£5.5 Million on RNLI Boat House

[starboard]

Quote from RNLI Web site..............
The RNLI trustees have given the go-ahead for a £5.5M contract to build a new lifeboat house and slipway for Padstow. It will be erected next to the existing boathouse at Trevose Head and will be home to the next generation of lifeboat, the Tamar class. Work will begin at the site straight after the Easter break...........

Having spent a good part of my life as volunteer crew and Coxswain with the RNLI I feel quite concerned about the above press release. I am fully aware of the need to update the fleet's lifeboat's and also of the need to update shore facilities to match the technicalities of the modern fleet. However recent years I have found it quite incredible how the powers to be seem to throw an endless supply of money at building OTT shore facilities. The new training centre at Poole seems to me to be OTT, the offical opening by the Queen attended by a crew member from every station in the UK and Ireland with all the assosciated expenditure,surely a waste of hard earned RNLI funds??? To spend £5.5 million on a boat house seems a rather extravagence and maybe not what the punter in the street would want for his donation. I have visited a few new shore establishments in recent years and it appears to me the main concern is not for a functunal building but for a work of art with the added additional expense....is this really how we expect our donated money to be spent?????

Paul.

 

[TheBoatman]

I would agree that it does seem a bit OTT to me, especially a crew from every station in attendance. However what I don't know is what type of b/house it is, does it serve an afloat boat or a slipway launched boat. Is it built on the side of a cliff or etc etc.
But 5.5M does seem a bit heavy for a single b/house.

 

[sailorman]

one of the richest charities in the country.
have to spend the cash on something rather like the "non-profit making " building societies used to be .
cant make a profit so "build an empire"
they also used to "render assistance"
now they "save lives"
all sounds better in sound-bytes / head lines

 

[mainmarine]

It may be the cost of the land that has bumped up the price, I know property in the Rock/ Padstow area is a pretty high price

 

[halcyon]

Known as Monoply, well played with there money, just the rest of us who have to spend real money.
Same as the NMM at Falmouth, pleased when it was first mutted, but as I watched them building for three years, and spending £28 million, which from local press was overrun. Next year we ( RDA, local council etc ) spend £4.7 mill on a park and ride as there is not enough parking around the museum. Then the RDA spend £2mill buying the plot of land next door next to the NMM, and build a car park, only tempory till we think what to do with the land.
Be interesting if someone did a proper costing and evaluation of these projects, includin health and education, may learn were our money goes.

Brian

 

[pvb]

They can\'t spend it quickly enough...

The RNLI has been severely criticised for its huge reserves, so there's no wonder they want to spend as much as they can.

Despite the fact that most of their "lifesaving" rescues consist of nothing more than towing a boat in to harbour in benign conditions, they continue to fool old ladies into parting with their money with scare-mongering stories of seafarers freezing to death in the icy waters off our shores.

If they were honest about their ambitions, I'd perhaps support them.

 

[yachtbits]

Info and artists impressions can be seen on the padstow website

http://www.padstow-lifeboat.org.uk/NewHouse.htm

I can see that the slipway isn't going to be cheap. Not too sure about the design of the boat house though!

But, I do wonder whether the RNLI can actually get value from construction contractors though. As it is common knowledge the the RNLI is reasonably cash rich, who is going to give them a good deal? If it was a private customer with a limited budget, would the price have been cheaper?

Another issue to consider when looking at the cost of some of the RNLI projects, are planning issues. The very location of many of the stations result in boathouses being far more expensive than a simple "shed" would be, just because the local authority requires it to be "in keeping with the surroundings".

As for the service provided. When does a simple tow job become a disaster? the moment that drifting boat touches a rock or sandbank because there wasn't a lifeboat available. An then there are the medical shouts. It isn't all about braving rough seas anymore. The roll and services of the RNLI are constantly evolving, and stuff goes on that the general public just don't realise or give the RNLI credit for.

Ask yourself, would you prefer all the stations to be shut down?

Kevin
RNLI ILB Helmsman

 

[Sybarite]

I did a quick and rough comparative study of the French SNSM and the RNLI a little while ago. The number of missions and lives saved are roughly the same in each country but the the SNSM runs on approximately 10% of the RNLI annual budget. The major difference is that it is largely a volunteer organisation the only significant full time department being the maintenance centre.

John

 

[wooslehunter]

The RNLI do a great job in both sides of their activities: saving lives & also FUND RAISING.

I did hear that they were actually told that they must start to spend some of their cash or lose their charitable status - anyone disagree with this?

Having said that, The RNLI do not run anywhere near 100% of the lifeboats in the UK. Caister for instance decided that they would become independant after the RNLI decided to close the station there. They have just launched a new boat all weather boat. I believe there is another independant all weather boat somewhere as well.

The suprising fact shows up when you look at the inshore boats. There are numerous inshore boats particularly around the solent where in fact the majority of the inshore boats are independant. MCA numbers in 2004 showed that there were 270 RNLI inshore and 110 independant operators plus a small number of surf lifesaving craft. So 30% of the inshore boats are NOT RNLI.

The main point is that the RNLI do seem to have an almost complete monopoly on fund raising since their image is so high. Hence the independants are generally very strapped for cash. Lottery grants are now few and far between. Generally independants have no paid employees and have to raise every penny themselves. They are tasked by HMCG in the same way as the RNLI boats and do the same job.

If you feel the RNLI have too much money & still want to support lifeboats, then the answer is easy: donate to the independants instead. The chances are in some areas like the solent if you need help, you'll get an independant even though you may not know it.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for posting this thread, serious food for thought.

As a regular contributor to the RNLI, this has caused me to email them a question or two.

Message:-
"Please be aware that as a rescue service, the RNLI team's primary role of saving lives at sea must come first - however your answer will be dealt with as soon as possible."

 

[jhr]

[ QUOTE ]
I did hear that they were actually told that they must start to spend some of their cash or lose their charitable status - anyone disagree with this?


[/ QUOTE ]

This is perfectly possible. The government has recently been in the process of revising charity law (much of which was drafted in earlier times with different circumstances in mind). I am a Trustee and Non-Exec. Director of a charitable Company Limited by Guarantee and we have been giving some thought to this matter, as the charity has significant reserves. Although there is no absolute benchmark, we have been advised that we must be seen to be spending a reasonable proportion of the money that we raise, on our charitable purposes, to safeguard our status. Prudent reserves are quite acceptable, but a charity, by definition, must do charitable deeds and shouldn't be sitting on a fortune.

In reality, I think the government is after "fake" charities that have been set up as tax avoidance vehicles, or which - through incompetence or atrophy - are failing to meet their objectives. I don't think the RNLI could be accused of either of these things, but they are cash-rich and may well have been advised to do some spending. I also suspect that the Seacheck initiative, and the fact that it's free, may have something to do with ticking a "charitable activity" box for them (not meant to be a criticism of Seacheck, btw, it's a valuable service).

The RNLI may have loadsamoney, and may all be loafing about in five star luxury at Poole but if (God forbid) I ever end up in trouble at sea, I'll be very glad to see them appear. I can't get too worked up about their alleged wealth; better for it to be that way round than for them to be skint, I feel.................

 

[ParaHandy]

the existing boathouse and its piling is over 40 years old and, if i remember correctly, the cost of refurbishing was as much as building a new station ... the existing station would have to be closed whilst repairs were done. I'm not sure whether the new boat is heavier than the old but that might be another factor ...

Poole training centre is also a conference centre which gains revenue for the rnli. Will have to wait and see just how much ....

reserves of rnli were decimated in 2000/1/2

 

[ParaHandy]

for some reason, the SNSM website no longer is either active or updates its annual budget. the last set of data was for some years ago ... however, on the face of it, you would appear to be correct but if you dig a little deeper, you'll find that public subscription gives £10m but there is a big chunk which comes from the local departments. I gave up trying to dig .... whatever, i am fairly sure that the figure we both have is misleading as to the true cost ...

 

[Stemar]

I'm open to correction on this, but I'm pretty sure I heard or read somewhere that the SNSM charges for "rescues where life is not in danger, so a rope around your prop that would need a tow in would be free from the RNLI and at commercial tow/salvage rates for SNSM.

IMHO, the RNLI's view that charging for non life-threatening callouts is likely to lead to them not being called out until the situation deteriorates is the right one.

 

[BrendanS]

[ QUOTE ]
want to support lifeboats, then the answer is easy: donate to the independants instead. The chances are in some areas like the solent if you need help, you'll get an independant even though you may not know it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You'll be glad to know that at the annual forum meet at Mercury Marina on the Hamble, we raise cash for charity. That money goes to Hamble inshore rescue, an independent

 

[fireball]

Independant or RNLI - they are volunteers that appear before you when your in need... if a little donation each year can help make their lives better - in a purpose built boathouse if need be - then all the better, I assume they use the boathouse to relax a bit too ..?

 

[Cantata]

I had reason to pass by Whitstable's boat-house several times in one day recently, and was a bit cross to see 2 contractors there most of the day replacing all the signs on the outside walls with new ones (there are quite a few as the shop is a part of the building as well). Looked like a re-branding exercise. I have to say I was not at all impressed.

 

[cruisingsam]

I was at a RNLI seminar last wednesday as I volunteered to help them out at the Dublin Boatshow this weekend and we were told the annual running costs of the RNLI in the UK & Ireland is approximately £13 million and that they have reserves of approximately 8 months. £8.7 million is a lot money when looked at in isolation but when looked at as 8 months of funding is not excessive in my opinion.

 

[pvb]

The true figures are somewhat different....

The latest published figures, from the RNLI Annual Report 2003, reveal the annual operating cost as £110 million - of which £21.3 million is spent on fundraising and support.

As far as reserves are concerned, the RNLI's approach to reserves is about as transparent as a Swiss bank account. The RNLI has devised lots of different categories of reserves, including "endowment reserves", "restricted reserves", "designated reserves", "free reserves", etc. However, they quote a total figure for reserves at the end of 2003 of £472 million.

 

[ribrunt]

Re: The true figures are somewhat different....

Many of those reserves are restricted by the donors...e.g. here's a mill, only spend it on a lifeboat in Scotland. RNLI may not need one for 10 years, so it becomes a reserve until then.

Comments above are correct re slipways - they are reducing the numbers of slipway boats (going afloat/alongside, etc) around the coast because of the cost. Kevin, a fellow ILB helm, mentions planning as an issue - is it what!! Councils demand very high standards both in UK & Ireland from the RNLI. Most of the slipway cost is civils rather than "look-pretty" stuff, tho.

Bear in mind too that once the €5.5m is spent it probably wont need much other than a bit of scrubbing & a dollop of grease for the next 20-30 years - or more, as evidenced by many stations (Padstow, 40 years) around the coast.

I, for one, am glad so many people give generously so I can have good, reliable, dry gear & equipment when the pagers go off.

Cheers

RR
RNLI ILB Helm.