The Boat Safety Scheme became a public safety initive run as a not-for-profit company on 1 April 2024.
As a company limited by guarantee, Boat Safety Scheme Limited has been incorporated to take on the work of the existing Scheme.
There is more information on the change to Boat Safety Scheme Limited, on this page [LINK]
The Governance Framework of Boat Safety Scheme Limited is set out below
The new Memorandum of Understanding sets out high level basis of co-operation between the parties in the context of the respective statutory boat licensing frameworks and the role of BSS Limited in the delivery of BSS examinations and certification to boat licence customers. [LINK]
The Standards Setting Forum Terms of Reference explain how the three navigation authorities’ (the Canal & River Trust, the Environment Agency and the Broads Authority) representative members will meet periodically to agree (and keep under review) on behalf of their respective navigation authorities, the Standards (informed by recommendations from BSS Limited and published on the BSS website as amended from time-to time), as well as hearing any statutory appeals against the Standards. It also details the standing invitees to the Forum, which include a representative from AINA, the chairs of the BSS Technical Forum and BSS Advisory Forum – as well as user, BSS examiner and marine trade representatives.
Boat Safety Scheme Limited (a newly incorporated, non-for-profit, company limited by guarantee) has three appointed directors (two Trust appointed directors and one independent director) who oversee (via the BSS General Manager and other colleagues, resourced under the Scheme's Service Level Agreement with the Canal & River Trust) the operation and delivery of the training and accreditation of BSS Examiners and the carrying out of BSS Examinations and issue of BSS Certifications in accordance with the BSS risk management and quality assurance framework.
BSS Limited will receive advice and recommendations on technical matters from the BSS Technical Forum and on matters of stakeholder concern from the BSS Advisory Forum.
The BSS Technical Forum will continue to consider technical issues raised by BSS examiners and customers as to the BSS Standards and their application and make recommendations to the BSS directors in this respect.
Any recommendations will be picked up by BSS directors at their monthly board meeting and will be reported through to the Standards Setting Forum. This does not affect rights of appeal under the statutory framework.
The BSS Advisory Forum will continue to receive and discuss any (non-technical) stakeholder concerns relating to the operation and delivery of the BSS, which will also be picked up by BSS directors at their monthly board meeting and will be reported through to the Standards Setting Forum – alongside any complaints received relating to the BSS from other sources.
BSS Office: BSS Office staff act in the role of a secretariat to the BSS board and fora and it provides operational, policy and technical reports.
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Archives of the of the former governance arrangements can be read on the following links