industry, she is simply the BW-nominated director.

[cotswoldsman]

Drifters has always been a consortium owned jointly by BW (as was) and hireboat companies, set up to market hireboat holidays - not an unreasonable thing for BW to be doing. My vague recollection is that it succeeded UK Waterways Holidays in the mid-1990s. Tim et al will know more than me, but I wonder whether UKWH might have been established after BW closed its own hire operation (the last base being Nantwich in the early '90s).

 

If you look in old BW Annual Reports you'll see details of BW's stake (not huge, 5% or so). I'm surprised that people appear to be assuming that Sally Ash herself holds a stake in the company. As Allan has pointed out, I expect that, as BW's long-term "lead" for the hire-boat industry, she is simply the BW-nominated director.

 

I think she is just Company Secretary