Licensing consultation workshops
THE Canal & River Trust is inviting boaters to express an interest in being part of the workshops that will form stage two of its three stage national licensing consultation.
The object being to set the rate for all types of boat licensing for the future. Stage one by the independent charity, Involve, has now been completed that interviewed representatives from the main boating organisations to find out their views on how the consultation should work and what it should cover.
Various venues
The 'conversations' have now been completed and the content will form the basis of discussions in a series of boater workshops across the country, that again will be hosted by Involve at venues across the network.
Each workshop will consist of up to 15 boaters representing a range of different interest groups (for example boats with and without home moorings, leisure boaters, residential boaters, narrow and wide beam boaters) and a facilitator from Involve. The aim of the workshops is to help shape stage three of the consultation which will be open to all licence holders, and that will eventually it is expected set new licensing rates.
Randomly selected
The Trust is emailing all current boat licence holders for whom it holds a valid email address with an online link where they can express their interest in taking part in the workshops. Boaters without access to the internet can contact Customer Services to complete the form for them. Participants will be randomly selected by Involve from the various interest groups in each location.
Ian Rogers, Customer Service and Operations Director at Canal & River Trust, explained:
“The first stage of our national licensing consultation has been very productive and I’m pleased at how eager, honest and involved the conversations so far have been. Now we’re offering every boater the opportunity to potentially take part in the workshops and help shape the wider consultation. We hope boaters dig deeper into the themes introduced by the boating organisations. I'm sure they'll be lively, enlightening discussions that help shape the final stage of consultation for our licenced customers.”