Nigel Stanley wrote: > On 29/01/07, Will Chapman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Steve Haywood wrote: >>> On 29/01/07, Will Chapman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>> >>>> could we please recognise that the enemy is based in Whitehall not >>>> Watford. >>> >>> I am sorry to break ranks here, but I do not agree with this simplistic >>> appraisal of the situation. > > > As ever life is complicated. This is my take. > > The cut in government funds to BW (and I say government as I blame the > Treasury much more than DEFRA) is the most urgent threat to the > waterways. We need to work with everyone including BW to resist these. > I think everone on this list agrees with resisting these cuts. > > In addition the current leadership of BW have a long term strategy of > reducing their dependence on government grant, and instead maximising > income from users and their property holders. Eventually they wish to > become self-sufficient.
Well said Nigel. One important point. Actually, BW's stated target is to 'become largely self-suffient bu 2012'. Not the word largely. I think you will find that there is a recognition within BW that as a public corporation there will always be a need for grant-in-aid and that is why they use the word 'largely'. My guess is that the basic need for aid is that it is impractical to maintain a public asset (particularly one with 200 year old parts) for the benefit of the public without Govt aid. Unless, of course, the public is charged an entry fee. Defra's argument is that the prime beneficiaries are boaters and as such we should carry (even more) of the burden. SOW's argument is that boaters, just 3% of all users, are already carrying more than their share (15% of income and 83% of leisure income). This argument raises two immediate questions; the contribution made by cyclists (according to a BW survey, the largest 'sporting' group using the waterways and anglers (the only group other than boaters who are contributing). The cyclist licence is free. Anglers contribute just £500K (0.5% of income) through clubs renting fishing rights. Interestingly, the estimated £1.4 million anglers that regularly fish the canals, pay an estimated £20 million for rod licences. Where does that go to? The EA, and I can find no evidence that any makes its way to BW. -- Will Chapman Save Our Waterways www.SaveOurWaterways.org.uk
