INLAND WATERWAYS - DEFRA FUNDING CUTS - WRITE TO YOUR MP
The BMF has joined force with the Inland Waterways
Association, National Association of Boat Owners and Royal Yachting Association
to campaign against the funding cuts that every agency funded by DEFRA is
facing including Natural England, the Environment Agency as well as British
Waterways - this will have an adverse impact across all waterways and users
whether as boaters, nature lovers, waterways workers, walkers, anglers or kids
just messing about on canals with canoes.
The background to these cuts is that there is a black hole
in DEFRA budgets due to the Department having been fined by the EU for delays
in the Rural Payments Agency and to overspends associated with Avian Bird Flu.
This month BW announced 180 job losses before April next
year. This will realise £5 million of the £12 million they need to
find in this financial year. Over the next few years £60 million may be
taken from their budget. The EA Board have already taken a decision to increase
the cost of boat licences on their rivers by 12% next year with the prospect of
increases totaling 43% over the next 3 years. Both these actions are just the
start of strategies that navigation authority management must now adopt to
balance their books.
These cuts to navigation authority funding will result in an
inevitable decline in our inland waterways with the prospect of some canal
closures. As the waterways decline so will businesses and jobs also decline and
we will lose the benefit that our waterways bring to sport and recreation,
social inclusion and regeneration.
The early part of our campaign is focused on briefing
members of Parliament and getting them to bring pressure to bear upon DEFRA
Ministers. An Early Day Motion (EDM) was tabled in the House of Commons on
Tuesday 19 October (EDM 2757). This is effectively a Parliamentary Petition and
it is important that we encourage as many MP's as possible to put their name to
the EDM. It is important that as many people as possible write to their MP
pointing out the implications for our inland waterways. You should write to
your MP in your own words but bringing out the following key points:-
·
- Sign EDM 2757
- Write to DEFRA Secretary of State, David Miliband MP
(copied to Waterways Minister, Barry Gardiner MP)
- These funding cuts will lead to a deterioration in our
country's inland waterways which are a national asset enjoyed by many.
- Over recent years our waterways have been a catalyst for
regeneration in both urban and rural areas.
- Decline of our waterways will have economic impact in
respect of jobs, small businesses and spending in the local economy.
Early Day Motions are time limited and it is important that
we encourage MP's to sign up NOW!
From the
BMF web site |
