Reform The Broads Authority

[Smoggy]

I saw nowt about it on Anglia news yesterday evening but it may have been in the anglia east version as we get a different batch of stories being in the anglia west area, I though anlia was anglia????

[Paladin]

The news item can be seen here https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2018-05-04/catch-up-watch-the-most-recent-edition-of-itv-news-anglia?fbclid=IwAR1DaYg4DQgsZ5nmPCpcZDvyZWhy0ZNkka0LoIofQLqk0Y91ZipdYjEHE3o

Only for the next 9 hours or so, and only for UK viewers.

[ExSurveyor]

To clarify, an article was broadcast on ITV Anglian news at 6pm last might.  I can't find a link to an open source but it is on ITVx.

Detail of the article were never made clear.

A couple of unrelated photos were removed from posts but the text remained.

Edit,  Thanks Paladin for the link.

[MargeandParge]

Thanks for the link Paladin. 

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[bucket]

Thank you Paladin for the link, and plenty food for thought.

It was particularly interesting to hear the views of Richardsons and the MP.

Yesterday I read in full the January navigation committee minutes, equally interesting! Have a look on the BA website if you haven't already?

I appreciate that minutes don't always reflect everything that has been discussed but for the purpose of governance, once agreed they represent the record of a meeting.

Some notable worthies of this forum will, I am sure, have personal knowledge/experience of several of the players on all sides. I don't so my observations may well reflect that?

It will be interesting to see where we end up.

Just one unfortunate inclusion was the use of a boat hook to "fend off" at the end of the piece.....discussed at some length here a few weeks ago.

[rightsaidfred]

Thanks Paladin, Unfortunately that actually did or said very little to address the main issues that go way beyond tolls, as usual the media only show what is headline news and not the whole story.

Fred

[floydraser]

I've just watched the article.

Well there you go. If ever you wondered if the message was getting through, it is. Dr Packman was showing a very thick skin though and deflecting blame towards others is not great leadership. Duncan Baker mentioned constituents. From his point of view I would think he could do with Dr Packman going either before the local elections or just before the next general election. 

Well done BRAG; congratulations on achieving so much in a short space of time. A well formulated strategy at last.

My guess remains though: It'll all be allowed to blow over quietly then Dr Packman will decide to retire, and try to do so with a degree of dignity. 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

I also thought it was a pretty good article with equal time being given to Tom Moore, the Dr and the MP with the Dr deflecting the blame towards the commitee. Wonder how they feel after watching it.

[Hylander]

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2018-05-04/catch-up-watch-the-most-recent-edition-of-itv-news-anglia

 

Hope this is the right link....    Blink and you will miss it,  it is right at the start....

[socrates]

As a committee member of the Broads Reform Action Group I can categorically say that there is no intention whatsoever to try to campaign on, or appeal for funds from this esteemed forum. You can rest assured that it will not happen during the tenure of the current committee. Secondly, whilst we would value support from anyone who happens to be on this forum,, we will not engage in debates or conversations relating to the matters pertaining to BRAG on here. This is in order to respect the wishes of forum members and avoid falling foul of the rules.

If anyone wants to know more about the Broads Reform Action Group and our activities, I am happy to answer questions privately and outside the forum pages and messaging system. There are several members who have my details and I am happy for these people to contact me in relation to BRAG matters. It is counterproductive and unfair for people to speculate and make assumptions about what BRAG are doing, and what we will or will not achieve. The committee is made up of a number of Broads stakeholders with a range of skills and experience, we are certainly not a bunch of random Facebook moaners and trouble makers. The names and brief details of committee members are being posted on the FB page over the next week or so. 

There is a lot being done by BRAG, and things are moving in a positive direction at a rapid pace. Regular updates are posted on FB by the committee, it is up to members of this forum and the moderators to determine if such information is promulagated on this forum. We are by no means a secret society, and are happy to answer questions via FB or personal contact. Minutes of BRAG fortnightly meetings are posted on the FB page, and can be shared to other forums if anyone wishes to do so. 

As an aside, BRAG had nothing whatsoever to do with the recent activities related to the appearance of stickers placed on signage on the Broads. 

 

[socrates]

4 hours ago, rightsaidfred said:

Thanks Paladin, Unfortunately that actually did or said very little to address the main issues that go way beyond tolls, as usual the media only show what is headline news and not the whole story.

Fred

The TV piece was very heavily edited, a fraction of what was actually said. It was discussed in great detail at the BRAG committee meeting last night.

[bucket]

Thank you socrates, very helpful and reassuring.

Very best wishes.

[Lulu]

It’s a shame nothing was mentioned about the Ranworth charge. 

[MauriceMynah]

Thank you Socrates, if there is anything I can do to assist the cause please do say.

I had not meant to sound negative in my post, far from it. The "funding" aspect that was raised, had it been applicable,  would have needed thinking through. As you have clarified that issue my support for your groups efforts is redoubled.

[FlyingFortress]

3 hours ago, socrates said:

As a committee member of the Broads Reform Action Group I can categorically say that there is no intention whatsoever to try to campaign on, or appeal for funds from this esteemed forum. You can rest assured that it will not happen during the tenure of the current committee. Secondly, whilst we would value support from anyone who happens to be on this forum,, we will not engage in debates or conversations relating to the matters pertaining to BRAG on here. This is in order to respect the wishes of forum members and avoid falling foul of the rules.

If anyone wants to know more about the Broads Reform Action Group and our activities, I am happy to answer questions privately and outside the forum pages and messaging system. There are several members who have my details and I am happy for these people to contact me in relation to BRAG matters. It is counterproductive and unfair for people to speculate and make assumptions about what BRAG are doing, and what we will or will not achieve. The committee is made up of a number of Broads stakeholders with a range of skills and experience, we are certainly not a bunch of random Facebook moaners and trouble makers. The names and brief details of committee members are being posted on the FB page over the next week or so. 

There is a lot being done by BRAG, and things are moving in a positive direction at a rapid pace. Regular updates are posted on FB by the committee, it is up to members of this forum and the moderators to determine if such information is promulagated on this forum. We are by no means a secret society, and are happy to answer questions via FB or personal contact. Minutes of BRAG fortnightly meetings are posted on the FB page, and can be shared to other forums if anyone wishes to do so. 

As an aside, BRAG had nothing whatsoever to do with the recent activities related to the appearance of stickers placed on signage on the Broads. 

 

Thanks for the update 👍

 Just to clarify it was me off my own bat that brought up the financial issue.

I have now been appropriately chastised 🤫 

[FlyingFortress]

3 hours ago, socrates said:

The TV piece was very heavily edited, a fraction of what was actually said. It was discussed in great detail at the BRAG committee meeting last night.

I kind of guessed that.

Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast.😔

[BroadAmbition]

Update from the Reform the Broads Group as published on their FB Page:-

 

CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATULATIONS!

Remember all those letters you were asked to send? And the number of times calls for direct action were resisted? Well, those policies have paid off because I am now very pleased to tell you that on Tuesday 16th, Colin Chettleburgh and I had a 25-minute virtual meeting with the DEFRA Minister, Trudy Harrison. This was a direct result of the letter we sent to her last March and, to use her words, ‘the disproportionate number of complaints about the Authority she is receiving via MP’s. So well done everyone!

The Minister was well briefed and had obviously, with her accompanying staffer, looked recently at the Facebook Group. Colin and I felt we had been for a job interview! And we got the job!

We now have direct access to her desk which is a massive step forward. She is very keen to investigate our claims further and has asked us for proof of the allegations we have made. The committee have plenty, but she is looking for statements which contain:

· Preferably personal experiences

· Abuse of power by senior management

· Sanitising / falsifying documents

· Bullying

· Massaging due process to reduce accountability

· Withholding information which should be made public

· You get the gist

· Please provide as much hard evidence as you can (emails, letters etc.)

What she will not respond to is complaining about operational issues

We would like you to send us your instances in an email please, not in this open forum. We are now constructing a website, and the email address that we would like you to use is evidence@broads-reform.org . If you have any questions on this, we would be happy to take queries at this address. If you are concerned about confidentiality, contact Colin Chettleburgh chair@broads-reform.org, Karen Morris vicechair@broads-reform.org  or Tom Moore  secretary@broads-reform.org . Please do this as soon as possible. We want to get this back in the next ten days.

We really do feel we are making a difference. Thanks everyone.

[Vaughan]

24 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

Massaging due process to reduce accountability

Could this be translated from American into English, please?

[OldBerkshireBoy]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manipulate

[Vaughan]

Surely manipulating is not the same as massaging.  Except perhaps in Soho on a Saturday evening.

Seems I am not the only one confused.     

[OldBerkshireBoy]

17 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Seems I am not the only one confused.     

Down there for dancing and up here for thinking huh. 

[bucket]

Thanks Griff for sharing this.

So, well done to everyone who took the time to write to their MP and/or the Minister.

And well done to the volunteer officials of B.R.A.G.

Still a lot of work needed and I hope that those among us who have evidence, (as requested) can put it forward in the tight timescale mentioned above.

 

 

[floydraser]

It just goes to show that things are happening even though not everything is out there on show all the time. Well done BRAG.

They have achieved this with the support available to them at this time, so do we need to do any more? Yes.

Keep up to date with what BRAG are doing by watching the FB page and/or the website when it appears. You don't have to be a member of BRAG to write to your MP. I could be wrong but I don't think you have to be on FB to look at the page. Anyway, joining FB would be a minor sacrifice. You can always sign out but I would think there's plenty of knowledge on this forum where people can help navigate the minefield of signing in. My profile states that I'm only there to use Marketplace and I don't seek or accept friends. So now I don't get videos of motorcyclists rescueing goats from the Australian Outback anymore. Marketplace is good: open the page and you could buy a young lady's once used prom dress, or a spare engine for your Cessna! 

As people have pointed out there are those who seem to be trying to throw a spanner in BRAG's works, not always intentionally, but it is my opinion that this is the time to make progress and if BRAG fails to get reform, you may as well chuck in the towel. I can't see anyone else putting together such a well constructed strategy.

[Meantime]

It does appear that BRAG have managed to get the door open to DEFRA and I wish them well.

I do struggle a little though with the concept of an unelected body campaigning for reform of an unelected body! 

[Smoggy]

1 hour ago, floydraser said:

or a spare engine for your Cessna! 

I can sell you some spare magnetos for your cessna....

No problemo!

Nice work BRAG, I did write to Trudy Harrison but never did recieve a reply so good to hear some got through and did the trick, just hope the momentum keeps going.

I'm looking forward to the website as I just can't be doing with faceache, I have logged in but with no personal details used, my dog has an account and she's over 100 years old according to her DOB, and gender fluid as well (some days she's a dog, other days she's a bitch, and on tuesdays she identifies as a gruffalo), so you can log in without giving away any personal data (but faceache is still crap).