CC's can now take part in CaRT Council elections

THE result of intervention by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) has resulted in continuous cruisers now being able to vote, sponsor candidates and stand for election to the Canal & River Trust (CaRT) Council.

The rules of the election state that 'to be eligible to stand for election, sponsor an election candidate and vote in the election in (the private boating) constituency, you must hold a 12 months canal or river boat licence on 30th September 2015'.

Not intended

A spokesman for NBTA tells us that Chief Executive Richard Parry told the association that CaRT had no idea that preventing boaters without home moorings from renewing their licences for 12 months would disenfranchise them from the forthcoming CaRT Council election, and that this was not an intended consequence of the new enforcement policy.

The NBTA raised the issue at the CaRT User Forum in September 2015. Mr Parry confirmed to the NBTA that the standard invitation to take part in the election had been sent to those boaters who have been stopped from renewing their licences for 12 months.

The deadline to nominate candidates is 14th October 2015.

CaRT's new policy, effective from 1st May 2015, according to the NBTA, unlawfully imposes a minimum range of movement contrary to Section 17 (3) (c) (ii) of the British Waterways Act 1995.

Licences refused

This resulted in an estimated 350 to 400 boaters without home moorings having had their licence renewal refused for the full 12 months due to the new policy, meaning that around 25% of boaters without home moorings are at risk of being evicted from CaRT waterways and having their homes seized and destroyed.

The NBTA states however that it will take whatever steps are necessary to defend its members against what it describes as an attack on the right to use and live on a boat without a home mooring.

No attempt to abide by the rules

However, it must be pointed out that there are a number of boaters 'without a home mooring', who have work and children at school commitments, that make no attempt to move any feasible distance, staying virtually in one place permanently, that CaRT will not tolerate.