Voting opens for Canal & River Trust council elections 

Have your say – read the manifestos and cast your vote today!

Boaters and boating businesses are being called on to cast their votes for their six representatives on the Canal & River Trust’s Council as voting opens today [13 November 2015]. 

Volunteers and employees of the Trust will also be voting for one candidate to fill each of the volunteer and employee places.  A further place will be held by a Friend of the Trust, who this time round will be co-opted by the Trust’s Appointments Committee.  

Guidance and perspective

The Council is made up of 40 nominated, co-opted or elected members as well as the Chairs of 11 regional 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, helps to shape policies and provides guidance and perspective to Trustees.  

Electoral Reform Services (ERS), which is managing the process independently of the Trust, will email a unique login to everyone eligible to vote (and send a login code by post to people without email).    

Have your say!

Voters have four weeks until midnight on Friday, 11 December to login to cast their vote online at www.votebyinternet.com/CRTelections2015.  To be eligible to vote in the election, you must hold a 12-month canal or river boat licence on 14 October 2015.  

The results will be announced on Monday, 14 December and the elected candidates will take up their voluntary posts on the Council for four years starting in March 2016.

Runners and riders

The full list of candidates is:  

Boating: Eight candidates for four places on the Council

• Steven John Wickes
• Stella Ridgway
• Ruth McCabe
• Andrew Phasey
• Vaughan Welch
• Phil Prettyman
• Jim Owen
• Roger Stocker  

Business Boating:  Four candidates for two places on the Council

• Andrew Tidy
• Tracy Cornish
• Nigel Hamilton
• Ed Helps  

Volunteers:  Three candidates for one place on the Council

• Terry Johnson
• Graham Newman
• Ian McCarthy  

Employees:  Four candidates for one place on the Council

• John Ellis
• Craig O’Brien
• Sarina Young
• Tracey Jackson  

Friends:  Unfortunately none of the nominees had enough sponsors to stand in the election.  

The Appointments Committee will therefore consider co-opting a Friend onto the Council so that the growing numbers of individuals supporting the Trust have a role.  

The full list of interests represented on council is: 

• Private boating (elected and nominated)
• Boating business (elected)
• Volunteers registered with the Trust (elected)
• Friends of the Trust (co-opted)
• Employees (elected)
• Supporters such as walkers, anglers, cyclists, neighbours (nominated)
• Inland Waterways Association (nominated)
• Historic environment (nominated)
• Natural environment (nominated)
• Local government (nominated)

You can read the candidates’ manifestos at www.votebyinternet.com/CRTelections2015.   

More information about the Council and the elections can be found at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/councilelections2015