JennyMorgan

It is all too easy for the Authority to once again increase the toll. Consider that half of our toll goes to overheads rather than to navigation. Perhaps if 60% of our toll were to be allocated to navigation rather than simply taking the easy option as has become the norm in recent years. Percentage rises are obviously cumulative, 3% this year is more than 3% last year. Perhaps if us discontented souls didn't see waste then perhaps we would be less cynical regarding toll grabs by the profligate Authority. The full agenda paper is readily available, the obvious source being the BA's own website, along with other minutes and agenda papers. Gripping reading!

Agreed although I firmly believe that a cull within Yare House is long overdue. Nothing unduly frightening but JP has clearly considered the option of increasing the toll in order to make up any shortfalls. We'll be wise to keep an eye and an ear open on that topic, just in case it rears its ugly head again. For the life of me I can not see any good reason why this agenda report should not have been released for public consumption. Perhaps a long overdue policy of transparency and openness has kicked in.

The Authority has taken the unusual step of publishing an 'exempt' report regarding its present financial position. Mention is made of a possible tolls increase and, as I read it, possible adjustments to the hire boat toll for 2020. Interesting reading and very relevant to the public interest, not least relevant to us toll payers. Not for publication by virtue of paragraphs 3 of part 1 of schedule 12a to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended Navigation Committee exempt minutes, 11 June 2020, Maria Conti 1 Navigation Committee Exempt minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2020 15. Hire boat industry – financial position The Chief Executive introduced his report on the Authority’s proposed approach to hire boat tolls in response to the impacts of the Government’s COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The suspension of the holiday industry had caused a collapse in bookings and forced the hire boat companies to cease their operations and furlough staff. To date, the Authority had received approximately £17,000 of the projected income of £1.19m from hire boat tolls. Income from private boats was approximately £325,000 behind the Authority’s projections for a normal year. In advance of lifting restrictions to allow hire boat operations to resume, the Authority was considering how it should protect the future of the industry by taking a flexible and proportionate approach to the charges that would fall due this year. The report set out the standard process of staged payments for hire craft. Government guidance on allowing the resumption of day boat hire was released on 1 June, and further guidance on allowing overnight stays and weekly boat hire was anticipated by 4 July. However, the remainder of the season was unpredictable, particularly given the risk of further COVID lockdowns and public confidence in booking holidays. It was therefore recommended that officers report back to the Navigation Committee and Broads Authority in September, when the position was clearer, to consider how to deal with the outstanding toll charges. Members felt the Authority had taken a balanced and supportive approach to date in seeking to collect tolls while also supporting the hire boat industry. It was also important to know what funding support would be made available by the Government. The Chief Executive said recent indications were that more people will be holidaying in the UK this year, which would be positive for local businesses. However, this may not be enough for some companies to survive, and the financial implications for next year were more serious. Defra had therefore been asked for £3.6m to help the industry, including ancillary services, to survive through to next season. 86 Navigation Committee minutes, 11 June 2020, Maria Conti 2 Members agreed to assess the situation in September, when hire company booking reports and other information would be available. The Chief Executive gave special thanks to the Chief Financial Officer and the Collector of Tolls for providing extensive information, often at short notice, to Defra officials. He also thanked the Authority’s Chair and Vice-Chair for their ongoing support. Moving to the Authority’s financial position, the Chief Executive had been advised that the Authority would have to demonstrate the use of its own reserves and other funds before Defra offered additional support. It was however necessary for the Authority to retain a level of reserves to allow it to remain a viable concern. Officers had identified the potential for the Authority to fund £800,000 of the projected deficit from reserves and through savings (£400,000 from Navigation Reserves and savings, and £400,000 as a one-off contribution from National Park Reserves and savings). This would leave a gap of between £200,000 and £800,000, which Defra had been asked to fill. The Chief Executive reported that Defra had signed off with Ministers a process for doing this, and would prepare a Change Control Notice. The notice would amend the Authority’s grant agreement so it could spend £400k from the National Park budget to support navigation, and Defra would underwrite the gap in loss of income above £800,000. Defra hoped to get this signed off ‘relatively quickly’. This would mean that the Authority’s earmarked reserves to fund capital purchases would remain intact. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) added that the budget holder exercise earlier in the year had identified all possible savings, and risk implications for future years meant delaying or cancelling some projects was not an option. The Authority would not make its usual contributions into annual reserves this year, and usually sought to maintain the navigation reserves as close to 10% as possible. It would need to increase tolls next year to stay in this position as costs were increasing, but it was recognised this would not be a desirable option. In response to member questions, the CFO confirmed that the proceeds of the sale of the Field Base at Womack was in a protected capital receipts reserve, which could only be used for capital expenditure or the repayment of debt. Options for a new Ranger launch billet was under review and linked to work to the toilets at Acle Bridge. A member questioned whether the Authority should consider staff redundancies. The Chief Executive replied that part of Defra’s agreement for funding support was that there were no redundancies. In addition, if users wished to see standards of service on the waterways maintained at current levels, existing staffing resources were needed to do it. In conclusion, the Chief Executive said that Government funding would help the Authority and the hire boat industry through this year. However, next year could be much more difficult. The Authority’s National Park Grant could be impacted in the comprehensive spending review, and any loss of hire boats and private boats on the Broads would affect both the Authority and local businesses. 87 Navigation Committee minutes, 11 June 2020, Maria Conti 3 The Chair reiterated the important role of Navigation Committee members in supporting officers with expert advice, and in helping to manage public perception of the current situation. She thanked the Chief Executive for his report. The Committee unanimously supported the approach proposed in the assessment of hire boat charges in the autumn and the position reached with Defra regarding funding the potential deficit in navigation income

Private boat owners really have no excuse.

I've long thought that that was an internationally recognised, often seen, emergency request to borrow a bilge pump, generally from grumpy looking motor boaters to happy, carefree sailing boaters.

Hickling Broad has a bit of a beach by the sailing club near the Pleasure Boat pub. Doubt that you can dry out there but at least it's shallow enough to be able to paddle around your Shrimper wielding your scrub brush. You can also dry out on Breydon Water, lots of people, normally motor boaters, do it every summer!

Are you sure, really, really sure?

Hi Nick, nice boat! I suspect that you will need about two feet of tidal range, not sure that you would often get that at Salhouse. I have a Drascombe & whilst I can slip it on my own slipway I generally keep the crud to a minimum with a scrub-brush fastened to the side of a six foot piece of two by one, it works very well.

Autumn 1962/63 at a guess. I looked a bit like my mother, with make-up on I suspect that I looked a lot like her. Apparently mum went into a shop to be greeted with a "Mrs Waller, how could you" comment from a friend. I have a theory that Mrs Bouquet was modeled on my mother, needless to relate that the posh version of the you know what hit the fan!

I have often thought of raking through their archives but have never got around to it!

It does indeed! Coincidently, Countryside Commission time, the ethos of the American National Parks was mooted as a model for a potential Broads NP & the Broads Authority itself.

I once appeared on the front page of the Lowestoft Journal thus dressed, out cold, on my back in Station Square, as pi$$ed as a proverbial phart! The aftermath of an art school end of year celebration/drag party. Didn't put me off beer but it it did put me off future excesses!

Perhaps we should keep the good Dr's private life out of this discussion! I have never visited an American national park although I do have a book of Ansel Adam's awe inspiring photographs of Yosemite. Now that really is a national park, an incredible space and clearly deserving of the NP title. That might beg the question, Sandford aside, do I think that the Broads, all things considered, is up to the NP accolade? Is that a leading question I ask myself? I'll leave it for you to ponder! A picture by Ansel Adams, my hero, just behind Roy Clark!

At low water, maybe, but myself and various daughters have been around several times this summer. Yes, you do have to duck under a few branches. My only regret is that I can not now row round, there not being the width needed for me to use nine foot long oars. Great for doing my African Queen impersonation though despite there being no dastardly Hun to sink at the end of it!

Several years ago the BA formally took over control, and liability, of the New Cut just as they have Breydon Water & Mutford Lock.

Yes. I can get around there in a dory or on a kayak.

Nothing less than eight inches will do!

Can't let you have the last word on this toxic subject!

Indeed it could, if it were not dead in the water. This present session of Parliament, and probably several more, has two issues of far greater importance than Glover, namely Covid 19 & the economy. I honestly don't see Glover making it into Parliament let alone passing through both Houses.

Perhaps you will need to be able to show that the boat was for sale, for example was Sheerline aware that it was on brokerage?

Weight and momentum perhaps?

Make sure that you bring a tin opener, the one supplied with your boat might be useless, especially near the end of the season.

What guarantee do we have that Stanford won't be implemented? It has been tried on in the past.

I am sorry that you find reality so unacceptable, even offensive. Perhaps you should look closely into a mirror.

John, why do you make that request? Wussername's comment is entirely apt and wholly worthy of respect and support. The Broads is ours, your's and mine. It is ours to enjoy and for a number of us it is our chosen responsibility to protect what we hold so dearly. The Broads will be here after JP has departed. Should we wait until he has gone in order to protect and rebuild what for many of us is our birthright or should we voice our opinion now? As it is there is going to be a fair amount of undoing, e.g. the BNP dream. Granted that there is much that is worthy of building on, but the Sandford Principle and its ethos is not one of them.