RNLI 2013 accounts : highlights

[Sybarite]

I have been following this thread & i do not normally make personal comments about forumites
However, in this instance I have to suggest that you really must be an offensive little oik !!!!

It was tongue in cheek; that's how he describes his occupation in his profile. I don't think I could be described as little....

 

[Sybarite]

If the accident had been within range do you not think that the RNLI would have been there --& not just given up after 2 days

As for salaries - How much do you expect people to be paid for managing & growing an account circa £ 600 milion

An uninformed reader of the accounts would conclude that it was an investment organisation which had additionnally a life-saving activity.

 

[jordanbasset]

So on the one hand we have the RNLI which is entirely funded by voluntary donations and run by paid professionals and on the other hand we have the French lifeboat system which is run by volunteers and gets about 35% of its funding paid by Government taxation. I wonder who needs lessons in financing their operation?

 

[Sybarite]

So on the one hand we have the RNLI which is entirely funded by voluntary donations and run by paid professionals and on the other hand we have the French lifeboat system which is run by volunteers and gets about 35% of its funding paid by Government taxation. I wonder who needs lessons in financing their operation?

Actually it's 25%, mainly by local authorities who directly benefit.

They do not charge for saving lives but do make a charge for recovering boats which is strictly controlled by the Cours des Comptes as covering only direct charges.

A comment was made that even this could not be relied upon as many foreign boat owners welshed on their commitments. Guess who?

 

[Steve C Cronin]

I wonder how much my "Thanks on Vellum"cost?

I would willingly return it for re-cycling, if anyone thinks it would help?

 

[Rigger Mortice]

An uninformed reader of the accounts would conclude that it was an investment organisation which had additionnally a life-saving activity.

And what would that reader conclude, if he could get the accounts, about the church's €50 billion cash reserves?
All in a no comment, strictly tongue in cheek way of course.

That's €50 billion cash.

 

[zikzik]

Actually it's 25%, mainly by local authorities who directly benefit.

They do not charge for saving lives but do make a charge for recovering boats which is strictly controlled by the Cours des Comptes as covering only direct charges.

A comment was made that even this could not be relied upon as many foreign boat owners welshed on their commitments. Guess who?

With such a negative view of first the RNLI, then, by implication, British sailers, why are you on these forums? There must be better French ones waiting for you?

 

[Daydream believer]

An uninformed reader of the accounts would conclude that it was an investment organisation which had additionnally a life-saving activity.

"Uninformed" being the operative word

 

[Searush]

Must be threatening for a layabout & sponger like yourself.

Your words not mine.

How can it be a threat to my index linked pension? I think you may be confused, cutting labour values only affects people who work for others.

 

[The Third Man]

I have not seen the accounts but just wonder how much is "earmarked" for a new boat named after someone. A nice lady at RNLI told me that a good number of people want to pay for a lifeboat and have it named after a wife or husband etc. The problem is that they have so many people wanting to do this that there is a long waiting list and that money can only be used for a boat so it is not available for routine expenses.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Probably not, it's usually a full time job. Did you miss that bit of the post, volunteer jobs are usually part-time ones?

Many charities get expert volunteer management from retired businesspeople looking to give something to the community.

However, I don;t really think that's an option for an organisation as big as the RNLI. I do think, though, that the "pay peanuts, get monkeys" argument is rather insulting to lifeboat crews.

 

[dom]

As for salaries - How much do you expect people to be paid for managing & growing an account circa £ 600 milion

Sybarite's "£600m" comment demonstrates that, whilst clearly in possession of a degree of book-keeping knowledge, he has an insufficient grasp of Charitable Law and Endowment Business Practices to comment about the RNLI, or indeed any other Endowment Hybrid Charity such as Rowntree or Welcome. In fact there is no "£600m account" and a charity's "Reserves" is in reality nor more than a somewhat arcane word that does not mean either cash of investments!

I'll provide a brief explanation in the morning as it's actually not hard to see why (as most strongly suspect) the RNLI is not run by crooks, and why so much confusion is created by ye olde nineteenth century accounting terminology! I would do it now but I've get to collect my daughter!!!

I won't respond directly to Sybarite given his track-record of responding to evidential based argument with volleys of hysterical, if somewhat, comical insults.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I imagine that volunteers do it not only because they want to do their bit, but also for the camaraderie, the fun of playing with the boats, the training and a bit of status locally because people in sea going communities hold the lifeboat crews in high regard. And nothing wrong with any of that. Nothing wrong at all.

I agree completely, and I don't think it devalues the crews' work in the least if they enjoy it.

 

[JumbleDuck]

If the accident had been within range do you not think that the RNLI would have been there

After the Penlee lifeboat sank, the Sennen lifeboat launched to try to find them. Into conditions which had just sunk a similar boat. The courage, determination and kindness of that astound me.

 

[JumbleDuck]

So on the one hand we have the RNLI which is entirely funded by voluntary donations ...

And by the profits which they make on the beach lifesaving operations, which are run commercially and paid for by local authorities out of taxes.

 

[AndrewB]

I think Sybarite has a point. The obvious comparator with the RNLI is the UK's land-based Fire & Rescue Service. Those of you who think the RNLI is best served by voluntary donations, do you think our Fire Service should be financed in the same way (as it is in some countries)? If not, why the distinction?

 

[dogleg]

And by the profits which they make on the beach lifesaving operations, which are run commercially and paid for by local authorities out of taxes.

the RNLI provide the equipment and recruit the lifeguards, local council contribute to wages: this will often be in place of council run services where councils have requested the RNLI to take over

 

[NUTMEG]

A volunteer fire service would be fine by me. As long as it displayed the same degree of professionalism and coverage that the RNLI offer. Anyone fancy setting it up? Thought not, looks like we are stuck with state funded fire service. Not that I am complaining, having had two house fires over the years I am very much indebted to our local fire service. Great bunch of people.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I think Sybarite has a point. The obvious comparator with the RNLI is the UK's land-based Fire & Rescue Service. Those of you who think the RNLI's finances are best served by voluntary donations, do you think our Fire Service should be financed in the same way (as it is in some countries)? If not, why the distinction?

That's a fair point. I suppose the answer has to be, if somebody could get it off the ground, why not? However, I do suspect that there would be a fair bit of resistance from the fire service unions.

The reality is probably that the RNLI came about to fill a gap in years gone by but, if it wasn't in existence in its present form it would be very difficult to get off the ground now.

Maybe what Sybarite should do is to stop moaning about how successful the RNLI is in UK, and introduce the same model in France?

 

[Searush]

I think Sybarite has a point. The obvious comparator with the RNLI is the UK's land-based Fire & Rescue Service. Those of you who think the RNLI is best served by voluntary donations, do you think our Fire Service should be financed in the same way (as it is in some countries)? If not, why the distinction?

I'm sure that the fire service would like to be funded by voluntary donations and avoid being victims to arbitrary cuts in funds. it would probably be a better service for it.