Good progress made between the Broads Authority local and national boating organisations on the Authority's Private Bill
The Broads Authority and national and local boating organisations have made good progress on important points of principle concerning the contents of the Broads private bill in a move designed to help its smooth passage through Parliament next Spring.
The Bill includes vital public safety and insurance improvements and will allow the Broads Authority to modernise its constitution so that it can operate most effectively to manage the waterways as a unique and vibrant place.
The Authority is being recommended by its Chief Executive Dr John Packman to drop the proposal to change the legal name of the area to The Broads National Park.
It recognises that it has not been able to overcome the issues surrounding the Sandford Principle - and the bill will now be known as The Broads Authority Bill.
The area still has a status equivalent to that of the national parks and
the Authority will remain a member of the national parks family.
Dr Packman said he was pleased that the Authority was close to agreement on an important set of principles with representatives of the Royal Yachting Association, British Marine Federation, Inland Waterways Association, the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association and the Broads Hire Boat Federation following a series of productive and amicable discussions involving give and take on all sides.
Dr Packman said: "The safety elements of the Bill have always been the highest priority for us and reaching an agreement will allow us to take significant steps forward in a number of areas - for example, allowing the Authority to enforce the National Boat Safety Scheme; requiring compulsory third party insurance for boats; licensing hire boats as well as modernising the way the Authority works.
Broads Authority Chairman Professor Kerry Turner said he was pleased that following a series of meetings during the summer all parties were close to agreement on the major outstanding issues of principle in the Private Bill.
He said:
"With a tight legislative timetable in place, our aim has always been to get broad support for the Bill. This is an important step forward in achieving that and we are now working on a formal agreement with the national boating organisations. This will help give the Bill a smooth passage through Parliament and I am convinced the recommendations being put to members is the right route to follow. We have had very helpful support from our local MPs which, I am sure, will be a great help when the matter comes forward for debate in the Spring."
Members of the Broads Authority will be asked to approve the way ahead when they meet on September 29.
The Authority has been provided with £100,000 of Government grant to help pilot the Bill through Parliament and it is hoped that the agreement will allow it to proceed within budget.
Mike Evans, Chairman of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association, said he was pleased with the progress made. His Association has consistently supported the need for the National Boat Safety Scheme, insurance requirements and the Transfer of Jurisdiction of Breydon Water and the Lower Bure to the Authority.
He said:
"While we still have some way before we reach formal agreement, I am very optimistic we can move forward from this point for the good of The Broads and all its users.
"We welcome the authority's decision to drop the steps which threatened the future of navigation through Sandford. However, we still await final confirmation of several outstanding issues including clarification of the role of the navigation committee with clear and transparent financial reporting to demonstrate to boaters that their funds are being spent wisely on navigation work."
Rod Carr, Chief Executive of the Royal Yachting Association, said:
"The RYA and the Authority have reached an agreement in principle on some of the more strategic and high level aims of the Bill. A formal agreement has yet to be reached on these and some other provisions of the draft Bill, but negotiations are on-going and we hope that all of the outstanding substantive issues can be resolved before the Bill is presented to Parliament. We hope to soon reach a position whereby we can lend our support to the Authority's Private Bill."
Reproduced by kind permission of
Broads Authority.
