--- In [email protected], Bruce Napier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Sent this a few hours ago, and it's not appeared, so I'm trying again > before it becomes irrelevant as the argument moves on! (or around and > around...) > > On 25 Sep 2008, at 14:20, Adrian Stott wrote: > > > When the demand for something exceeds supply, the best method of > > dealing with the situation *is* usually to put a market-clearing price > > on it. > > > I don't normally bother replying to Adrian, but this seems to me to > be the nub of the argument. Adrian believes this, and lots of us > don't. Events over the past year have shown the danger of a laissez > faire approach to markets, and the need for regulation to control > them to avoid massive disruption to the system. > > As regards BW, they are required as a public authority to act > "reasonably" at all times, and the debate is about what is reasonable > in the circumstances (at the end of the day, what the next High Court > judge would deem to be reasonable, to which he/she will apply the > test of the man on the Clapham omnibus). > > In the case of visitor mooring supply in honey pots, there's no need > to impose charges as a precursor to applying firmer control: they > already have the power to make a penalty charge of £25 per night for > overstaying, which if used surely should fund as much wardening as > necessary. > > All the best > > Bruce > > There are no strangers on the cut, only boaters we've yet to meet.
A Committee Member of the local IWA, asked a question at a meeting with BW. which was as follows 'What was collected in £25 over staying charges on the River Lee(Lea) and London' and received the following answer:- In 2007/8 our London office collected £3,050 in overstaying charges of which some £400 was on the Lee&Stort In this financial year to date our London office has collected £1,750 of which some £1000 was on the Lee & Stort. After looking at this reply I have to say. We all know what boats overstay so working out on BW figures it was for the Lee and Stort :- 2007/08 16 boats for one day or 1 boat for 16 days and any combination in between = £400 2008/09 to date 40 boats for one day or 1 boat for 40 days and any combination in between =£1000 Hope my maths are right as it does not seem like a lot to me that BW say overstayed
