CRC have consistently highlighted the important linkages between post offices and the survival of accompanying village shops. Post offices combined with village shops provide important services for local communities, particularly for vulnerable groups who are more reliant on them for their needs. Research has shown that where a post office is closed, an attached village shop struggles to survive and is often forced to close as well. The post office acts as a draw for customers, generates footfall and sustains the village shop business. Some councils have developed initiatives to help support village shops and post offices, and to retain services. These are listed at the link below.

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18 November 2008
© Commission for Rural Communities

The CLA has today (Tuesday, 18 November) welcomed the Countryside Survey’s recognition of the benefits Environmental Stewardship is giving the countryside. CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: “Take up of Environmental Stewardship Schemes in the last 10 years has shown significant improvements in management of land for the environment. “For example, the survey says there has been a fall of more than nine percent of arable land area which has led to a plant species richness increase of 30 percent. Part of this is due to the arable reversion option Countryside Stewardship.” The survey indicates an increase of nearly seven percent in the area of broadleaved woodland in the last decade, due in part, to land managers planting projects. The CLA President added: “Nearly half of all ‘managed’ hedges are now classified as being in good structural condition – again because of Environmental Stewardship Schemes.

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18 November 2008
© CLA

The CLA has today (Tuesday, 18 November) called upon the Chancellor to suspend the recently introduced changes to the rating of empty premises. Under the changes, after three months, a landlord is required to pay the full rates even when the property is empty. CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: “It is extremely unfortunate that the changes were introduced without any assessment of the potential impact on the rural economy. As a result it is now impossible for the Chancellor to know what effect they are likely to have. And with the economy in the state it is, now is not the time to be experimenting with rural landowners’ livelihoods in this way.  The changes must be suspended until the economy picks up.” CLA members’ are concerned that they will be left having to pay rates on buildings with there being no realistic chance of tenants being found in the foreseeable future.  The CLA President added: “We didn’t think the Government’s policy sounded very sensible when it was first announced.  In our experience, a rural landlord can have perfectly good commercial reasons for not wanting to let a particular property. 

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18 November 2008
© CLA

The November European Agriculture and Fisheries Council gets underway in Brussels today. It is set to discuss the Cod Recovery Plan as well as the crucial EU-Norway fisheries negotiations, before turning to the Common Agriculture Policy Health Check on Wednesday and Thursday. Ahead of talks on a new Cod Recovery Plan, Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “Scotland has the greatest stake in the outcome on the negotiations over the future of cod stocks. It is absolutely vital that any new plan recognises the trail blazing success delivered by Scots fishermen over the past year and rewards their efforts. Cod stocks are going in the right direction thanks to the sacrifices and commitment from our fleet.
We are seeking an outcome that allows our fishermen to land more of what they catch rather than having to dump it overboard, but at the same time promotes measures that reduce the amount of stock taken from the sea in the first place. A “land more, catch less” approach is essential. It is also important that any measures agreed for cod do not have unintended consequences for other stocks given that the North Sea is a mixed fishery. We will be pressing Europe to avoid viewing substantial cuts in days at sea for the fleet as some kind of easy solution when in actual fact it would inflict unjustified economic damage on our fleet and onshore sector as well. As Scotland has shown this year, there are much better ways of safeguarding stocks.”

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18 November 2008
© Scottish Government

The CLA today (Friday, 14 November) fully supports a statement released by Sir Don Curry on County Farms. The statement outlines that County Farms are as crucial to the rural economy today as they were 100 years ago, and provides recommendations for local authorities. CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: “The CLA supports the sustainable management of ‘County Farms’ estates. At a time of great volatility for farming businesses, it is more important than ever that a range of different routes into farming is maintained as the pressure grows to produce more food and to do so more sustainably. “We are particularly encouraged by Sir Don’s belief that local authorities need to make a greater effort to develop the wider benefits that their land could provide such as renewable energy, public access, education, employment and local food. All are areas in which the CLA lobbies for the strength of the rural economy.”

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17 November 2008
© CLA

What is Landshare? With allotment waiting lists massively over-subscribed and people right across the country keener than ever to grow their own fruit and veg, the aim for Landshare, launched by River Cottage, is to become a UK wide initiative to make British land more productive and fresh local produce more accessible to all. But all of this depends on people registering their interest now. Sign up to help River Cottage build the momentum they need to launch this exciting project in early 2009. In the meantime, via monthly updates, you’ll get the chance to help shape the initiative and make sure you’re amongst the first to have the opportunity to be involved.

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12 November 2008
© River Cottage

Wildlife Minister Huw Irranca-Davies today called for renewed action on farmland birds, as new statistics show a decline in farmland bird populations while overall wild bird populations remain stable. Today’s statistics show that between 1970 and 2007 wild bird numbers have remained broadly stable. However, between 2005 and 2007 farmland bird numbers fell to their lowest recorded level, following a stabilisation in their numbers between 1999 and 2004. Key findings of the Wild Bird Populations 2007 Report include: Breeding farmland bird numbers (in England) are 52 per cent lower than 1966 levels (the base year). There was a sustained decrease between the mid-1970s and the mid-1990s due to changes in agricultural practice, including the loss of over-winter stubbles, the loss of mixed farming, increased use of agro-chemicals, and the loss of field margins and hedges. Numbers stabilised between 1999 and 2003, and have since fallen.  Farmland bird numbers are directly related to the availability of winter and summer food and nesting habitat. Woodland bird numbers (England and UK) are currently stable after declines in the 1980s and early 1990s.  Woodland bird numbers are affected by factors including changes in woodland structure, deer grazing and nest predators. Water and wetland breeding bird numbers across the UK number they are six per cent lower than the 1975 level.  Bird populations are affected by changes in the weather and climate. Seabird numbers (UK) are 31per cent higher than in 1970, but have shown a slight  decrease in recent years.

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3 November 2008
© Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (National

More areas around the country will benefit from help to tackle harmful water pollution, Environment Minister Jane Kennedy announced today. The England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative aims to help farmers to reduce diffuse water pollution from agricultural land through a range of advice and incentives. The Initiative will expand its coverage from this month (October) with new target areas, including extensions of existing priority catchments and 10 new priority areas. Environment Minister Jane Kennedy said: “Taking care of our waterways through responsible farming practices isn’t just good for the natural environment – it is vital for the future of a sustainable, healthy farming industry. By extending the areas covered by this programme, we’ll be helping even more farmers and land managers to deal with local problems to improve the health of the entire catchment.”

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30 October 2008
© Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (National)

A national package of advice and support for farmers preparing for the new Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations has been launched by Defra. The regulations come into force on 1 January 2009 and update the UK’s implementation of the 1991 EU Nitrates Directive. Around 60 per cent of nitrate pollution in water is caused by agriculture, and it is vital that this is tackled to protect and sustain the quality of the UK’s drinking water. Farmers with land located in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) will receive a letter within the next few days about how the new rules will affect them. As NVZs now cover almost 70 per cent of England, farmers who do not receive this letter should find out if they are in an NVZ using the detailed maps available on the Defra website.

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15 October 2008
© Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (National)

Speech given by Stuart Burgess, the Chair of the Commission for Rural Communities and the Government’s Rural Advocate, to the North West Rural Affairs Forum’s Uplands Conference, 9 October 2008. Download page: www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/publications/list/sESID/6/

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8 October 2008
© NewStart