The Society’s AGM was held on 19 April 2008 at the River & Rowing Museum, Henley.
Following are extracts from the Chairman’s Report:
“Reduced funding for the Environment Agency (EA) and its implications concerned the Council during the year. We took this up with the newly-appointed Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw MP and we wrote to the EA about reported cuts in lock manning and the sale of lock keepers’ houses.
The EA’s boat licence fees increased by 12%, with similar rises in future. Combined with higher costs due to the removal of lower duty on the sale of red diesel, this could have serious implications for boat owners. This was foreshadowed in the Thames Guardian article on barges, whose owners are now paying between £1,000 and £2,000 per annum for licences.
We continued to support the Thames Traditional Boat Society’s ‘Save Our Slipways’ Campaign and supported the Port of London Authority (PLA) and Mayor of London’s efforts to protect working wharves on the tideway.
We continued to be represented on the PLA’s River User Consultative Forums, the Mayor’s London Waterways Commission, the River User Groups and the River Thames Alliance (RTA).
The RTA continued discussions on its Waterways Plan, establishing a Marketing Committee to work with tourist organisations and boat hire companies. With the Thames Heritage Trust and Leander Club money from outside the Society was found to fund bursaries for potential Olympic rowers.
The Society’s cutter ‘Thames Guardian’ was put to good use again competing in the Great River Race.
We are pleased to participate in the Thames Heritage Awards which we hope will bring more youngsters on to the river.
We will be holding a conference on flooding later in the year, looking at recent experiences and how to learn from them.
Our River Wardens continued to do sterling work, dealing with erosion problems, litter, graffiti and damaged Thames Path signs.
Amid all the problems and cutbacks there have been positive and varied developments on the Thames such as the return of little egrets, otter sightings, growth of river transport, news that the sewage interceptor tunnel is to be built, new nature reserves at Rainham and Erith and the new London Gateway Port at Shellhaven.
Tribute should be paid to our out-going Vice-President (and former MP) Nigel Spearing and we are very pleased to welcome as Vice-Presidents, David Suchet, Susan Kramer MP and Michael Shefras.”