Latest EA Thames operational management new hires......

[thamesinsider]

Apparently none of the experienced internal candidates for the 3 vacant Thames Locks Team Leader jobs were good enough (despite 3 of them being the current deputies who have been standing in overseeing groups of locks for over a year). So we now have the successful external candidates starting.
The ex Geography teacher seems odd enough but the locks between Lechlade and Kings now being under the care of a 28 year old fresh from working as a Call Centre supervisor and a stint working in a shoe shop is just plain crazy?! I guess we can only wish the lady in question well on what will be a steep learning curve!

 

[penberth3]

Apparently none of the experienced internal candidates for the 3 vacant Thames Locks Team Leader jobs were good enough (despite 3 of them being the current deputies who have been standing in overseeing groups of locks for over a year). So we now have the successful external candidates starting.
The ex Geography teacher seems odd enough but the locks between Lechlade and Kings now being under the care of a 28 year old fresh from working as a Call Centre supervisor and a stint working in a shoe shop is just plain crazy?! I guess we can only wish the lady in question well on what will be a steep learning curve!

You're being very judgemental, ageist and sexist as well. They might do an excellent job.

 

[KevinV]

In my experience women make excellent team leaders/ managers - they don't make everything into a willy waving contest. A call centre supervisor will probably be jolly good in dealing with the public as well as supervising her team, and 28 is hardly fresh out of nappies.

Perhaps the geography teacher knows a huge amount about the landscape? He/she will certainly be experienced in dealing with those who behave like children who didn't get their way.

How about giving them a chance? It's not as if we're inundated with positive reports on here about the status quo.

 

[thamesinsider]

I reject the comment about being sexist for just describing the individual using the word 'lady' rather than he/she or 'person'. However on reflection do accept the other comments to some degree.

But it just seems a mistake that very experienced current river staff are being rejected especially when so many of the current EA mis-managers were brought in from other areas of the EA and are just passing through on their way to other departments.

 

[oldgit]

Perhaps "they" might be trying to encourage some young enthusiastic chaps and chapesses with few new innovative ideas to overhaul an organisation already struggling to adjust to todays circumstances

 

[Parabordi]

Perhaps "they" might be trying to encourage some young enthusiastic chaps and chapesses with few new innovative ideas to overhaul an organisation already struggling to adjust to todays circumstances

or maybe they are just cheap!

 

[Celica]

Team leaders manage people, assets are managed by the FRCM directorate on the Thames. Sometimes new blood is better, with new ideas.

 

[Pump-Out]

Team leaders manage people, assets are managed by the FRCM directorate on the Thames. Sometimes new blood is better, with new ideas.

So who is responsible for fixing the three river crossings the EA have currently closed?
Benson? Temple? Marsh Lock?

Is it one of the new managers?

 

[Parabordi]

So who is responsible for fixing the three river crossings the EA have currently closed?
Benson? Temple? Marsh Lock?

Is it one of the new managers?

Temple and Marsh should be councils, not navigation related

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I think those are both EA owned assets..

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Marsh is a massive nightmare if the wood is nackered. There is an awful lot of it.

Lovely bit of firewood !!

 

[Parabordi]

I think those are both EA owned assets..

Maybe but I don't want EA wasting their navigation money on them

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I agree.

In reality the upper section of Marsh lock walkway is not needed. I doubt it is a public right of way. It might be permissive.

So in theory it could just be removed and not replaced.

Same goes for Temple footbridge.

It would be interesting to know the legal status. If they are EA assets and there is no obligation to maintain them as PROW then just get rid of them.

 

[Pump-Out]

In reality the upper section of Marsh lock walkway is not needed. I doubt it is a public right of way. It might be permissive.

It's the towpath - I believe that it's known as "the horse crossing".
A local landowner has kindly opened a stretch of land to allow walkers to by-pass the closed bridge.
Culden Faw Estate to remain open while footbridge closed for repair

@Parabordi - It is the EA that shut the bridge. Unsurprisingly, now they realise that it is going to be very expensive to put right, the EA trying to say that it isn't theirs! Which means they had no authority to close it in the first place......

So, Marsh is the EA's problem.

Temple - Here is the .gov closure notice - Issued by the EA. So, Temple is the EA's problem
Temple Footbridge to remain closed

I ask again (rhetorically) will one of the new mangers get these sorted?

 

[Parabordi]

It's the towpath - I believe that it's known as "the horse crossing".
A local landowner has kindly opened a stretch of land to allow walkers to by-pass the closed bridge.
Culden Faw Estate to remain open while footbridge closed for repair

@Parabordi - It is the EA that shut the bridge. Unsurprisingly, now they realise that it is going to be very expensive to put right, the EA trying to say that it isn't theirs! Which means they had no authority to close it in the first place......

So, Marsh is the EA's problem.

Temple - Here is the .gov closure notice - Issued by the EA. So, Temple is the EA's problem
Temple Footbridge to remain closed

I ask again (rhetorically) will one of the new mangers get these sorted?

If EA is short of funds it must prioritise the navigation.

 

[Celica]

So who is responsible for fixing the three river crossings the EA have currently closed?
Benson? Temple? Marsh Lock?

Is it one of the new managers?

A manager who manages the Lock keepers wouldn't be responsible for assets, they manage people. Any defects would be sent to the assets teams. EA frame works are very expensive, and since Covid as you know every thing has gone up in price, so a lot of money doesn't go a long way. Unfortunately also a lot of bridges have transferred into navigations remit even though they do not have any navigation benefit. So prioritising locks would come before bridges. The EA's waterways were in managed state of decline, but over recent years have had a lot of money thrown at them, but as I said, the frameworks are expensive.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

It is the old towing path (Marsh weir bridge) but there are no horses now.

The basic question remains about whether the top half is in fact a public right of way.

I know Schwarzenbach has allowed pedestrians through and that is laudable but it is still interesting to consider whether the EA are obliged to repair the top half of the weir bridge.

Of course the Temple footbridge is where there was once a ferry as it is one of many places where the towing path changes sides.

Another interesting one must be the footbridges each side of Hurley lock.

I know these are part of the Thames Path but is this PROW or permissive?