NABO was represented by Mike Rodd at a very well attended meeting of the members of the River Thames Alliance (RTA) on Thursday 17 December, on board the public trip boat, New Orleans, based at Hobb’s mooring at Henley. The main item was the (unanimous) approval of the Thames Waterways Plan which covers the period to 2015 to 2021.

This ambitious plan includes considerations of Flood Risk, the Environment, Planning, Tourism and Marketing, Navigation and Moorings, Sport and Recreation, and Education, and was produced after an extensive programme of consultation and discussion. A full consultation document was sent to members in January 2015 and drafts of the various Sections were sent to members for comment in the weeks leading up to this present meeting. Following the approval of the plan, consideration will now turn to implementation – with all members acknowledging the difficulties due to present funding issues.

The second item was consideration of the status of the RTA which has been operating as an Unincorporated Association. The meeting agreed to ask the Managing Committee bring forward proposals to change RTA into to a Limited Company.

For more information see: http://www.thames-alliance.co.uk/