Emmeline Pankhurst would be turning in her grave if she knew
how little I had exercised my right to vote in this life. When I started living
on a narrowboat I was young and care-free, and it was easy to assume that all of
the political parties were as bad as each other. I was an art college graduate
with messy hair and hippy clothes and if I did
vote, I mused whimsically, perhaps I’d vote for the Green party. It also seemed
to me, that living on a boat without a permanent address made it very difficult
to register to vote. It was only as I matured, like a fine wine (or a smelly
cheese) that I made time to look into this properly. By filling out a simple
form called A Declaration of Local Connection any person of no fixed abode can
actually be registered on the electoral role.
So, with the imminent inauguration of the Canal and Rivers
Trust it was quite new to me to be invited to express a preference in an
election that will have a significant impact on my way of life. I have no idea
why when boaters bring in about 20 per cent of British Waterway’s annual income*,
that they are only allocated four elected council positions. There were 33
candidates standing for election to represent private boaters and I was struck
by the passion for and dedication to the waterways that each of their
statements displayed. Many of the candidates already do notable voluntary work,
being members of associations, restoration projects, committees, societies and
charities. At first I was drawn to the candidates that I feel I ‘know’ through
my work life, or through their on line presence. But after taking the time to
read all of the statements carefully, I found it more and more difficult to make
a decision.
I was impressed by
the extensive boating experience held by all of the candidates, their previous achievements
and their proposals for the future. I liked it when two candidates specified
that the waterways are for boats. I
felt an affinity with Ian Robert Harrison when he wrote “I lived aboard with my
young family for three years”, because I too have a young family aboard. I thought that it was interesting when Frank
Kelly pointed out that the DEFRA consultation did not reflect that the
waterways “now support a large population of people dependent on boats as
homes”.
For me personally, selecting someone with an understanding
of the needs of the live aboard boater was a must, but that person must also be
willing to fairly represent boaters of all types with differing ideas of what
is important. “Categorising boaters into particular groupings is unhelpful and
divisive,” said Alan Fincher’s statement.
The election closed on Friday at noon. I cast my vote on line and came away from
this experience with the utmost respect for all of these people dedicated to
spending so much of their time in improving the experience of the waterways for
all boaters.
What would be important to you in such an election? If you
are not already a boat owner hotel boats are a wonderful way to explore the
English canals and rivers.
*Source: Liveaboard Forum
For the month of March this blog will be featuring these sponsored posts, while I get on top of my various work committments. I plan to include more tales about the real life of a narrowboat wife in April. If you would like to contribute a personal story about living aboard I am happy to accept guest posts.
Peggy
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