NEWS
SUBJECT TO APPROVAL
DARTMOOR COMMONERS’ COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting of the Council held at the Plume of Feathers, Princetown on Wednesday 2 June 2010.
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Present: |
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Professor I Mercer - Chairman |
Mr A Coaker |
Mr I Mortimore |
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Mr L Branfield – Vice Chairman |
Mr A H Cole |
Mr D Powell |
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Mrs M Alford |
Mr J Cooper |
Mr M Retallick |
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Mr P Abel |
Mr P French |
Mr R Savery |
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Mr R Ashford |
Mr B Lavis |
Mr T Stratton |
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Mr G Hill |
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In attendance |
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Mrs S Dodd |
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Mrs L J Heriot |
Mr R Steemson |
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1. Apologies were received from Messrs C Alford, P Cottingham, R Michelmore, J Jordan, D Webber, and Dr Bishop.
2. Confirmation of Election Results 2010
The Secretary reported that only one election had been held and this was in the South Quarter resulting in Mr Robert Savery and Mr David Powell being re-elected. In the East Quarter, Mr Layland Branfield and Mr Ivan Mortimore were returned to their seats as were Mr Crispin Alford and Mr Michael Reddaway for the North Quarter and Mrs Mary Alford and Mr Philip Abel for the West Quarter. A new Council member, Mr Len Jones, has been elected to represent those commoners grazing less than ten livestock units in the West Quarter and will take his place on the Council at the Annual Meeting on 4 August.
3. Confirmation of Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2010 were confirmed and signed.
4. Matters arising
4.1 Mires Project – Council’s Relationship
Council received a paper setting out the situation as at June 2010 to ensure that all members, especially those remote from blanket bog were upto date. Council subjected its content to a lengthy discussion in Council. Council accepted that commoners are affected very variably by work so far. Some have lost grazing area and both stock and stockmen’s movements are adversely affected on Blackbrook – one of the two pilot sites for the project. A large majority is not affected, and those without blanket bog on their common or within their lears will never be. Nevertheless Council has a duty to represent those graziers affected already, those ‘at risk’, and current non-graziers whose ability to graze may be prejudiced in the future.
Council was made aware of the reluctance of the Forest Commoners’ Association (FCA) to take any action (or support action) at this time, which might prejudice future agreements concerning all aspects of management of the common, its assets and its stocking, especially their financial implications. (The whole project is contained within the Forest.)
Council has two seats on the Project’s Advisory board; it is offered a seat on the Management board (either co-opted, with no strings, or a full voting partnership with responsibilities, liabilities and financial contribution). The FCA has a separate seat on the Advisory Board and is a member of each Site Working Group. (Diagram and Advice attached to filed minute)
It was agreed:
a. that, given the weight of legal advice obtained by other parties (including the Open Spaces Society) about the Projects’ works’ relationship with the 2006 Commons Act, no action should be taken about ‘works on common land’ at this time, and that close touch should be kept with the FCA as the project progresses
b. that, nevertheless, the continuing effect of the works on grazing area and inhibition of movement of stock and commoners tending stock should be monitored and the potential to challenge that maintained (the FCA to be made aware of this reservation)
c. that, to protect Council’s independence and ability to challenge any matter and defend any commoner in the immediate and the distant future, yet influence and monitor the project, the offer of co-option to the Management board (rather than full membership) should be accepted
d. that existing members of the Advisory Board should recommend a member for the management board, and that Council should seek the right to have named substitutes for all three seats to ensure cover. Appointments should be made formally at the Annual Meeting on 4 August 2010.
4.2 Commons Research into Low Intensity Farming – Report on Foundation Visit to Northern Spain
Mrs Alford gave an account of her recent visit to Northern Spain. A copy of Mrs Alford’s report was given to all Members. She said it had been a great and interesting opportunity and thanked the Foundation for allowing her to go. She had looked at the visit purely from a farmers’ point of view on how the commons are grazed. She said there is serious abandonment of the commons: Spain has the largest area of commons in Europe and has similarities to Dartmoor. Mr Waldon would be writing an account of the visit and the Foundation would be compiling a more detailed report, which the Council will receive in due course.
4.3 Headland Warren Deregistration of Common
The Chairman said a complaint had been received from a commoner concerning the enclosure of common and the proposed deregistration of it at Headland Warren. Mr Stratton gave Members the background information concerning the issue. Headland Warren is a Duchy leasehold property and the last tenant had entered an ESA agreement and some areas of land included was registered common. The issue arose as a result of the North Bovey commoners wishing to go into an HLS agreement. The matter is now under discussion with Natural England and the Duchy is collating evidence to substantiate whether the fields under agreement were enclosed prior to the 1965 Commons Act with a view to deregistering that land under the 2006 Act.
It was agreed to wait for further clarification from the Duchy. Mr Stratton would write a letter to Council and arrange a site meeting.
5. Matters brought forward at the direction of the Chairman
5.1 Original Mountain Marathon
The Chairman said he had received a set of maps of the commons involved in the Original Mountain Marathon. The event will take place at the end of October and the organiser had asked who should be consulted. The contact lists of all Local Commoners’ Association secretaries have been sent to the organiser who would circulate the information to them. It is expected that there will be a large number of participants. The Chairman recommended that Council Members should alert associations within their quarters informing them that they will be receiving the maps and information. He said it was important to react if associations foresaw any problems or demanded a variation to the route where it was considered necessary.
The Council recommended that Mrs Ally Kohler should reinforce the concerns of Council to the organisers of the event.
5.2 Mr Michelmore’s – Resignation
The Chairman said that Mr Michelmore had decided to resign from Council. He said Mr Michelmore had been a member of the Council since 1986 and, in the Council’s early days, he had provided a lot of very valuable advice especially about the owners’ situation. The Chairman, on behalf of Members, thanked him for his long service to the Commoners' Council. The Dartmoor National Park Authority is responsible for the appointment of two members to represent the interests of owners on the Council.
5.3 Mrs Jane Cole – Resignation
The Chairman said that Mrs Jane Cole, the Livestock Protection Ranger, had decided to resign her post. She felt she had been fighting a battle on her own and claimed she was not being supported by all quarters, police, farmers and the Dartmoor National Park Authority. He said she had been very valuable in what she had achieved and it was a matter of regret that she was leaving. It was agreed that a meeting with all parties (including Jane) be arranged to discuss the matter.
5.4 Fly Fishing on Plasterdown
Mrs Alford said she had received complaints that Plasterdown, which is heavily used for recreational purposes, is being used for fly-fishing casting. The tents are set up on the common and casting is practised: this is dangerous for stock and people considering the length of the line controlled by heavy lead weights. It was agreed to ask the Dartmoor National Park Authority to establish whether the most appropriate byelaw could deal with this problem.
6. Moor Skills – Contribution for 2010/11
Council had agreed in principle to make a contribution of £2,500 for 2010/11 to Moor Skills and will confirm the figure at the Annual Meeting. Mrs Dodd updated Members on the Moor Skills project and said a new intake had started in September 2009 with three new apprentices. Five apprentices from the last intake are continuing but three will finish in August: these five are studying for the higher NVQ level. There are now nine farmers involved in the scheme, but Moor Skills would like more farmers to participate this September. She said the scheme could only take as many apprentices as there were farmers. There will be an open meeting for interested farmers on 29 June at the Plume of Feathers, Princetown.
Mrs Dodd said she was in the process of compiling a contact list of the ex-apprentices with their skills, which will be made available to all farmers with the aim of filling the labour shortage on the farms.
Mrs Dodd had circulated the Moorskills Newsletter to Members: Mrs Patricia Hopwood from Yelverton is now the new administrator. Moorskills had undergone an Ofsted inspection because of its ties with the Duchy College and had received a good verbal report.
The Chairman thanked Mrs Dodd for her update and congratulated her on the success of Moorskills.
7. Local Commoners Association Meeting – 12 May 2010
The Chairman reported that the Local Commoners Association Meeting at the Postbridge Village Hall held on 12 May 2010 was well attended and two significant points were raised and now brought to Council’s attention.
7.1 Challenge to Defra on Use of 1965 Register for Stewardship Schemes
Some Local Commoners’ Associations wished to challenge Defra on the use of the 1965 Register and the Chairman asked Members if they wished to support the challenge. It was agreed that if enough associations wrote to Defra about their concerns, Council would write in support of them.
7.2 Challenge from Associations regarding RPA Figures
Local Commoners’ Associations had no confidence in the RPA calculations and, again if enough associations write and protest, then Council would write in support of them. In both cases Council would be offering the Dartmoor Register as a more accurate base to work from.
The Chairman said that before a letter goes from the Council it was important to find out if associations had actually written to Defra and the RPA. He said it would only be the weight of letters that would have any impact. It was agreed that a letter be sent to the Local Commoners’ Associations reminding them of the decision and asking them to keep Council informed.
7.3 Mapping of Commons
Mr Retallick raised the difficulties that some associations were experiencing with the mapping of the commons for agri-environmental schemes. In discussion it emerged that the problem was widespread. The Chairman suggested that perhaps it might be taken to a political level. Mr Stratton said he would write a letter in support of Council
8. Venford Reservoir Cattle Grid
Mr Powell said that over many years silt had accumulated in the grid. Animals can now walk across the cattle grid into the Venford Reservoir enclosure below the dam: the latest incident was of a mare and foal getting into the enclosure and the foal could not escape because of the undergrowth. He said it needed remedial treatment by South West Water. The Parish Council and Holne Commoners had written letters to the South West Water. Mr Powell asked if the Council could write a letter in support: this was agreed by all Members present.
9. 25th Anniversary Celebration
Members suggested that celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first meeting of the Dartmoor Commoners' Council (August 2011) should be more significant to them than that of the Act itself in October 2010, which might be a simple formal occasion.
10. Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be the Annual Meeting on Wednesday 4 August 2010 at the Two Bridges Hotel, Princetown at 7.30 p.m.
Signed:………………………………….
Date:……………………………………
