BW? We don't want your charity, thank you.

Linked-to in the latest IWA Head Office Bulletin is Monday evening's West Midlands Inside Out TV programme which features interviews with Tom Rolt's widow Sonia, Vic Smallshire of the Dudley Canals Trust, and Robin Evans, Chief Executive of BW. (Why does BW always seem to invite ridicule? Here is its boss, dressed in a totally out-of-place suit and tie, stepping over puddles on the towpath.)

Mr. Evans restates his intention to get charitable status for BW. Why do I feel uncomfortable with this? I think it's partly because charities should be for helping those unable to help themselves. There should be plenty of money sloshing around for the upkeep of the waterways without the suggestion that people should have to put their hand in their pocket to donate to the cause. Will there soon be BW charity shops in the high street?

Developers love building next to waterways, and people love living there. The government should capitalise on this - while this state of affairs exists - and recover a "waterside premium" from the developers' profits. Councils through whose land passes a river or canal recognise its contribution to the local economy in terms of tourism and jobs. It's time they put something back. How about half to maintain their local waterway and half to central BW coffers for restoration or major repairs? But how do you determine how much the waterway is worth to the economy? I don't know the answer. Anyone?

I'm not sure if the programme linked to above will stay on the iPlayer beyond next Monday 8th March, so take a look now. The canals bit is about 7 minutes long, from about 22 minutes in.