The Floater
  • The Floater November 2018
  • The Floater October 2018
  • The Floater September 2018
  • The Floater August 2018
  • The Floater July 2018
  • The Floater June 2018
  • The Floater May 2018
  • The Floater April 2018
  • The Floater March 2018
  • The Floater February 2018
  • The Floater January 2018
  • The Floater December 2017
  • The Floater November 2017
  • The Floater October 2017
  • Floater September 2017
  • Floater August 2017
  • The Floater July 2017
  • The Floater June 2017
  • The Floater May 2017
  • The Floater April 2017
  • The Floater March 2017
  • The Floater February 2017
  • The Floater January 2017
  • Floater December 2016
  • Floater December Update
  • Floater November 2016
  • Floater October 2016
  • Floater September 2016
  • Floater August 2016
  • Floater July 2016
  • Floater June 2016
  • Floater May 2016
  • Floater April 2016
  • Floater April 2016 PAGE TWO
  • Floater March 2016
  • Floater February 2016
  • Floater January 2016
  • Most recent issues
  • Information
  • The Floater on Facebook and Twitter
  • The Floater January 2017
  • Link Page
  • The Floater January 2017

Another one bites the dust

7/12/2017

1 Comment

 
Senior Canal & River Trust managers are falling like flies, with controversial North West Waterways manager Chantelle Seaborn the latest to join the exodus from Richard Parry's top team, as Peter Underwood reports.


After just four and a half years’ in the job, Chantelle Seaborn, has decided to leave the Trust at the end of December. She joins two directors, one of them the head of boating, and two other waterway managers, Vicky Martin in the South East and Wendy Capelle in North West & Borders, who will go before Christmas. BW/C&RT stalwart. Caroline Killeavy, Head of Community Engagement & Programmes, is also leaving.


Unlike the other departees, Chantelle Seaborn will walk away from a history of confrontation and conflict. She was in charge when the ludicrous decision was made to remove the landmark lightship from Liverpool's docks, tow it to Sharpness and sell it at a massive loss.

She was responsible when £500,000 in legal costs and restitution was paid out because C&RT refused to accept liability for the sinking of Ken Churchill's boat in a Leeds and Liverpool lock and put the structure right.

She also angered many boaters with the
unwelcome and unnecessary 48-hour mooring restrictions were imposed on the working section of the Lancaster Canal without proper consultation and she has overseen the neutering of the Lancaster Canal Trust – the original restoration volunteers – who were harried and blocked from any work on the canal over a small disagreement about painting milestones.

In recent weeks her authoritarian attitude led to her banning Owd Lanky Boaters Group from working on the potential restoration of the Northern Reaches because she took issue with an innocuous press release. ​
​
The person left to pick up the pieces is Stephen Higham, Enterprise North team manager, who will be taking on the role of waterway manager in an interim capacity.  He and Chantelle have started a handover process. Stephen joined British Waterways from Wigan Councilin 2003 and his role in BW and C&RT has focused on getting external funding, most recently from the European Union.
 
The press release announcing Chantelle's departure is a curt four paragraphs and Richard Parry is not mentioned. Instead, Julie Sharman, now chief operating officer at the Trust, says: “During her time with the Trust, Chantelle has achieved many things, notably leading the award-winning celebrations to mark the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Bicentenary in 2016.  I am sorry to see her go and very much thank her for her contribution and wish her every success in the future.”
 
C&RT were asked whether Chantelle Seaborn was moving on to another job and whether they would be advertising for her replacement but failed to answer. Chantelle herself says: “Now is the right time for me to take up the next challenge of my career in the new year, however Stephen is well placed to take forward the real progress that is being made.”


One element of that 'real progress' that Stephen might choose to deal with is a demand for a public apology from C&RT from veteran canal restorer and volunteer press officer Frank Sanderson

After Chantelle Seaborn claimed one of Frank's press releases on behalf of Colin Ogden's Owd Lanky Boaters Group about the adoption of Tewitfield locks was inaccurate and untrue - withdrawing C&RT's permission for the group to work on the locks - he was incredulous.

Frank immediately challenged her, providing evidence that his release was completely accurate and demanding she withdraw. He eventualy went directly to C&RT chief executive Richard Parry, but both refused to answer his complaints.

Now he says he feels forced to go public to protect his reputation for honesty.
"I know that everything I wrote was accurate and I have the evidence to prove it. The silence of Chantelle Seaborn and Richard Parry shows that they know they are in the wrong but they don't have the courage to put the record straight, redress the damage they have done to my reputation and apologise.


“If this is how C&RT wish to operate, it is shameful, and I regret having to take this further. My press releases are completely true and accurate, and I want an apology.”

Richard Parry has not deigned to answer his letter and seems to be happy to retreat into the same silence that characterises Chantelle Seaborn when challenged.


Despite that, when Frank learned of Chantelle's departure he said: “I wish her all the best for the future.”


1 Comment
Ken Churchill
14/12/2017 18:06:03

2017 12 14 SEABORNE DEMISS from CRT

It is my hope that Chantelle Seaborne is replaced by a qualified engineer who is able to ensure our Inland Waterways are fit for purpose.

CRTs £500,000 litigation expenses at Bank Newton Lock 40 Leeds & Liverpool Canal
.
I have some sympathy with Chantelle regarding this matter. There is evidence that her superior, CRTs Ex Health & Safety Mr Vincent Moran, forced this expense by practising BW Culture; denying that Lock is defective and claiming Boaters Error. This despite the chamber wall having hidden protrusions where the wall is six inches out of vertical. Also that there were at least six CRT recorded boat hang-ups on Lock 40 chamber wall before my narrow boat hung-up and sank August 2012.

Mr Moran's retirement was timely. He would have been aware that should another Lock 40 boat hang-up occur, on his watch, and there is a loss of life this could be deemed manslaughter.

Mr Richard Parry and Chantelle Seaborne are also aware of this risk. I have written to them on this issue. Nil response.

Ken Churchill

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    December 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly