RNLI lifeboat charges

romperstomper

romperstomper

romperstomper

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RNLI and new Ofcom charges


The background: (From the Telegraph..)

LIFEBOAT crews fear being scuppered by crippling new charges for using their radios from Ofcom, the communications regulator. The RNLI could see the price of using its VHF emergency frequencies rise to £250,000 under plans to charge the full commercial rate.

The charity, which saves hundreds of lives every year currently pays an annual £48,000 at a discounted rate of 50 per cent. It relies on donations and fears the move will have a disastrous impact on fundraising. Peter Bradley, RNLI operations staff officer, said: 'It's a lot of money when you think in terms of lifeboat days and little old ladies collecting pound coins.'

'We could buy several inshore lifeboats for the same amount.'

'The Government rely on us to provide this search-and-rescue service, at a cost of £124 million a year, but they want to charge us for doing it!'

Ofcom has set out plans to bring 'market forces' into maritime and civil aviation communications in a policy it calls Administered Incentive Pricing.

£250,000 represents an awful lot of charity collections, even more so in the current economic climate so, if like me you feel strongly enough about this, please sign the petition below.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/RNLI-RF-licences/

Please forward to anyone you think might help by signing the petition.
 
Signed, shocking behaviour from OfCom.

The RNLI do amazing work and certainly do not deserve such shoddy treatment.
 
I've signed it too, and sent it to a few other people. This country is fast becoming an absolute joke, cant wait to leave it!
 
Why does the government not run the RNLI? Or at least put some more money into it, since it seems ridiculous that we have to rely on a charity to provide an essential national service. The same goes for the air ambulances throughout the country.
 
jr1104 said:
Why does the government not run the RNLI? Or at least put some more money into it, since it seems ridiculous that we have to rely on a charity to provide an essential national service. The same goes for the air ambulances throughout the country.
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Because they are much more efficient and better run as charities than the state could ever manage?
 
True, but the government should still step in and use it's authority to help in situations like this. I expect some sort of deal will be struck between Ofcom and the RNLI, but it would be so much easier, and less of a waste of donations, if it was just sorted from the beginning.
 
As someone who's done a lot of sailing in my time I find that truly shocking. They do a fantastic service and they shouldn't have to pay Anything for the radio use!
 
Dolph said:
The RNLI do amazing work and certainly do not deserve such shoddy treatment.
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Frankly I am shocked and appalled that the RNLI is purely charity funded and staffed entirely by volunteers. They should receive government money because there service is absolutely essential.
 
[TW]Fox;12782274 said:
Frankly I am shocked and appalled that the RNLI is purely charity funded and staffed entirely by volunteers. They should receive government money because there service is absolutely essential.
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Government money always comes with catches or caveats. My godfather was a lifeboatman in Scarborough from the 60's up until his death in the late 90's (not active for the last parts obviously, but still went down every day), and there is a good reason why it's run the way it is, and unless the government money was absolutely catch and influence free, I can see no way it would improve the service, in fact it would probably do more harm than good from the volunteer side...
 
It just seems such a shame that a bunch of probably the most dedicated, brave and frankly awesome people in this country struggle for funding.
 
[TW]Fox;12782308 said:
It just seems such a shame that a bunch of probably the most dedicated, brave and frankly awesome people in this country struggle for funding.
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I agree, but government funding wouldn't alter that situation at all, if anything it would probably make it worse. The best support the government could give is in things like these radio licences and making them free, same with taxes on the buildings etc.
 
Signed. What a total bunch of tossers. They of course will never need lifeguards because I'm guessing they have big enough boats that are less likely to sink.
 
I really don't get this, surely it should be free for them? It's not like they're hard to control or rogue. What next, charging police each time they use their handcuffs?
 
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