How not to spend our money
Dear BW
I share your concern at the continual reduction in your grant in aid and understand your misguided attempts to rectify the current account by selling off all the land and property you own to satisfy the demands of the cappuccino culture which values appearance so much more that function.
I agree that the disaster on the Mon & Brec was not totally due to the lack of maintenance - you were not to know that it might rain in Wales: I also think it reprehensible that DEFRA should seek to recover from their inept handling of the Farm Payments Scheme by cutting your grant.
BUT WHY ? WHY/ WHY? are you spending £500,000 on an electronic survey of the fish in the Tees esturary? What has it to do with the Inland Waterways? How will it benefit any waterway user - boater, angler, cyclist,or walker - to know what the fish of Stockton get up to?
On a lesser matter, I am very pleased to see how many lock bollards have been painted and how many nice seats are being provided for people to sit on to watch the boaters injuring themselves on unmaintained lock gear. Are you trying to compete with formula one racing where it is estimated that a large proportion of the supporters are just waiting for an accident to happen?
I must apologise for not sharing your idea of spending priorities or financial management but I am a mere customer and you are the great BW.