Voting opens for the CRT council reps

[Thorfast]

How on earth are we supposed to pick canditates to vote for on the pathetic amount of information that we have about them?

[alan_fincher]

Whether you vote or not Alan 4 of them will be elected so it would be better if you used your vote and then hopefully some of the best 4 will get elected.

 

What I'm seeing Brian is that I don't think there are 4 candidate I could be happy with amongst the 8.

 

But yes, I'll certainly still rank them down to the last man or woman to do my level best to try to stop the worst getting in.

 

I don't expect to succeed though, unless I can convince a lot of other people to do the same.

 

I badly wish I had felt in a position to go for it again myself, and had several people contacting me to persuade me that I should. At the time I had to choose I didn't feel I had enough time to run a "campaign" - now I wish I had tried, even if I could not have given it my all. I really didn't dream so few would stand, and wrongly assumed I would find 4 good choices amongst those who did.

[jenlyn]

I am pleased Roger Stocker ("Roggie") is posting on here. (Well I would say that, wouldn't I, as it is what I chose to do in the last elections!).

 

However, Roger, I'll say this publicly because you have presented me with a very considerable difficulty.....

 

I have found much to like in what you say, but can't help noticing as I look down the list of other candidates that you are also one of the ten supporters of "Bandsman" Jim Owen. Unfortunately I have never seen Jim Owen post anything on boating related matters that doesn't seem completely bonkers, (his recent suggestions that we should all have to pass a Boating "qualification" before we are allowed to go boating being a prime example), and I would be pretty horrified about him being elected as one of the four.

 

So whilst on the one hand I might have wished to give you my vote I am made far less certain of this by your support of a candidate I feel is actually dangerous in terms of where he would like to take us.

 

(Of course if it were a different Roger Stocker supporting Jim Owen that would be different, but I rather doubt it is?.....)

 

I have to say I am very disappointed with the field, and will struggle to find four our of the eight.

However as I decided not to stand again, (as it seems has virtually everybody who dd last time except Vaughan Welch), then I suppose if I didn't feel able to do it, I have less validity in complaining about those who are prepared to.

I feel the same way about Stella Ridgeway. She has only been on the waterways for a very short time.

Has proven on various fb pages that she actually knows very little about the waterways, or for that matter crt.

I must admit, your opinions regarding Jim Owen have substance from what I have seen as well.

It's all a bit flat this time around. No one seems able to get any motivation.

[alan_fincher]

How on earth are we supposed to pick canditates to vote for on the pathetic amount of information that we have about them?

 

Well there are already two posting in this thread, so there are 25% of the candidates you can try putting any question you like to, just by trying it here.

 

The canny candidate will have provided a URL to a personal website as part of the 150 word statement. this is allowed. Last time I also had a Facebook group, (still active, which may confuse some!), and published email and mobile phone contact details, so anybody could quiz me about my candidacy.

 

The fact that 30 or more other candidates chose not to last time does not mean it was not possible

[Tuscan]

The lack of boater interest in standing for the CRT Council is replicated in the other areas up for election. My vote is probably going to be influenced by those who have at least bothered to go onto social media and promote themselves and also state that they will communicate outside the 6 monthly meetings if elected.

 

I still struggle with the concept of the Council and whete really it can represent boaters interests when The partnerships have the majority vote.

[roggie]

Alan, it is the same Roger Stocker. I nominated about 4 (or perhaps 5) people going from what their statement said, you won't see some of my nominations as it only displays the first 10. It was only after not being too impressed with the 24 original nominees that I thought I would put my name forwards. Conscious that it's really difficult to judge with only 150 words those who want to find more can do some research - as you obviously have done (I must look Jim up now). If I wasn't standing I would also be interested in finding out more about the nominated 8 people before I cast my vote(s). From reading this forum, plus various Facebook groups, I've seen some other candidates making themselves known, which I would say is positive. Of course there is plenty of time for the others to let people know why they should be elected, this forum seems to be a very good way to achieve this. I've given my 'blog' url which people can read and ask any questions they may have. I am sure some of the other candidates will do similar.

 

I've tried to change my photo so it just has my name, e for effort I think and I'll try to get it right later (see profile photo on the left). iPads don't seem to do what you expect it will do.

[roggie]

Alan, you are correct in that none of the candidates thought to include a url, missed a trick there. Nor did any of us submit a audio file either (which didn't have a time limit), one of the other categories did have a audio file for one of the candidates. The horse has bolted but.....

 

http://rgstocker.blogspot.co.uk/@roggys

 

I still think it's important to see candidates offering info/some sort of canvasing during the election period rather than sitting back and waiting for people to come to you.

[Ange]

I'm thinking I should vote, but have been disengaged for a while so a bit out of touch. When does the vote close? I know the info is available but I'm on the tablet which makes hard work of it - can some kind soul help? I'm wondering how much time I've got left.

 

I'll fire up the lappy tomorrow when we've got the engine running and do some research if I've still got a reasonable amount of thinking time

[GoodGurl]

I'm thinking I should vote, but have been disengaged for a while so a bit out of touch. When does the vote close? I know the info is available but I'm on the tablet which makes hard work of it - can some kind soul help? I'm wondering how much time I've got left.

 

I'll fire up the lappy tomorrow when we've got the engine running and do some research if I've still got a reasonable amount of thinking time

Voting closes at 23:59 on Friday 11 December 2015.

 

[Ange]

Voting closes at 23:59 on Friday 11 December 2015.[/size]

You're a star GG thank you. Plenty of time for me to catch up then.

[Starcoaster]

Conscious that it's really difficult to judge with only 150 words those who want to find more can do some research - as you obviously have done (I must look Jim up now). If I wasn't standing I would also be interested in finding out more about the nominated 8 people before I cast my vote(s).

Wait, so you backed a candidate without really knowing a lot about them and who they are and what their views are?

This doesn't really inspire confidence in terms of good decision making from a potential candidate themselves!

[Dave_P]

Wait, so you backed a candidate without really knowing a lot about them and who they are and what their views are?

This doesn't really inspire confidence in terms of good decision making from a potential candidate themselves!

Similar to the position we find ourselves in when voting on the basis of 150 word statements.

[alan_fincher]

Wait, so you backed a candidate without really knowing a lot about them and who they are and what their views are?

This doesn't really inspire confidence in terms of good decision making from a potential candidate themselves!

 

I have to agree.

 

In fact I would rather hope that anybody standing at least followed some of the social media, and might already know of some of the people with the more bizarre ideas, even if they did not know them personally.

 

I would not expect someone to put their name forward as a supporter for somebody they didn't know, and certainly when I ran my 10 were all people well known to me, and who knew me quite well.

 

If anybody needs support from someone who doesn't really know them, I would doubt they are well enough connected to the boating community at large - finding 10 shouldn't be hard, and should have been far easier than last time, as it could all be done on the Internet. Last time you had to get signed paper forms, and hope people had not cocked up things like their boat index number, not failed to renew it at the time the supporters were checked. Physically getting hold of the bits of paper from people around the country was much harder than them just spending a couple of minutes ticking your name on an web based form, and presumably all the validation that they wre an eligible person to support you was already done.

 

It was interesting that, as Roger suggests, that this time a large number of people bothered to stand, but could not even rustle up 10 supporters! That has at least had the benefit of filtering out one or two other bonkers people, including someone who writes for NBW, (no not that one!), and who I would class as "dangerous".

 

Similar to the position we find ourselves in when voting on the basis of 150 word statements.

 

Yes this is a challenge to the candidates as well, but more so to the voter, as some unsuitable candidates seem to be capable of writing 150 words that seem quite plausible, and may actually touch a spot with voters. I've not looked again, but I think Jim Owen's statement seems plausible, so it in no way echoes any of the nonsense I have repeatedly seem him post elsewhere. (There is a case where people not knowing more abut you than the 150 word statement would increase your chances!).

 

Last time with 30 plus candidates, I spent a lot of time in Google trying to find out who they were, because most were not taking the trouble to try and tell me more about themselves. Although this worked for some, the huge majority really seemed to be quite invisible, leaving you with just the 150 word statement.

 

As I said, and candidate who is serious will be going to some lengths to try and participate in discussions anywhere they can find them taking place, and can sensible set up dedicated web pages, email accounts, and even use a throw away mobile phone number in an old phone for the duration of the campaign, (Trust me - this is all good advice to any candidate reading, should they wish to follow it - some of it came to me from a well known forum member who had experience of managing election campaigns in other scenarios, and undoubtedly helped me poll as one of the very highest of the "independents" last time).

[StarUKKiwi]

How on earth are we supposed to pick canditates to vote for on the pathetic amount of information that we have about them?

It was diificult as after being told we had 250 words, it became 150. I have a Facebook page, and if you look for The State of Gracie„ that is our cruising and life updates. You can ask me anything in pm here or through Facebook. I am not about to put email and phone numbers up, but ask away.

I am also, now, elected to the Council of NABO and whilst I have a responsibility to those members, I will follow the principles of my trade union representation - Help all because they may be a future member and/or rep. I did not find NABO exclusive and as a northern boater I find that the problems experienced by those in the South are the same all over.

Mooring - lack of reasonable dredged places you can get to moor up at - not visitor moorings normally.

Dredging navigational areas of canal and washwall maintenance to allow safe mooring

Vegetation - overgrown

Towpath - 'shared space' - speeding cyclists

Facilities - water points accessible and eksan and pump out facilities.

There are likely many others, but they seem to be the main ones. I will, if elected, use social media and this forum plus mailing lists to stay in touch with all boaters' views.

[Dave_P]

It was diificult as after being told we had 250 words, it became 150. I have a Facebook page, and if you look for The State of Gracie that is our cruising and life updates. You can ask me anything in pm here or through Facebook. I am not about to put email and phone numbers up, but ask away.

I am also, now, elected to the Council of NABO and whilst I have a responsibility to those members, I will follow the principles of my trade union representation - Help all because they may be a future member and/or rep. I did not find NABO exclusive and as a northern boater I find that the problems experienced by those in the South are the same all over.

Mooring - lack of reasonable dredged places you can get to moor up at - not visitor moorings normally.

Dredging navigational areas of canal and washwall maintenance to allow safe mooring

Vegetation - overgrown

Towpath - 'shared space' - speeding cyclists

Facilities - water points accessible and eksan and pump out facilities.

There are likely many others, but they seem to be the main ones. I will, if elected, use social media and this forum plus mailing lists to stay in touch with all boaters' views.

I would say that the biggest issue facing boaters is the inconsistency of the enforcement approach and the consequent confusion amongst boaters, both old and new.

 

The Facebook groups bear this out and some of the I'll-informed responses from experienced boaters is frankly worrying.

[ditchcrawler]

It was diificult as after being told we had 250 words, it became 150. I have a Facebook page, and if you look for The State of Gracie„ that is our cruising and life updates. You can ask me anything in pm here or through Facebook. I am not about to put email and phone numbers up, but ask away.

I am also, now, elected to the Council of NABO and whilst I have a responsibility to those members, I will follow the principles of my trade union representation - Help all because they may be a future member and/or rep. I did not find NABO exclusive and as a northern boater I find that the problems experienced by those in the South are the same all over.

Mooring - lack of reasonable dredged places you can get to moor up at - not visitor moorings normally.

Dredging navigational areas of canal and washwall maintenance to allow safe mooring

Vegetation - overgrown

Towpath - 'shared space' - speeding cyclists

Facilities - water points accessible and eksan and pump out facilities.

There are likely many others, but they seem to be the main ones. I will, if elected, use social media and this forum plus mailing lists to stay in touch with all boaters' views.

But even now your postings dont say who you really are, there is no one called StarUKKiwi standing for election. Yes I know who you are but I bet a lot of the members here dont.

[Capt Ahab]

Actually there is another candidate standing from the last election..... me! This time round I have moved to the Business Boating constituency and my manifesto plus a video is available on the election web page. If there are any business voters out there please take a look.

Andy Tidy

[Tim Lewis]

Alan, you are correct in that none of the candidates thought to include a url, missed a trick there. Nor did any of us submit a audio file either (which didn't have a time limit), one of the other categories did have a audio file for one of the candidates. The horse has bolted but.....

 

http://rgstocker.blogspot.co.uk/@roggys

 

I still think it's important to see candidates offering info/some sort of canvasing during the election period rather than sitting back and waiting for people to come to you.

 

Nice to see/talk to you this evening, good to see a couple of the candidates getting out to talk to boaters.

 

Not sure if CRT appreciated the barracking though :-)

 

Tim

[Jimanju]

I would like to say that people like Stella Ridgway are the people who should be voted for. Anyone else who only tries to make brownie points off the backs of other candidates by simply criticising them really dont matter to my mind. I have made many suggestions over the years in order to extract a consensus of opinion on said suggestion, if you didn't like the suggestion that's fine and is the reason it was posted. It's has never been my intention to blindly put forward my own opinions without using various forums as a sounding board first.

I would say also that the people who had taken the initiative to nominate themselves for council should all be applauded. Much better to get off your arse and try to contribute than to sit idly by and rubbish others who do want to do what they can for the canals we live on.

If I try and fail, I won't be upset because at least I will have tried.

I would like to say that people like Stella Ridgway are the people who should be voted for. Anyone else who only tries to make brownie points off the backs of other candidates by simply criticising them really dont matter to my mind. I have made many suggestions over the years in order to extract a consensus of opinion on said suggestion, if you didn't like the suggestion that's fine and is the reason it was posted. It's has never been my intention to blindly put forward my own opinions without using various forums as a sounding board first.

I would say also that the people who had taken the initiative to nominate themselves for council should all be applauded. Much better to get off your arse and try to contribute than to sit idly by and rubbish others who do want to do what they can for the canals we live on.

If I try and fail, I won't be upset because at least I will have tried.

My name is Jim Owen

[Dave_P]

I would like to say that people like Stella Ridgway are the people who should be voted for. Anyone else who only tries to make brownie points off the backs of other candidates by simply criticising them really dont matter to my mind. I have made many suggestions over the years in order to extract a consensus of opinion on said suggestion, if you didn't like the suggestion that's fine and is the reason it was posted. It's has never been my intention to blindly put forward my own opinions without using various forums as a sounding board first.

I would say also that the people who had taken the initiative to nominate themselves for council should all be applauded. Much better to get off your arse and try to contribute than to sit idly by and rubbish others who do want to do what they can for the canals we live on.

If I try and fail, I won't be upset because at least I will have tried.

I would like to say that people like Stella Ridgway are the people who should be voted for. Anyone else who only tries to make brownie points off the backs of other candidates by simply criticising them really dont matter to my mind. I have made many suggestions over the years in order to extract a consensus of opinion on said suggestion, if you didn't like the suggestion that's fine and is the reason it was posted. It's has never been my intention to blindly put forward my own opinions without using various forums as a sounding board first.

I would say also that the people who had taken the initiative to nominate themselves for council should all be applauded. Much better to get off your arse and try to contribute than to sit idly by and rubbish others who do want to do what they can for the canals we live on.

If I try and fail, I won't be upset because at least I will have tried.

My name is Jim Owen

Jim - you raise two proposed policies in your statement.

 

1. We need more marina berths.

 

2. Distance regs for cc'ers should be scrapped.

 

I have two questions.

 

1. What makes you think we need more marinas (given that many marinas aren't fully let), and what makes you think councils can address any shortage of marinas?

 

2. What are the distance regs for cc'ers? I'm not sure what you're talking about. There are continuous cruising guidelines but no 'distance regs' as far as I'm aware.

[Ian Mac]

As it appears to be being asked for here, so I have attempted to provide a longer
manifesto.

My name is Ian McCarthy and I'm standing as one of the three
candidates for the Volunteer constituency, for the Council of the Canal and
River Trust. By now those of you who are eligable to vote should have received
either an email or a letter, explaining how one can vote. I know some of you in
the volunteer constituency (well 6% at the last count) have already voted,
thanks. To the rest of you, please could you vote, preferably just for me. I
will explain why. Firstly we need to prove to the Charity Commissioner that C&RT
is being run in a proper manner, a high turnout will help with this. Secondly I
believe I would make a good member of the council. The Council is an interesting
body, because it has hardly any powers, its function is to govern the trustees.
It can appointment Trustees, and provide guidance and perspective to those
Trustees, it also has a "Nuclear button", it can dismiss some or all of the
trustees. I have put my name forwards for this elected position because I
believe that all levels of the Canal and Rivers Trust should have strong
leadership and a good understand of canals, which I believe I have. I have spent
most of my adult life as an active canal volunteer and boat owner. I have
helped to maintain and operate the Historic wooden craft, Spey an ex Thos'
Clayton tar tanker. I have been active politically on behalf of the canal
system in particular on un-restored waterways. As a volunteer I started as a
campaigner on then closed Lower Peak Forest canal at Marple, I was active in
helping get the Rochdale Manchester 9 into a condition where we could have the
100 boat rally in the City Centre in 1971. This rally was instrumental in getting
the local politicians behind the push, to have the Ashton and Lower Peak
restored. I lead working parties which tidied up after the rally, it took months
to get rid of all the dredging we had dumped on the lock sides, in our rush to
make the Manchester 9 vaguely workable. I became an elected council member on
the board of the Peak Forest Canal Society Ltd. Once the Ashton and Lower Peak
(A&LP) were opened, our working party looked at what to do next. The
Huddersfield Narrow was an excellent candidate, we helped form the Huddersfield
Canal Society. We took to travelling around the county, to repay the debt of
gratitude to all those other societies, who had come and helped us on the A&LP.
It then became obvious that we could not continue to do this, as part of the
Peak Forest Canal Society, so I and others formed Waterway Recovery Group
(Northwest) WRG(NW). We continued to travel far and wide. We helped the
fledgling Scottish IWA with its first working parties on the Locks at Maryhill
in Glasgow, we shared with them our political skills, to get them started, in
their fight to get the Forth and Clyde canal reopened. I seemed to spend endless
winters working on the Lower Stratford, which was then in the ownership of the
NT. The Droitwich was one of my favourite projects and it was great to take the
Spey to the opening Rally in 2011. I got married and had a family, I had retired
from my day job, designing and testing large computer hardware systems, in 2010,
having originally worked for ICL design their large mainframes, I went on to co-
found three companies in Greater Manchester, the last of which still continues,
after an investment of over £50M. This company is now part of another company.
Real 'Dragons Dens' stuff.
The two impossible restorations happened in 2001 with
the opening of the Huddersfield Narrow and the Rochdale Canal forming a South
Pennine ring. In 2010 the then British Waterways first called for volunteer lock
keepers on The Manchester 18, on the Rochdale canal. It was a post from heaven
for me. In the mid 70's, I had along with other PFCS members had manned the
Rochdale 9 in Manchester at weekends, helping boaters through, what was then, a
very difficult to navigate, private waterway. I made some great friends through
this activity, including Mike Lucas of the Mikron Theatre Company. Mike later
asked me to become a trustee of the Theatre Company, a post I still hold and one
not dissimilar to the post for which I now ask for your support, don't forget,
vote just for me. I was and still am, keen to get more boaters to use the South
Pennine Ring and in particular Rochdale Canal, so I see my role as a volunteer
lock keeper as a enabler. The Manchester 18 is seen by some as a "Hard" flight,
personally I would far rather do the Manchester 18 than Hatton 21. I have
really enjoyed helping boaters through the Manchester suburbs. During the
winter, I help with the maintenance on the ring. On Wednesday, this week, I was
down in a lock chamber helping clear it, 24E on the Huddersfield Very Narrow in
Slaithwaite. Canals are not just about somewhere to work and play, there is also
the side where expectations have to be set and managed, so on Wednesday evening
I was in the Bridgewater Hall at the Manchester and Pennine Waterways
Partnership meeting, networking with the Trustees and partner. It was great to
hear Sir Richard Leese, the Chairman of Manchester council acknowledge WRG(NW),
even if it was for our funding raising, waste paper collections, which he
personally supports. But that is what it is all about communication. I proud to
be an active member of the WRG(NW). I also help community groups such as the
team in Failsworth. Also I am halfway though learning how to be a Tunnel
Chaperon for Standedge Tunnel. I have posted this long wittering text on CWDF in
the hope that it will encourage you (A) to vote, and ( hopefully now, to vote
just for me, Ian McCarthy. Why do I keep saying "vote just for me", well this
election is using the same system as used in Northern Ireland, the transferable
voting system. This is a system we in England & Wales are not use to. One should
only vote for those candidates whom you would be happy with representing you,
you do not have to vote for all the candidates, just one is sufficient. There is no electoral roll
and email addresses are correctly private, so I am now having to using all the other methods

to try and contact my constituancy. By the time of the next elections in
2019, I hope we will have encouraged, the Trustees to have found a better way of
allowing candidates to communicate with their electorate other than the short
manifesto and video, and other things they discover later! and that we have been able

to expand the constituency, to include other active volunteers on the canals, who are currently
disenfranchised, as they do not directly volunteer through C&RT. So please
don't forget to vote, lets do our bit to better 6% of the electorate voting, and
please vote "Just for me".
Thank you.
Ian McCarthy - Ian Mac

Edited November 21, 2015 by Ian Mac

[Starcoaster]

...But what are you standing for, ie, what are your views, beliefs, priorities, concerns?

I'm not actually sure who can vote for you-is it only registered CRT volunteers?

[Dave_P]

...But what are you standing for, ie, what are your views, beliefs, priorities, concerns?

I'm not actually sure who can vote for you-is it only registered CRT volunteers?

Yes. I don't seem to be able to vote for volunteers.

[alan_fincher]

You have to be known by CRT as a volunteer to vote in that particular election.

[Thorfast]

...But what are you standing for, ie, what are your views, beliefs, priorities, concerns?

I'm not actually sure who can vote for you-is it only registered CRT volunteers?

I quite agree.

 

So now we have a long statement that does not tell us what the candidate stands for...but I cant vote for him.

 

The boating candidates that I can vote for I still know virtually nothing about apart from the 2 that have made comment in this thread.

 

This shambles does not encourage me to vote at all.