Government response to petition

More big society bollox

Petition to:
protect our canals by not selling off property owned by British waterways
This petition is now closed, as its deadline has passed.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to protect our canals by not selling off property owned by British waterways. More details
Submitted by Ian Rees – Deadline to sign up by: 06 June 2010 – Signatures: 22,310

More details from petition creator
Further to recent announcements concerning the potential sell-off of properties owned by British Waterways by the Treasury, we petition the Prime Minister to give assuarnces that our canals will be protected and recent levels of investement, a credit to Labour, is maintained.
Our canals are great source of pleasure for many people in the country, providing a source of employment through tourism and associated businesses. They're also home to many forms of wildlife. Without proper management this will ebb away and the network return to a state of decay and ruin.
We urge the Government to allow British Waterways to retain its property portfolio, protecting its essential source of revenue and ensure the sustainability of its work.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/protectourcanals/
Government response
On 14 October 2010 the Government announced that British Waterways would be abolished as a public corporation and that we would create a new charity, similar to a national trust for the waterways. Details of the public consultation on the proposed model, including scope and governance, will be announced within the coming few weeks. The new waterways charity is expected to be set up in 2012, subject to Parliamentary consent and time.
A civil society model for British Waterways reflects the Government’s commitment to Big Society, as well as its confidence in British Waterways to work with others to build a sustainable future for the waterways under a charitable model. A charitable company will give users and communities more responsibility for governance of the waterways. It also has the potential to enable the new body to access new income streams and greater public support at a time when there is considerable pressure on other sources of income. Charitable status would also facilitate a step change in volunteering, enhanced local partnership working and a range of cost efficiencies.
The Government will give the new charity the best start it can afford, with the transfer of the property portfolio and a long term contract. As a first step, the Government has provided a new long term commitment to a grant allocation at the 2014/15 level (£39m) to 2022/23 inclusive (covering the next two Spending Review periods) that will enable the development of a funding plan which gives confidence to the incoming Trustees of the new charity. The amount and length of the contract will be subject to negotiation with the Trustees, who will be appointed this April.

Greedy BW directors ex NBW

BW directors are a disgrace
From NBW.....Its a sad time indeed for users and the majority of employees of the canal network. There is no way 20% of the workforce can be made redundant without significant if not catastrophic impact on the system.It appears the maintenance is being contracted out which will mean more costs going out and less work being done - the shareholders will need paying!!And....and the money being taken out of the company is unbelievable. See the salaries being taken
Robin Evans Chief Executive £566,354
Mark Bensted Regeneration Director £672,850
Steve Dunlop Director Scotland £170,764
Nigel Johnson Corporate Services Director £331,987
Stuart Mills Director of Property £308,154
Vince Moran Operations Director £327,824
Philip Ridal Finance Director £330,561
Simon Salem Marketing Director £413,584
Jim Stirling Technical Director £382,104
Total £3,504,182
It costs me £2,000 to have my boat in the cut I have no problem with this if it goes to workers to maintain it and money to fund the improvements. I cannot accept this group of 9 people are taking such a ridiculous amount of money. NO ONE needs that sort of money to live and they are not worth it by such a large margin.
In my home city the Vice Chancellor of my University which employs significantly more staff gets paid under a third of what Evans does and its the same story at the very large hospital in Derby
There is simply not justification for this and the fact is these greedy humans are expecting to be Tupe'd over on the same T&C's
I URGE YOU TO PUBLISH THE SAME INFORMATION ON YOUR BLOGS AND TELL PEOPLE YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. I WILL BE WRITING TO MY MP TO RAISE THIS ISSUE DIRECTLY WITH HIM.
At some point we have to act to protect what we hold dear.
Nev
Posted by Nev Wells at 8:41:00 PM