Evaluation of the Performance of the Canal & River Trust

TENDERS are being invited by DEFRA to evaluate the performance of the Canal and River Trust.  The tender notice is inviting suppliers for the evaluation of the performance of the Canal & River Trust Project, see: https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2021/W11/746914121

The aim to undertake a 'backward looking' socio-economic evaluation, to collect and synthesise evidence in order to answer the following questions:

1. Assess the trust's performance of its obligations arising under the Grant Agreement and other founding documentation.

2. What public benefits have the trust delivered?

3. Estimate the economic value of benefits.

4. Identify a baseline and variation from the baseline.

The evaluation will focus on the period from creation of the Trust in 2012 up to the current period 2020/21. The four months contract will be at a cost of between £80,000 and £150,000.

Electric boats and mooring congestion

Mike Rodd describes just two of the issues facing NABO.

I hope that some of you might be able to get out on your boats soon – it has been so frustrating and worrying, especially if your boat is not safe in a well-managed marina. I had to handle a report last week of a boat close to us on the K&A, slowly sinking – all we could do was to inform CRT, as nobody knew who the boat owner was.

With so many boater consultations presently under way, I suspect we are all getting bored with answering them, so I am sorry if we have made thing worse by asking you to respond to the one on aspects of the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS). We do need, however, to ensure that we are aware of any concerns you have, or improvements that might need to be made. We have always actively supported the BSS, and are involved in most of its committees and advisory groups, but we are very aware that changes are continually required to deal with technical developments. For example, we will increasingly need to focus on electrical issues. In fact, many boaters in the London area will simply have to become more electric-based, given what is happening there with the creation of so-called ‘eco-moorings’. These have electrical supply points made available (if booked and the electricity is paid for!) and the accompanying gradual banning of both running diesel engines and burning cheaper coal and wood. (Of course, these moorings also go a long way to keep the complaining residents of the very expensive canalside homes happy!)

Paper or electronic NABO News?

At its last meeting, NABO Council discussed the cost of printing and posting NABO News and a possible electronic version of the magazine. This would have a ‘page-flip’ feature so that it can be easily read on a computer or tablet screen. Opinions were divided between keeping the current printed format on the grounds that members wanted to have physical copies to read and share with colleagues, and those who felt that we should move towards an electronic version that was easy to read and distribute and would result in substantial cost savings. The Council decided to seek the views of members before discussing it again.

I would be grateful if you could email or write to me (details on inside front cover) to let me know what you think. The two options are:

1. I would like to continue to receive printed issues of NABO News through the post;
2. I would prefer to change and receive electronic issues, sent to me by email.

I’d be grateful if you could let me know before April 24^th so that the Council can discuss the results at its next meeting. Thank you for your help.
Peter Fellows