Nominations open for election to Canal & River Trust Council 

This year’s elections will decide four posts - including those representing the interests of private boaters and boating businesses

Nominations are now open for election to the Canal & River Trust’s governing Council, with those wishing to stand having until 14 October to either nominate themselves or register their support for someone else’s nomination.  

Boating interests

This year’s elections will decide four posts representing the interests of private boaters, two representing boating businesses, a post representing the Trust’s staff, and for the first time, elected posts for volunteers and people who make a regular donation to the Trust.

Council members take up their four-year voluntary post from March 2016.  The Trust’s election process is being run independently by Electoral Reform Services (ERS) who are providing a dedicated website for the elections.

Those eligible to stand or vote will have received an email from ERS (onlinevoting@electoralreform.co.uk) on 11 September with their own unique link to login to the website allowing them to complete their nomination form or to sponsor someone else’s nomination. Postal letters with login details should arrive by Friday ,18 September but only to people who could not provide an email.  

To support their nomination candidates will need at least 5 people (or 10 from the private boating constituency) to sponsor them online on the ERS website.  The site lists candidates who still require sponsors.  

Have your say

Nominations close at 23:59 on Wednesday 14 October, with a full list of those running published on 23 October. Voting online opens on 13 November 2015 for four weeks. Everything you need to know about the Council, the election process and advice to prospective candidates is at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/councilelections2015 

Lynne Berry, chair of the Canal & River Trust’s Appointments Committee, said: “We are keen for a range of nominees to stand and would encourage anyone interested in contributing to the Council to get involved. There are so many ways to get involved with the Trust, but these roles will give a unique chance to make a direct contribution to the running of the Trust.

"Nominees have a few processes to go through before they are confirmed as standing, these should be quite straight forward, but I’d encourage anyone interested to get started as soon as they can.”  

Shaping waterways policy

The Canal & River Trust is the guardian of 2,000 miles of historic waterways across England and Wales, caring for the nation’s third largest collection of listed structures, as well as museums, archives, and hundreds of important wildlife sites. 

The Council is made up of up to 40 nominated, elected or co-opted members as well as the chairs of the waterway partnerships. Together they reflect the wide appeal of the waterways – from boating and angling through to walking and conservation. The Council is responsible for the appointment of Trustees and helps to shape policy by providing guidance and perspective.  

The Trust believes that living waterways transform places and enrich lives and its role is to make sure there is always a place on your doorstep where you can escape the pressures of everyday life, stretch your legs and simply feel closer to nature.