Broads bill gets a Lords grilling
THE Broads Authority remains confident that legislation it is sponsoring will soon be enacted after a grilling in a Lords committee this week.The five peers on the committee have so far spent four days hearing evidence from the authority on the need for its bill and from “petitioners” objecting to it.
THE Broads Authority remains confident that legislation it is sponsoring will soon be enacted after a grilling in a Lords committee this week.
The five peers on the committee have so far spent four days hearing evidence from the authority on the need for its bill and from “petitioners” objecting to it.
John Packman, the authority's chief executive, said he was pleased with
the way the committee proceedings had gone despite his being “thoroughly cross-examined by the petitioners and their agents”.
His optimism partly reflected decisions by some petitioners not to submit themselves to cross-examination, and by some others not to appear before the committee.
After hearing further evidence next week, the committee members are expected to decide the following week whether to reject the bill, amend it or approve it in its present form.
Most Read
- 1 Gorleston road closed for five months for new manhole and tunnel
- 2 New bus service to link Great Yarmouth with two major airports
- 3 MTV heading to Great Yarmouth for 'ultimate weekend'
- 4 Man kicked incontinent Doberman after it left mess
- 5 Holiday flats bid for seafront hotel after homes plan rejected
- 6 Man on cocktail of drugs arrested after hitting 73mph in 30mph limit
- 7 Man accused of woman's murder in Gorleston unfit to enter plea
- 8 Items from Lidl and Sainsbury's recalled over health and safety concerns
- 9 Christmas parties go ahead in Great Yarmouth as caution warned
- 10 Data shows Yarmouth among least vaccinated areas of UK
The authority says that the legislation - the Broads Authority Bill - is needed to improve safety on the Broads. It includes powers to introduce compulsory third party insurance and the licensing of hired craft.
It has made slow progress since being introduced in the Commons in January 2007, but no boating organisation now opposes it. A petition against it by the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club has been withdrawn.
Proceedings will continue on Monday with evidence against the bill from the Norfolk County Association of Parish and Town Councils.
