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Publication Date: 31 July 2007
The Select Committee investigation into British Waterways was published today 31 July 2007.
Whilst the report is broadly supportive of British Waterways, there are specific criticisms of the way it manages its relationships with stakeholders and the Select Committee recommends the need for greater transparency between the parties involved.
British Waterways is also criticised by the Committee over its trial of tendering for moorings because the new system may further increase the cost of boating and lead to exclusivity. The report further recommends that licence and mooring fees are kept at a level that maintains high levels of individual participation.
Further criticism is implied in the report which notes that it was surprised that British Waterways chose to include privatisation as an option for consideration in its managment review, despite instuctions from the Minister not to do so and calls on both parties to clarify the situation.
The report goes on to consider the dispute over accounts and calls for the involvement of the National Audit Office to give a view on the conflicting accounts between the parties on British Waterways’ finances.
The Committee noted that the planning assumptions made in the Comprehensive Spending Review could mean that British Waterways’ budget is cut by five percent in real terms over the next three years; and that the committee recognises that this £35 million loss for major works could threaten British Waterways’ ability to maintain the inland waterways network to an acceptable standard.
The Committee has also noted the Association’s point that the vast majority of people who use the canal infrastructure and create wear and tear, but are not charged for this use. The committee call for government to take this lack of income into account for future funding.
The report recommends that British Waterways develop an environmental heritage strategy for the waterways, in tandem with The Waterways Trust, which should include all interested parties.
With the ministerial changes within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs the committee sees an opportunity to look afresh at the relationship between BW and Government and that all parties involved will be able to work together in a spirit of co-operation.
