Battle for lock keepers' cottages

By Tom Warren
BBC News, in Cookham

Houses like this could be worth about £400,000, it is claimed

Campaigners fighting plans to sell-off lock keepers' cottages on the River Thames claim safety could be seriously jeopardised.

The Environment Agency has proposed moving lock keepers out of their riverside homes in a cost-saving move, but has put the plans on hold until a review is finished.

Built on an idyllic island in the Thames, Cookham lock keeper's cottage is the kind of property many people dream of living in.

Sitting alongside a beautiful stretch of the river, the Berkshire house is home to Adam Benge and his family.

Mr Benge, 49, has been Cookham's lock keeper for 15 years, ensuring thousands of boats have safe passage through the lock system every year.

But the cottage is one of the 22 at the centre of the battle between the Environment Agency and lock keepers' families.

We're not going to give an inch with this, because they have not considered the safety Kim Benge, lock keeper's wife

The agency has proposed selling 10 and privately renting a further 12 as a cost-cutting measure.

But the plan attracted strong criticism from campaigners, MPs and councillors.

Kim Benge, 46, Adam's wife and a member of the Save Our Service campaign, said she would continue fighting until the plan was dropped completely.

"[The Environment Agency] has said it won't make any difference to this stretch of river, that safety will stay the same and maintenance will stay the same - it just can't be true," she said.

The Benges have lived at Cookham lock for 14 years

"We're not going to give an inch with this, because they have not considered the safety."

Under the agency's proposals, lock keepers would have to move to different accommodation further away from the river.

Sixteen of their posts would also be lost, with temporary staff taken on over busy summer periods to help the remaining lock keepers.

Low wages

Mrs Benge said these measures could put boats in jeopardy, particularly during the evening.

"It takes years to get to know the locks... [The agency] would increase the staff in summer to let the boat traffic through, but they don't know the job."

She said lock keepers earned low wages and that the prospect of free accommodation was a key reason why people remained in their posts.

"My husband's wage now is £17,000 a year. And he has received a 20-year service award.

"It's a total public service. The Environment Agency says there isn't as much traffic in the winter, therefore the lock keepers are not needed as much.

The river at Cookham attracts thousands of tourists every year

"But they switch to maintenance in the winter. You physically have to get in the water and paint the lock gates and maintain the pedestals that house the electrics."

Mrs Benge, who has two children with her husband, has a full-time job as a florist to supplement his income.

She said the 10 properties the Environment Agency wanted to sell were worth on average £400,000.

Cookham is one of the 12 which could be rented out.

But she believes the Environment Agency are not taking a long-term view.

Flood risk

"I just think to myself they are being very short-sighted in understanding what a lock keeper does.

"Reports from two years ago said the lock keepers were essential."

She said by being on site lock keepers could quickly adjust locks following heavy rain to minimise the risk of flooding.

They are also on hand if boats get into trouble during the evenings.

"So may things have happened to show them [The agency] that things happen out of hours.

More than 200 boats a day can pass through the locks in Cookham during summer

"There have been lock keepers on the river for 200 years. When they're not here to do their job, of course it's going to flood."

The Environment Agency said following a meeting with MPs, the plans were on hold until a review was finished.

Reading MP Martin Salter has described the plan as a "fundamental mistake".

"No action will be taken to sell or rent lock houses until these negotiations on the full review are completed," the Environment Agency said.

"We anticipate that this will take six months, but this guarantee will continue until all negotiations are completed or 1 January 2009, whichever is latest.

"We will then review the position on lock houses with lock keepers and their representatives and with the MPs group."