Cookham Lock public power not working

[apollo]

Sorry but the money is not what we are pointing out here, it's the incompetence of the management team. Who paid for this to be put in with no documentation and how do we know they won't stuff up again?
As someone with a degree in electronics I would have thought any electrical engineer could be hired for a day's fee and would set it to wind only.
It's the lack of "can do" attitude and the blatant "it's too difficult" that irritates the most.

 

[boatone]

Who paid for this to be put in with no documentation and how do we know they won't stuff up again?

The people you refer to are long gone and I believe the contractor is deceased - somewhat difficult to take retrospective action methinks !

As someone with a degree in electronics I would have thought any electrical engineer could be hired for a day's fee and would set it to wind only.
It's the lack of "can do" attitude and the blatant "it's too difficult" that irritates the most.

The present management are having to deal with this issue today and within todays budgets. I believe considerable money has been diverted to this work but I also know that it it is likely to be at the expense of something else - tree work, dredging, summer reliefs etc.

 

[Pump-Out]

I don't want "assisted" passage, just want the poxy lock to work!

What he said /\
Cookham must be amongst the most isolated locks on the river; just leave the power on.

 

[Pump-Out]

First I have heard of this but would certainly have raised it had I been aware. Can you provide reliable evidence ? Is this in recent times ?

Common knowledge in the industry, but very embarrassing for the bean-counters at EA.
I believe that they failed to charge for about three years - up to late autumn last year (2015). They are desperately now trying to cover their tracks and recover funds - but, lifting being as it is, many boats have now ben transported elsewhere for new owners.

Would have paid for new pedestals at Cookham, at the very least.

Not surprised they failed to tell you, frankly.

 

[TrueBlue]

What he said /\
Cookham must be amongst the most isolated locks on the river; just leave the power on.

OOOO - can't do that 'elfnsafety - all levels of management on a fizzer if some burke got injured / broke something....

 

[apollo]

Tone. They could sell the model boats and use the money from that for a jobbing electrical engineer.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I would suggest leaving it on hand wind at all times, relieve the duty lock keeper of the physical work and encourage "unskilled workers" to
hang around the upper and lower layby offering hand wind service in exchange for accommodation aboard or beer tokens or both. They may also be able to service the engine and may even be quite pleasant company.

Once all the locks on the River eventually return to hand wind there will be an established group of workers carrying out the actual work and license fees can be reduced accordingly.

A bit like the leggers who used to hang around canal tunnels and "leg" the boats through in return for some sort of payment .

In the end it all comes down to the slightly silly situation where a normal person is not allowed to operate a lock without safety interlocks.

Maybe if the ea used a different insurance provider they could just let people get on with fully automated lock-keeper power at all times?

If you are stupid enough to cause damage then you are responsible.

And CCTV on pedestals looking at who ever is operating it.

Elfin safety gone mad.

 

[DogsBody]

The EA have been making it quite clear for some time that, whilst they will continue to provide assisted passage with lock staff in attendance as funding permits, they have no statutory duty to do so.

This isn't a complaint about not manning locks though, its a complaint about the EA not preforming required maintenance of the river structures and as a result closing the river at this particular lock for several hours every day.

 

[apollo]

I bet the lockies would even answer a phone number and come and do it for a bit of overtime...as i say "can do" attitude is seriously missing from management.

 

[apollo]

and before tony says there is no money, this is peanuts less money than it costs to buy a model boat

 

[Ramage]

It's not Tony holding the purse strings.... ultimately it's "Call me Dave" and his mates and they are saying no.

 

[boatone]

It's not Tony holding the purse strings.... ultimately it's "Call me Dave" and his mates and they are saying no.

Thank you for that, Ramage.
There has not been a single constructive suggestion in this thread that I have not already tried to explore. I am hopeful that there will be some progress but we will have to wait and see.

Now, I really must get on and find some new wiper blades for my boat

 

[Margot]

I don't t know the ins and outs of this issue but I do have some experience of working with public sector organisations and if, as has been said, the original contractor is no longer in business, then I really wouldn't be surprised if the delay is down to procurement process bureaucracy.

Public sector procurement rules are set by the Treasury I believe, and should be applied across all public sector organisations to ensure we tax payers get value-for-money from the services procured on our behalf by our local councils, government departments, arms length bodies and so on. The rules are pretty stringent. If the EA are abiding by them as they should, then getting a new contractor on board to fix this problem is going to take a while. And I'm sure it's as frustrating for the EA's navigation team as it is for users of Cookham Lock.

As for the 'what do they spend my licence fee on' complaint, I'm not sure the combined amount of all our fees covers the annual cost of keeping all the locks and weirs in working order does it? Even that needs a contribution from the non-boating taxpayer, who also pays for everything else we get on top? Or have I got that wrong?

 

[boatone]

I don't t know the ins and outs of this issue but I do have some experience of working with public sector organisations and if, as has been said, the original contractor is no longer in business, then I really wouldn't be surprised if the delay is down to procurement process bureaucracy.

Public sector procurement rules are set by the Treasury I believe, and should be applied across all public sector organisations to ensure we tax payers get value-for-money from the services procured on our behalf by our local councils, government departments, arms length bodies and so on. The rules are pretty stringent. If the EA are abiding by them as they should, then getting a new contractor on board to fix this problem is going to take a while. And I'm sure it's as frustrating for the EA's navigation team as it is for users of Cookham Lock.

As for the 'what do they spend my licence fee on' complaint, I'm not sure the combined amount of all our fees covers the annual cost of keeping all the locks and weirs in working order does it? Even that needs a contribution from the non-boating taxpayer, who also pays for everything else we get on top? Or have I got that wrong?

Absolutely "spot on" in all respects, Margot, although I think it is fair to say that the EA took far too long to start getting to grips with this issue.

However, there is one aspect of all this that I find particularly disturbing. Whilst Government is intent on reducing public spending, and has cut the public purse contribution to Thames Navigation by several million pounds in recent years, Treasury Rules and outdated legislation actually deny the EA any opportunity to seek alternative funding streams to replace this money. That is just plain stupid.

I am currently engaging with both Defra and my MP to raise this at the political level as it is clear that the EA, and particularly the waterways staff, are simply not able to overcome this at operational level.

 

[Terry Lambert]

I am told this problem has been going on for some time now so it should have been sorted by now, the problem appears to be that the man who wrote the soft ware has passed away,it appears no one had the password to get into the software to override the system, please Enviorement Agency all you need to do is get a 15 year old to hack in and sort it out. Please Mr Andrew Graham get your finger out and sort it out so all us boaters who pay your wages can use our boats at any time.

 

[DogsBody]

I am currently engaging with both Defra and my MP to raise this at the political level as it is clear that the EA, and particularly the waterways staff, are simply not able to overcome this at operational level.

You might also want to point out (and possibly already have) that there is a statutory right of navigation on the River Thames and that as the navigation authority for the river, the EA would, it seems be obligated to maintain the infrastructure required to enable that navigation.

If by cutbacks to their funding the EA are no longer capable of doing so, then they are unfit for purpose. In which case government needs to either re-think the EA's funding options, if give their role as navigation authority to an organisation that can raise appropriate funding.

 

[Margot]

Thank you Tony. You make an interesting point, one I hadn't considered before. If the Treasury will enable the EA to raise money from businesses, local authorities and other benefactors for flood defences, including those large and costly schemes being planned for Oxford and Surrey, why can't they do the same for navigation? Surely it would just be a matter of replicating whatever mechanisms they've set up for those flood schemes, but for navigation instead?

 

[boatone]

Thank you Tony. You make an interesting point, one I hadn't considered before. If the Treasury will enable the EA to raise money from businesses, local authorities and other benefactors for flood defences, including those large and costly schemes being planned for Oxford and Surrey, why can't they do the same for navigation? Surely it would just be a matter of replicating whatever mechanisms they've set up for those flood schemes, but for navigation instead?

Flood defence has a much higher profile, affecting both homes and businesses, than navigation.

 

[Margot]

Quite right. But the mechanism is clearly there, if not the will.

 

[boatone]

Quite right. But the mechanism is clearly there, if not the will.

I have just received a call from my MP's office and now have a meeting confirmed for next month. Watch this space !