Clive examines his scruples

INLAND Waterways Association (IWA) National Chairman, Clive Henderson's, entry into the world of social networking on British Waterways' Facebook group was rather unexpected, writes Allan Richards.

Seemingly ignorant of the way that some will find a double entendre, he has managed to start a post with 'When I last looked, I did have scruples....'. Hopefully, nobody will pick it up.

IWA Campaigns Team

It all started with a post linking to an IWA advert reading 'Love the waterways and have a background in PR/journalism? IWA Campaigns Team are looking for an intern 2-5 days a week'.

This prompted a question 'Will IWA actually have a role after next April except to lobby government to incorporate Environment Agency into Canal & River Trust?'

That was followed by an opinion '....if Clive Henderson had any scruples he would have not taken the position offered to him by British Waterways as it compromises the IWA in fighting for Boater's rights and the waterways in general'.

Wider considerations

The national chairman pointed out in his post that British Waterways has less than 45% of the inland waterways adding 'there are wider considerations'. However, apart from lobbying to incorporate Environment Agency in Canal & River Trust we are left in the air as to what these are. Certainly it looks like no real role will exist for IWA in Canal & River Trust controlled waterways in future.

Commenting on his role as an observer on the board of British Waterways he states '....I would like to think [it has] actually done more for boaters than some appreciate.' That would not be difficult as it is probable that most boaters believe he has done absolutely nothing for them at all! Certainly, minutes of Board meetings would support that view.

Something for British Waterways

Whilst, IWA has not promoted boaters or boating to British Waterways, it has certainly promoted the British Waterways view to both public and government. Despite British Waterways having an openness and accountability policy which should obviate the need for recourse to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), IWA has found the need to use the act to obtain information in the past.

However, it now thinks that Canal & River Trust has no need to be bound by the Act because it will have its own openness and accountability policy. Bearing in mind, that the people who run Canal & River Trust will be those who ran British Waterways, this is hypocritical to say the least.

Funding gap

And then there is the funding gap. Despite being on record as saying the funding gap is over £40m, IWA is now very suddenly actively promoting the much lower British Waterways figure of £20m. Again, hypocritical! It would seem that IWA is quite willing to risk the future of our waterways simply to pursue its own policy of a National Conservancy. Presumably, this is why it does not support the pragmatic approach of the All Party Parliamentary Waterways Group who have called for an independent review of Canal & River Trust's funding needs.

Compromised?

So has IWA been compromised by Clive Henderson's appointment to the board as an observer?

Sadly, the evidence suggests that is the case.