Behind the Scenes
The GOBA committee’s most visible role is providing and maintaining moorings for members. This involves finding suitable moorings, drafting lease or purchase contracts, coordinating with landowners, setting up maintenance agreements, installing signs, and conducting regular inspections.
Other “behind the scenes” workstreams include membership records, processing payments, dealing with member queries, liaising with affiliated clubs and web and social media support – all done by committee members on a volunteer basis.
Not so visible is the work that the committee do behind the scenes in representing members interests and concerns with the Environment Agency on a whole host of issues. This includes items such as the state of the navigation, failing assets, closed EA moorings, lack of enforcement, increased registration fees to name but a few.
Last summer (2024) the GOBA committee compiled a document setting out our concerns and included proposals for the way forward. It was sent to the EA Chief Executive, leading to an invitation to meet at EA HQ in London. The EA Anglia Managers were extended an invitation to participate as well. The CE received our submission well, surprised by some issues, and agreed to follow up with his team. He also emphasized that Government funding via DEFRA is reducing which after registration income leaves the EA Anglia team with a significant shortfall to cover basic maintenance and asset renewal costs. Our submission and the results of our engagement with the EA have been detailed in a recent Newsletter distributed to all members (and posted on the GOBA website); therefore, they are not reiterated here.
One of the positive outputs from our early meetings is that GOBA have greater visibility with the EA and are now included in a number of Working Groups which allows our voice to be heard. In addition we have an early opportunity to comment on EA proposals. For instance, we contributed to the EA Plan for 2025. While not perfect it is at least a step in the right direction with regards to more openness in EA’s outputs and results and a basis for further development towards a proper Service Level Agreement.
Below is a summary of the Working Groups that GOBA currently participates in:
- National Waterways Forum (NWF) and National Waterways Advisory Group (NWAG)
- This is a National Forum chaired by the EA Board Member for Navigation
- Members include national organizations representing commercial and boat owners’ interests (e.g., RYA, IWA, British Marine). GOBA is one of just three local boating associations represented.
- Anglian Waterways Group
- An EA Anglia region forum
- Members include EA Anglia Managers and River Inspectors, Commercial Interests such as Cambridge Marine Industries and Bridge Boatyard and User groups such as GOBA.
- Liaison Meetings between GOBA and Local EA staff
GOBA have also agreed to provide a member to an EA Working Group tasked with developing an on line registration system and on line boat licence database
Our Chair Mary Pryor does a stirling job at these forums to ensure that the Gt Ouse and associated waterways have the profile they deserve at a national level.
Recent issues raised at these forums by Mary include:
- Impact of reducing registration numbers
- Lack of a more business like approach by the EA
- Need for a proper Service Level Agreement to define what we are paying for and measure performance
- Impact of SSA and use of locks as Sluices due to failing infrastructure
- Enforcement and risks associated with uninsured boats (with no BSC) on public moorings
- Closed EA 48 hour moorings
- Lack of sanitary disposal facilities, Denver still closed
- Water quality
In addition GOBA maintain liaison and contact with other organizations with shared interests such as the RYA and IWA.
We are also active members of the Great Ouse River Trust, an environmental body dedicated to protecting the Great Ouse and its tributaries, lakes, wetlands and wider catchment for the benefit of people and nature.
Finally, The EA like all navigation authorities, are working with reduced central government funding, which limits what can be accomplished. This is why GOBA are supporting the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign which is highlighting the decline of waterways throughout the country. The campaign is coming to the Gt Ouse and in July (2025) and all support will be appreciated.
