Canal & River Trust appoints head of boating

[Ray T]

3 August 2015

 

Canal & River Trust appoints head of boating

 

The Canal & River Trust has appointed Mike Grimes to the position of head of boating, bringing his current responsibilities for business boating together with the Trust’s licensing and enforcement departments.

 

The newly combined team will work on plans that will meet the needs of the entire boating community rather than looking at business boating separately from the wider customer base.

 

Streamlining the teams will ensure there is consistency in processes, such as boat licensing, and in communications to all boaters. The role is focused on putting the customer first, and Mike will report to the executive head of customer services.

 

Ian Rogers, executive head of customer services at the Trust, said: “Boaters, of all types, contribute so much to the waterways, and it’s important that we can listen to them and meet their needs. It makes sense to have both private and business boating under the same banner, so any improvements are for the greatest good for all. Mike’s background is in building and maintaining excellent relationships with customers and ensuring that their needs are listened to and acted upon. I’m delighted to welcome him to the role.”

 

Mike Grimes was been appointed as the Trust’s head of business boating in April 2015. He spent a large part of his career working for British Airways, most recently as head of customer operations at Gatwick, before leaving last year to restore a historic property in the Fens.

 

ENDS

[Nightwatch]

I was speaking to an CRT employee the other day for ages.

 

I got the impression that not all is not well in the higher echelons. It's possibly a case of too many chiefs etc..

 

They also believed that the stale senior staff ought to step away and let new blood take over completely. There's a great deal of mis management in evidence.

 

Martyn

[bassplayer]

I got the impression that not all is not well in the higher echelons. It's possibly a case of too many chiefs etc..

 

 

...and guess who's paying for them?

[dmr]

Boating is a huge part of what CaRT does, so surely the head of boating/business boating and enforcement is an important man who should be answering directly to Richard. How many layers of top management do CaRT need???

 

...........Davei

[Nightwatch]

Less than presently I'd expect.

[DHutch]

ENDS

 

Please find a photo of Mike attached.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

Fran Read

National Press Officer

 

M 07796 610 427

 

Canal & River Trust, Toll House, Delamere Terrace, London, W2 6ND

 

 

 

#####

 

Don't know enough about the inner workings of CRT to comment other than as an outside, but as a boater I am.not against having someone in charge of and or representing boating

 

 

 

Daniel

[Peter X]

Boating is a huge part of what CaRT does, so surely the head of boating/business boating and enforcement is an important man who should be answering directly to Richard. How many layers of top management do CaRT need???

 

...........Davei

Good question. But the announcement seems to suggest that someone was in charge of licensing and enforcement and is no longer there (unless they're now an underling of Mike Grimes), so maybe there is now one less manager, a step in the right direction? It might be a good sign (or good PR) that his photo shows water and boats in the background.

 

In general, as a consequence of advances in IT which mean that information from computer systems can be summarised and presented automatically to executives, I don't think large organisations need as many layers of managers as they did decades ago, This may not necessarily actually result in the removal of surplus posts...

 

So that any discussion can be grounded in reality, does anyone have any figures for how the numbers of managers and/or their total pay have changed since CRT was formed from BW, or since the appointment of Richard Parry shortly after that?

[cotswoldsman]

So the empire building continues spending money as if it is a bottomless pit.

 

Sally Ash has been replaced by 2 people now a customer service manager who has proved himself with customer service being in decline and now a head of boating what a farse

[jenlyn]

It's odd. Not so very long ago, Richard Parry made much ado about the new way of the trust, stating that the new customer services would replace-encompass the head of boating role.

Now we have a new head of boating. Seems to be one direction then the other.

Hopefully someone somewhere, will have an idea of where the trust is going, eventually.

[alan_fincher]

I'm also surprised that after I'm sure they said they would not be replacing the Head of Boating they have now (errm) replaced the Head of Boating.

[kris88]

Hopefully someone somewhere, will have an idea of where the trust is going, eventually.[/size]

Yes unfortunately it is probably someone in the IWA.

Regards kris

[Tuscan]

Bit difficult perhaps to have empathy or some understanding of your boating customers needs when you have no boating experience.

[Ricco1]

Now that business is lumped in with leisure, and boats with a home mooring, when away from their mooring, must behave in the same way as ccers: does this mean that day hire boats will be coming under enforcement, for failing to cover a range of 15 to 20 miles in a licence period?

[cotswoldsman]

I wish there was more spent on people to look after maintance than an empire of people sitting on their arse in Milton Keynes either in meetings tinkering or in front of a computer. CRT as an organisation that is supposed to look after the canals is simply not fit for purpose. In a year with more closures the answer seems to be appoint a head of boating. Complete nonsense

Edited August 3, 2015 by cotswoldsman

[kris88]

But then all you have to do is get your new pr manager to release a statement saying how good a year it has been. See it's simple everything is sorted.

Regards kris

[Heffalump]

Shall we stage a coup? (D'etat)

[dmr]

I would really like to see a "family tree" diagram of the CaRT management structure, with job titles and names etc. Does anybody have one??? I could do a FoI request but I won't as its just spending "our" money and will sooner or later prompt CaRT to appoint an FoI manager, and an FoI executive etc etc.

 

..........Dave

[cotswoldsman]

I would really like to see a "family tree" diagram of the CaRT management structure, with job titles and names etc. Does anybody have one??? I could do a FoI request but I won't as its just spending "our" money and will sooner or later prompt CaRT to appoint an FoI manager, and an FoI executive etc etc.

 

..........Dave

There won't be much good fruit falling out of that tree. They will need to appoint a Head of Tree Structure reporting direct to Executive of Tree Building

[dmr]

There won't be much good fruit falling out of that tree. They will need to appoint a Head of Tree Structure reporting direct to Executive of Tree Building

 

To celebrate the millenium they planted a whole forest of trees behind the Caan Hill flight but they chose a boggy field so they all died, CaRT are not good with Trees!

 

................Dave

[Heffalump]

I've emailed to ask for a copy of their organisational structure, I wonder what I'll get back.

 

"Thank you for your e-mail.

We just wanted to let you know that it’s taking us longer to respond to our emails than usual because of the high volume of enquiries we’re handling right now. We’re really sorry for the delay and are working very hard to get back to our usual prompt timescales as soon as possible.

If you need a reply sooner please do give us a call on 0303 040 4040 and let us know that you’ve also sent this e-mail.

Kindest regards,
Sarina Young and the Customer Service Team "

[Mike Tee]

does this mean that day hire boats will be coming under enforcement, for failing to cover a range of 15 to 20 miles in a licence period?

The speed some of them travel that won't be a problem

[jenlyn]

"Ian Rogers, executive head of customer services at the Trust, said: “Boaters, of all types, contribute so much to the waterways, and it’s important that we can listen to them and meet their needs"

 

this^^^^ is total xxxxxxxx.

 

It's been quite clear from the association meetings held with CRT, that Richard Parry will listen to you, but, he won't if you disagree with him.

[Tony Dunkley]

3 August 2015

 

Canal & River Trust appoints head of boating

 

The Canal & River Trust has appointed Mike Grimes to the position of head of boating, bringing his current responsibilities for business boating together with the Trust’s licensing and enforcement departments.

 

The newly combined team will work on plans that will meet the needs of the entire boating community rather than looking at business boating separately from the wider customer base.

 

Streamlining the teams will ensure there is consistency in processes, such as boat licensing, and in communications to all boaters. The role is focused on putting the customer first, and Mike will report to the executive head of customer services.

 

Ian Rogers, executive head of customer services at the Trust, said: “Boaters, of all types, contribute so much to the waterways, and it’s important that we can listen to them and meet their needs. It makes sense to have both private and business boating under the same banner, so any improvements are for the greatest good for all. Mike’s background is in building, and maintaining excellent relationships with customers and ensuring that their needs are listened to and acted upon. I’m delighted to welcome him to the role.”

 

Mike Grimes was been appointed as the Trust’s head of business boating in April 2015. He spent a large part of his career working for British Airways, most recently as head of customer operations at Gatwick, before leaving last year to restore a historic property in the Fens.

 

ENDS

 

I tend to be little suspicious and wary of individuals who apparently walk away from good, well paid jobs in industry or commerce, only to re-appear in senior managerial roles with a Mickey Mouse organization like C&RT. One has to consider the possible reasons for leaving the first job.

A phrase and a sentence from the Press Officer's blurb are also rather less than reassuring, first there is "Mike’s background is in building", followed in the last paragraph by "He spent a large part of his career working for British Airways, most recently as head of customer operations at Gatwick, before leaving last year to restore a historic property in the Fens."

Is this man, in fact, an unsuccessful builder who went on to be an equally unsuccessful Customer Relations manager with BA, and is now hoping to make a go of things by working for an unsuccessful Navigation Authority ?

Edited August 3, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[peterboat]

I wish there was more spent on people to look after maintance than an empire of people sitting on their arse in Milton Keynes either in meetings tinkering or in front of a computer. CRT as an organisation that is supposed to look after the canals is simply not fit for purpose. In a year with more closures the answer seems to be appoint a head of boating. Complete nonsense

Not just Milton Keynes leeds everywhere so many managers in some cases working from home or in the case of the one I am on about that meant sunning himself in the back garden!! A complete makeover is required more boots on the ground less in offices

 

Peter

[twbm]

Tony, Not sure if that last entry was tongue in cheek, but 'Mike’s background is in building and maintaining excellent relationships with customers' as in building relationships. Code for PR man AKA spin doctor.

 

I'm seriously thinking of applying to BA to be Head of Flying.

Edited August 3, 2015 by twbm