Has the RNLI lost the plot?

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ffiill

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Here on Loch Ness we have the only inshore Rescue rib based on fresh water in the UK.
Loch Ness can get quite nasty and messy and the boat with its volunteer crew performs a very needed service.
It is based on a little purpose built jetty and ramp just north of Drumnadrochit next to a small harbour facility for visiting yachts and hire cruisers.
For the pat six months some heavy construction work over seen by Nutalls has been taking place.
Clearly the construction of a big wall to moor against.However as it developed an adjustable ramp appeared followed by the beginnings of a substantial building.
Clearly its for the Inshore RIB but at what cost?- certainly well into the millions!
What a total waste of money!
 
AFAIK the RNLI is not exempt from planning regulations, and they and the Park must think the construction is value for money in the long term and demonstrably serves a wanted purpose. The RNLI is cash rich, and someone in the civvy construction sector has made some money out of the building. And if it makes a better facility for training, isn't that a sufficient justification ?



Anyway, if x £M is spent on buildings, it can't be spent on executive salaries.
 
sarabande said:
AFAIK the RNLI is not exempt from planning regulations, and they and the Park must think the construction is value for money in the long term and demonstrably serves a wanted purpose. The RNLI is cash rich, and someone in the civvy construction sector has made some money out of the building. And if it makes a better facility for training, isn't that a sufficient justification ?



Anyway, if x £M is spent on buildings, it can't be spent on executive salaries.
Click to expand...

With the RNLI it's not a case of either : or.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-31609252


What a bargain...!! Compared with this anyway:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-37717735

"The new station was carved out of the cliff face in a massive engineering project - after the new lifeboat was too large to fit in the old station."
 
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sarabande said:
AFAIK the RNLI is not exempt from planning regulations, and they and the Park must think the construction is value for money in the long term and demonstrably serves a wanted purpose. The RNLI is cash rich, and someone in the civvy construction sector has made some money out of the building. And if it makes a better facility for training, isn't that a sufficient justification ?



Anyway, if x £M is spent on buildings, it can't be spent on executive salaries.
Click to expand...

Executive`s still have to plan it, fund & over see the project.
 
I am not sure that you have the only rescue rib on fresh water in the UK, now if you had said GB, you might have been right.
As for the accommodation, I have always been impressed with the RNLI building in Kyle of Lochalsh but it has to house a Landy as well as the RIB. But shure if you are rolling in money and there is more coming in all the time, why not invest it in some tasty buildings for the lads, far too much utility construction going up these days, the Victorians had a much more sensible approach.
 
Quandary said:
I am not sure that you have the only rescue rib on fresh water in the UK, now if you had said GB, you might have been right.
As for the accommodation, I have always been impressed with the RNLI building in Kyle of Lochalsh but it has to house a Landy as well as the RIB. But shure if you are rolling in money and there is more coming in all the time, why not invest it in some tasty buildings for the lads, far too much utility construction going up these days, the Victorians had a much more sensible approach.
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I may be wrong but there is a fresh water rescue boat manned by volunteers on Loch Lomond who I'm sure aren't supported by the RNLI.

Donald
 
While I have no doubt the RNLI is not beyond criticism for a lot of things, the volunteer crews deserve the best and safest equipment and centres form which to operate. This includes appropriate lifeboat stations in remote areas where the boats can be kept up in a protected environment. It's OK FOR IoW boats to sit in wet berths as they're close to the facilites in Cowes, but others need to be maintained where they sit and launched locally too. Stations and boats are what they ought to be spending money on.
 
Quandary said:
I am not sure that you have the only rescue rib on fresh water in the UK, now if you had said GB, you might have been right.
As for the accommodation, I have always been impressed with the RNLI building in Kyle of Lochalsh but it has to house a Landy as well as the RIB. But shure if you are rolling in money and there is more coming in all the time, why not invest it in some tasty buildings for the lads, far too much utility construction going up these days, the Victorians had a much more sensible approach.
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Certainly not the only rescue rib on fresh water (althoug it may depend on your definition). I was one of the early members of SARA, a voluntary rescue service covering the Severn, Monnow, Usk, Avon and Wye rivers. Originally funded solely by donations and run by volunteers but I believe they now get a grant from the Ministry of Transport.
 
An interesting thing, when I was googling the RNLI station on Lough Erne I got their local weather and tides page, they were listing times for Enniskillen with a substantial range, how does that work? There is a major hydro scheme between the Lough and the sea.
Btw the three rescue stations on Lough Neagh are not RNLI but operated by a different charity called Lough Neagh Rescue.
 
alan_d said:
Didn't they just say they couldn't operate one? Local population too small to provide enough volunteers was the reason/excuse IIRC.
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They used that to explain why they didn't have one there, but my recollection is that they subsequently opposed moves by locals to set up an independent rescue boat, which went ahead anyway with support from Gaelforce.
 
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