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Walton and Frinton RNLI: Three more lifeboat volunteers quit

Stewart Oxley LifeboatsStewart Oxley
The RNLI is to swap the Walton and Frinton's larger lifeboat (far right) for the D-class boat (far left)

Three more volunteer lifeboat crew members have said they planned to retire after concerns were raised about RNLI changes to the service.

Four people stood down from the Walton and Frinton crew after manager Stewart Oxley was asked to leave by the RNLI over a conduct breach.

Mr Oxley, who had criticised a decision to introduce a smaller lifeboat to cover the area, refuted the finding.

The RNLI said it was still able to provide rescue cover in an emergency.

"Walton and Frinton RNLI remains operational, and the charity works across the coastline of the UK and Ireland to provide lifesaving cover in a way that is coordinated and resilient," it said.

"So, where a lifeboat is off service - as happens for many reasons on occasion, flanking stations would respond to emergency calls."

'Very clear'

The first four crew members stood down after an internal review found the former lifeboat operations manager, Mr Oxley, had breached the RNLI volunteers' code of conduct.

The RNLI said: "We have been very clear about the reason for an investigation at Walton and Frinton.

"This has nothing to do with opposition to our plans to move all-weather lifeboat cover to Clacton."

Stewart Oxley Stewart OxleyStewart Oxley
Stewart Oxley, a critic of the RNLI new rescue vessel, was asked to quit over a health and safety breach

The latest three crew members to quit handed resignation letters in on Friday, and cited concern over recent RNLI changes, the BBC understands.

These included plans by the RNLI to swap the station's larger all-weather boat for a smaller D-class inflatable vessel in autumn 2024.

The present lifeboat is 16m (52ft) long and can go out in any weather. It was being replaced by a five-metre (16ft) inflatable dinghy.

Previously, Ross Barraclough, RNLI head of region north and east, said the change of vessel was due to "infrastructure issues" with Walton Pier, where the current all-weather vessel is launched from.

Having a D-Class lifeboat at Walton and Frinton and an all-weather lifeboat at Clacton improved the life-saving effect for the whole stretch of coast, he said.

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