Post by NigelMoore on Jan 20, 2017 23:11:29 GMT
For those interested, this latest circular from the NBTA explains how to contribute your views on the proposed new Act of Parliament that hopes to make boat licensing mandatory on the Middle Levels network.
The navigation authority that runs the Middle Levels, a system of navigable drainage channels, is promoting a Bill in Parliament that would introduce charges and terms and conditions for the first time. At the moment, navigation by non-commercial boats is free of charge. The Middle Levels are funded by millions of pounds of drainage charges from land owners, whose land would otherwise be swamp.
The introduction of charges would extinguish the rights given to local people in the seventeenth century to use boats non-commercially without payment. The Bill also proposes draconian new byelaw powers and powers to seize boats. At present the Middle Levels are an option for boat dwellers to take refuge if they cannot, through no fault of their own, pay the licence fees or keep to the terms and conditions demanded by other navigation authorities such as CRT.
The NBTA will be a Petitioner against this Bill. As it's a Private Bill, anyone who will be affected by the proposals can petition directly to Parliament to have the Bill dropped or for amendment of certain clauses. This has to be done according to a specific Parliamentary procedure. The NBTA has been working with boaters in the Middle Levels who are affected by this Bill.
If you live or pass through the Middle Levels (which are the only inland route to Cambridge), or if you wish to in the future, please consider either adding your name to the NBTA's petition or using the attached template petition to submit your own petition against the Bill.
The NBTA will be handing its petition to Parliament this Tuesday January 24th so time is limited. Adding your name means the Middle Level Commissioners have to negotiate with you and there is a greater chance that we can stop the worst of these proposals becoming law in the first place - just like boaters did with the Bill that became the British Waterways Act 1995.
If you want to submit your own petition there is a procedure to follow, and the Petition should be handed in personally to Parliament between 24th January and 5pm on 30th January 2017. See the attached Commons Petitioning Kit.
I'm attaching the template petition written by the NBTA and the House of Commons guidance for how to submit a Petition against a Private Bill.
The Middle Level Bill can be found here
services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/middlelevel.html
The navigation authority that runs the Middle Levels, a system of navigable drainage channels, is promoting a Bill in Parliament that would introduce charges and terms and conditions for the first time. At the moment, navigation by non-commercial boats is free of charge. The Middle Levels are funded by millions of pounds of drainage charges from land owners, whose land would otherwise be swamp.
The introduction of charges would extinguish the rights given to local people in the seventeenth century to use boats non-commercially without payment. The Bill also proposes draconian new byelaw powers and powers to seize boats. At present the Middle Levels are an option for boat dwellers to take refuge if they cannot, through no fault of their own, pay the licence fees or keep to the terms and conditions demanded by other navigation authorities such as CRT.
The NBTA will be a Petitioner against this Bill. As it's a Private Bill, anyone who will be affected by the proposals can petition directly to Parliament to have the Bill dropped or for amendment of certain clauses. This has to be done according to a specific Parliamentary procedure. The NBTA has been working with boaters in the Middle Levels who are affected by this Bill.
If you live or pass through the Middle Levels (which are the only inland route to Cambridge), or if you wish to in the future, please consider either adding your name to the NBTA's petition or using the attached template petition to submit your own petition against the Bill.
The NBTA will be handing its petition to Parliament this Tuesday January 24th so time is limited. Adding your name means the Middle Level Commissioners have to negotiate with you and there is a greater chance that we can stop the worst of these proposals becoming law in the first place - just like boaters did with the Bill that became the British Waterways Act 1995.
If you want to submit your own petition there is a procedure to follow, and the Petition should be handed in personally to Parliament between 24th January and 5pm on 30th January 2017. See the attached Commons Petitioning Kit.
I'm attaching the template petition written by the NBTA and the House of Commons guidance for how to submit a Petition against a Private Bill.
The Middle Level Bill can be found here
services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/middlelevel.html