Health and safety gone mad in Canterbury!

[extremelyfedup]

Canterbury Punting Co. provide jobs for 10 local people, with tourists visiting the city for their unique river tours. However, the council recently suspended the punting licence due to a health and safety breach.
In April, an employee made an error of judgement, momentarily stepping into the shallow water (1ft deep) to give the boat a push. This was deemed a health and safety risk by council officials.
It was a one-off incident that has never before occured, and measures have been put in place to ensure it never happens again. However, the council have issued the most severe punishment, leaving 10 people jobless and the city without a popular attraction.
Please can you sign this online petition?

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/canterbury-city-council-lift-the-suspension-on-canterbury-punting-co

Do you have a link to the story or any other information apart from the petition?

Have the Health and Safety Executive been involved?

I have idly searched for information about this and can find nothing. There are minutes of a meeting which suggest that licensing wasn't even introduced for punting companies in Canterbury until at least after 201, and this was in response to the setting up of the above named company which caused a bit of a stir as there were already two companies offering punting services and there were concerns that the river would become too crowded making it dangerous for all concerned. Unless the OP can point me to more information, I am at a loss as to how this issue has even come about!

YABU. Why is this even on here? I wont sign anything with the Mail bleating 'elf and safety gorn mad' tagline.

I cant find anything online either dojo

I'm not sure a petition is the correct way to challenge a council decision, especially one which rests on an interpretation of law (or mis-application of regulations, if you suspect them of using H&S issues as a fig-leaf).

Doesn't the business have access to legal advice?

The council have not made a decision yet

www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/punt-firm-river-tours-suspended-19603/

You need Tk put this in petitions

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard

oh lord, wonder what they would think of me being shunted onto the roof at 4am in a tractor bucket the?? it is mad, they need to let things be.

Thanks for the article, sassh. It makes it sound like the company itself has launched the petition, instead of using legal means, which would be more appropriate though no doubt more expensive. For a start, they could demand an expedited investigation, as it's very true that this is high season for river touring.

we were in Canterbury Monday, and the river tours were still running?