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The Broads Authority
Private Bill
The Broads Bill has entered its final phase of progress through Parliament and there is much injustice still to be corrected. The Broads Authority has taken little heed of the Commons Select Committee's conclusions - let alone the Commons petitioners - and additionally has now taken steps to eviscerate the Navigation Committee to the point where the reinforcements fought for by navigators are void.
The Bill passed its Third Reading in the Commons following Opposed Bill Debate on Wednesday 7th May and moved to the House of Lords on the same day. The period for the delivery of petitions to the Lords Private Bill Office ended at 5pm on Monday 19th May.
In all, fourteen petitions against the Bill were deposited by a variety of individuals and organisations which include representation of local councils and the Broads’ largest and most influential yacht club.
Since four individuals lodged petitions against the Bill in the Commons in July last year, the Broads Authority has clearly failed to achieve any improvement in stakeholder contentment. Far from that, dissatisfaction has continued to multiply.
The Broads Authority will continue to dispose of considerable funds in pursuance of the ill-conceived Private Bill which is designed for the sole purpose of providing unnecessary additional legal powers to the unqualified and inexperienced Authority. The Bill aims to provide facilities to collect unjustifiable additional revenue while further limiting public scrutiny of the Authority’s expenditure of public and stakeholder funds.
The Bill is promoted around the catchy term ‘safety’. Yet the Boat Safety Scheme is already in operation through the provision of new bye-laws which demand a degree of consultation, something the Authority seeks to avoid at every opportunity. A safe practice code enforceable through hire boat licensing could quite easily be operational already, had the Authority taken the initiative to co-operate with local authorities which already enjoy such powers under Public Health legislation. Time passes and still there is no licensing and no code of safe practice, so we can but question the Broads Authority’s apparent enthusiasm for safety provisions. The Broads Authority is content to delay the provision of safety facilities in favour of securing yet more power for itself, despite remaining ill-equipped to employ such powers.
The Broads Authority Bill represents a monumental waste of public and stakeholder funds. Early consultation and discussion with those who enjoy the knowledge and experience which the Authority lacks could have sent a well constructed Bill on a fast track to Law.
Contrary to legal explanation provided to the Broads Authority by H M Government, this was first a National Park Bill. For a while at least, it is parked.
We are hopeful that Britain's Peers will see through the 'safety' smokescreen and will identify the passionate pursuit of untouchable dominance.
Progress of the Bill
Following the tabling of Blocking Motions by Norman Lamb MP and Richard Bacon MP.
7th February 2008 :: OBJECTIONS TAKEN
21st February 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
28th February 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
6th March 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
13th March 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
20th March 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
27th March 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
3rd April 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
24th April 2008 :: BLOCKING MOTIONS INTACT
7th May 2008 :: OPPOSED BILL DEBATE - HOUSE of COMMONS
7th May 2008 :: HOUSE of LORDS FIRST READING
8th May 2008 :: HOUSE of LORDS PETITIONING PERIOD BEGINS
19th May 2008 :: HOUSE of LORDS PETITION DELIVERY DEADLINE
T.B.A. :: HOUSE of LORDS SECOND READING
T.B.A. :: HOUSE of LORDS OPPOSED BILL COMMITTEE
Broads-NAV.COM sincerely thanks our regional MPs and asks them to continue to seek the introduction of democratic process, without which the Broads Authority is likely to continue as an unaccountable political vehicle for those who reject the very basis of democracy, preferring to suckle the public teat.
DEFRA Minister Jonathan Shaw gave his assurance to the Commons Third Reading Debate and he must not be permitted to neglect his obligation.
Government without mandate is dangerously undemocratic.
We believe that the Authority has recently revealed its underlying agenda in relation to the future of navigation by showing its convenient interpretation of Common Law rights to navigate. Perhaps if there had been no intention to curtail the use of the waters there would have been no need to research this subject, but the Authority has chosen to declare its perceived absolute power to close waterways. This issue alone has sparked the feeling in many that relations with the BA have declined to the stage where opportunities to offer gentle advice have long since passed and full public confrontation is the only prospect of neutralising the dictatorial decay husbanded by those in Authority office.
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