Canal & River Trust accused of falsifying its own board minutes

A LETTER from boater Keith Blake to CaRT's chairman, David Orr, has accused the trust of falsifying its own board minutes in relation to its 'surcharge' consultation.

It has already been established that boaters firmly rejected surcharging for both continuous cruisers and wide beam boats (60% of boaters rejected Continuous Cruiser surcharge). At the time, our Allan Richards wondered why Orr attempted to suppress a full disclosure regarding the board's decision to implement surcharges. Perhaps we now know.

Allan tells us that Keith has gone public in the hope that C&RT can come to some arrangement with IWA, NABO and NBTA who have rejected surcharging on behalf of members.

His Letter

Date: 28 January 2024

Open letter to Canal & River Trust chair, David Orr: Above CPI Licence fee increasing and surcharging:

Dear Mr Orr

I write with disgust concerning the Board of Trustees decision to implement surcharging against
the wishes of boaters and boating user groups (Board Meeting Minute 23/043 - 20 July 2023).
You personally, as the “qualified person” under Section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, have attempted to avoid disclosure of the Boards maladministration in this matter -

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/board_meeting_minute_23043_boat

It has taken more than two months to get to the position where it can be stated with certainty that CRT has falsified its board minutes to make it appear that boaters supported its surcharging
proposals when the reverse is true.

I suggest you read

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/surcharging_consultation_conflic

You may wish to hold immediate talks with the three groups (IWA. NABO and NBTA) who have
written to you opposing surcharging.

I look forward to a positive outcome from these discussions.

Yours Sincerely

Keith Blake