- Investment to improve Barnes’ shopping scene
- One way cycling reminder
- Keeping our borough safe during the Olympics
- New powers sought to control mooring
- Dignity Action Day 2012
- Good Wood makes great art
- Would you like to run your local library?
- Improving graves at East Sheen cemetery
- Council agrees Capital Funding programme
- Outer London Funding – work still continue
- Tea and Tango in Twickenham
- Dance fever set to hit the borough
- Final reminder to reclaim wrongly issued PCNs
- Get ready to (street) party for Queen’s jubilee
- Schools grant greeted with delight by Council
- All aboard for Richmond station improvements
- Council to spend £10.4m to expand four primaries
- Uplift spotlight turns to Hampton North
- Green Flag Award hope for Crane Park
- Youth events to discuss Twickenham Youth provision
- Parents to have their say about Catholic Secondary School
- Bills cut by £80,000 in Low Carbon Zone
- Mouse droppings lead to £10k fine for baker
- Gritters ready for winter issued
- Royal Connections project call for volunteers
- New guide an essential tool to support local shops
- Green fingered grant for local charity
- Keeping Richmond warm this winter
- Mayor to celebrate Scots’ history
- Last chance to see Art in Motion exhibition at Twickenham Gallery
- Chance to get arty in Mortlake
- Call for local artists to open studios
- Did you resolve to get fit for 2012?
- Tangley is home to new family centre
- Young people asked about the future of Twickenham youth provision
- Latest move on Clifden School site
- Saved Windham Croft Centre 'back in business'
- Cracking down on Blue Badge fraud
- New Cabinet member announced
- Recycle Christmas trees
Release Date: 30/01/2012
New powers sought to control mooring
Boat owners who moor alongside the River Thames on land owned by Richmond Council could soon find themselves before the courts, now Richmond Council has started formal proceedings to discourage them from doing so.
The Council is proposing to introduce a new byelaw which would make it an offence to moor any boat on any part of the riverbank owned or managed by the local authority. Currently some boat owners regularly refuse requests by the Council to leave and reports of anti-social behaviour have been received.
Cllr Virginia Morris, Richmond Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “We’ve had problems with boats mooring without permission along the banks of the Thames on Council-owned land. The problem has persisted over several years, but it has increased recently and there are now around 15 to 25 boats usually moored on one small stretch of riverbank at any one time.
“Most of the boats effectively use the riverbanks as permanent or semi-permanent moorings without paying anything to do so which is unfair on others who pay council tax. They can also spoil views and impact upon the ambiance of the area.
“Officers have asked them to move on many times but they have refused to leave. If the new byelaw is adopted the Council will be able to commence criminal proceedings where a boat is moored in breach of the byelaw.”
Until now the Council has had only very limited powers to act against the boats, but breaching a byelaw is a criminal offence which can be prosecuted in the Magistrates' Court. The Council’s byelaw, if implemented, would make it an offence to moor any boat on any part of the riverbank owned by the local authority except in specifically designated areas, and then for no longer than 24 hours in any two day period.
In recent years, the Council and Police have both received complaints of nuisance and anti-social behaviour associated with the boats such as littering and waste, blocking and interference with the towpath, noise nuisance from those on board vessels and the use of generators, intimidation from unleashed dogs, the lighting of fires, and interference with other river users such as fishermen.
The Council is consulting on the making of such a byelaw before it is presented to the secretary of state for approval.
People can write to David Allister, Richmond Council, York Street, Twickenham TW1 3BZ or email parks@richmond.gov.uk. The closing date for comments is Friday 6 April 2012.
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