No rise in licence fees in 2016.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

 

I do not need to licence my boat but I do because of where I keep it.

 

There is nothing that can be done to stop boaters leaving and I have not suggested that there should be.

 

This discussion started by your post in which you said why should anyone be worried about the number falling as it was only a trivial amount of money being 'lost'

 

Your post :

 

Does the DEFRA grant depend upon the number of boats on the waterways? If not then what difference does it make to government (or joe public) how many boats are on the waterways? If the overstatement of numbers dates back to the days of BW what would be the purpose of 'misleading' and to be honest a difference of 3000 boats (about 8.5%) is trivial (bearing in mind that licence evasion is supposed to be down to 4%)

 

The reduction in boat licences may not affect the DEFRA grant, it may not worry the Government (or Joe Public) but it should worry boaters, either costs must be reduced ( less maintenance ??) or licence fees increased for the remaining boaters, or alternative funding streams found.

I haven't actually said "....why should anyone be worried about the number falling as it was only a trivial amount of money being 'lost'...." so I'm not entirely sure where you have got this from. The 'difference' that I referred to being the number of boats BW said were on the system and the current number being licensed by CRT. No one has established that hordes of boats are leaving the system so, until they do and tell us exactly where they are all going, I'll take it to be a miscount by BW of about 8.5%, a relatively trivial figure. I still remain to be convinced that these boats are actually leaving, where are they going? out to sea??

[Athy]

I have checked my e-mails on arriving back home from a couple of days on Trojan and I was delighted to read this news from CART. So next year we'll have no increase in our licence fee and no increased in our mooring fee. As long as the price of diesel holds steady we shall be happy boaters indeed!

 

 

 

 

 

As long as a bit more offside tree trimming takes place too. Start at the Fenny Endless Moorings, chaps.

[Timx]

So no increase means, we don't need any more money from boaters because everything is ok we have enough money to sort all problems out. ?? I'm surprised.

Given the reality of financial restraints throughout anything government controlled, the concept of having the canals as a'' charity ''makes sense for them and us if its working. No increase means its working surely /possibly...?

[Allan(nb Albert)]

So no increase means, we don't need any more money from boaters because everything is ok we have enough money to sort all problems out. ?? I'm surprised.

Given the reality of financial restraints throughout anything government controlled, the concept of having the canals as a'' charity ''makes sense for them and us if its working. No increase means its working surely /possibly...?

As already stated, CaRT's Trustees decided to peg licence fees to inflation for three years from 1 April 2014. As such, the announcement is not really news but rather confirmation that CPI is 0%!

 

The undertaking followed a 'decision report' submitted to the board by Simon Salem (Marketing and Fundraising director) in September 2012. He proposed a rise of 4.6% (2% above CPI) for 1 April 2013 despite reporting a 1% drop in the number of boats licenced.

 

The trustees agreed to the 4.6% rise (which followed rises of 5.2% in April 2011 and 6.4% in April 2012) but stated that licence fees would be pegged to CPI for three years from 2014.

 

That they have done.

 

What they have not done is give any indication of licence fees for 2017 onwards.

 

 

[Tuscan]

I suspect there will be quite a review of licensing in 2016, looking at the number and complexity, how the cost is calculated etc etc. Very much doubt it will be CPI linked in 2017.

Edited November 11, 2015 by Tuscan

[Athy]

I wonder if some people will ever be satisfied. I do get the impression that, if CART announced tomorrow that licences would be free of charge for next year, there would still be those who would find something to moan about. Look, the cost of your boating will not rise next year. Be happy!

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I suspect there will be quite a review of licensing in 2016, looking at the number and complexity, how the cost is calculated etc etc. Very much doubt it will be CPI linked in 2017.

It has been set based on CPI since at least 2011 -

 

CPI+2% for 2011,2012 and 2013

CPI+0% for 2014,2015 and 2016

 

However, with very low CPI, the temptation will be to find another mechanism of justifying licence fee increases.