The new charity to be created to administer the UK’s waterways should have a completely new governance model “with localism at its core”, the waterways minister has announced.

At a conference earlier this month which considered the proposed move of the waterways into the voluntary sector, waterways minister Richard Benyon said the government’s insistence that British Waterways should become a charity was a prime example of its Big Society approach, whereby formerly state-run institutions become part of civil society.

He envisaged that there would be a funding contract for the new charity of between ten and 15 years, and the property portfolio would be transferred in order to put the new charity on a stable financial footing.

Robin Evans, chief executive of British Waterways, added that the new governance model would involve the ministerial appointment of seven trustees to oversee the transitional arrangements to the new organisation. 

Three trustees would be from the existing board to ensure continuity, but four would be completely new appointees with the relevant experience to support and guide the new charity during its formative stages.

The new trustees would be in place by April 2011.

The conference was organised by the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities.