Local benefits in legislation (From Gazette & Herald)

Local benefits in legislation

4:48pm Wednesday 23rd November 2011 in Farming comment By James Stephenson

FEELING sorry for council officials is not an emotion to be experienced lightly, but with the passing of the Localism Act last week, comes bedtime reading of 497 pages preceded by 103 pages of explanatory notes.

It is a wide-ranging piece of legislation covering local authority administration and governance, planning and development. Woven into its 240-odd sections is the thread of greater community involvement.

I have picked out below a few items that interest me and, perhaps, also yourselves:

• Assets of community value – local authorities must now keep and publish a register of assets which are of “community value” and nominations can be made by a community group.

Briefly, this means that any property on the asset register cannot be sold or let on a long lease without first notifying the council.

The impact of the proposals is therefore to cause a delay which will allow community groups to gather their forces in order to bid for the property in the open market.

It will be interesting to see how this part of the act is perceived and used within Ryedale, and more particularly, Malton, where one can think of several assets of community value that could be controversial.

The Milton Rooms and Malton Museum spring to mind, but what about Wentworth Street car park, or even the cattle market? Now there’s a thought.

• Neighbourhood planning – any “qualifying body” which can be a parish council or an authorised “neighbourhood forum”, can require the planning authority to make a neighbourhood development order (NDO).

The NDO can have the effect of granting planning consent for a specified development and furthermore it may grant consent conditionally or unconditionally.

There is provision for village communities to get together and produce neighbourhood plans of which the council is bound to take notice for any future planning applications.

What isn’t clear is what powers these qualifying bodies will have in opposing development, rather than promoting it.

• The community infrastructure levy – the principle of local authorities being able to charge a community infrastructure levy is confirmed with some amendments made to the approval process.

Viewed from the other side of the property fence, this is yet another knock-off which landowners have to take into account if they want to consider selling for development.

In today’s world, there are so many deductions demanded by the planning authority such as contributions towards highways, education and local services, which do not encourage landowners to offer their pension nest egg to the market.

• Pre-application consultation – planning authorities may now require applicants with locally controversial schemes. such as those for wind turbines to engage fully with the community prior to a planning application being made.

• Abolition of home information packs – these were suspended in May 2010, but have now been finally abolished as they were just a waste of money.

Benefit of silage analysis

NEXT on your varied diet in this column is to consider the quality of your silage, as there will be a lot of feeders of forage in Ryedale, both dairy and beef.

I have read an article pointing out that this year has especially seen a huge range in silage quality dictated by the erratic weather conditions. It is not only dry matter, but also energy density that will dictate feed requirements and these are not calculations that can be guessed.

A silage analysis is a quick and effective way to get the most of your winter cattle diet. As one feed specialist points out: “Cattle will be prepared to eat more silage if it is reasonably dry and this higher intake reduces concentrates”.

On the other hand, wet silage can be balanced by putting wheat straw into the diet, or, strangely enough, molasses will also increase the dry matter. If you want to make the most of your silage, get analysed.

High-speed broadband

ALTHOUGH I lay no claims to understanding the technology, it is frustrating to sit in front of the computer screen waiting for things to happen at paint-drying speed.

However, all this has changed for Newton-on-Rawcliffe and Stape; and may change for you in the coming months. Newton and Stape, led by pioneering local broadband champion, Billy Garrett, have already got their high-speed network under a community-funded scheme being offered by North Yorkshire County Council and Ryedale District Council.

My group of villages had a meeting at Sand Hutton Village Hall and, with support from more than a 100 potential users, we are lining up to get some sponsorship for the new technology.

In very simple terms, you need a high-capacity connecting aerial on top of a tall public building which will then distribute the broadband connection to transmitter receivers on individual houses.

Similar schemes in the county are costing £10 to £25 per month to support and look value for money. If you want to enquire further, get hold of Ryedale District Council and Jos Holmes.

Market report: FORWARD 95 cattle including 24 bulls and 21 OTMs 1,063 sheep, including 321 ewes, light steers to 173p, A L Bosomworth, Thornton-le-Dale, medium steers to 220p, A L Bosomworth, Thornton-le-Dale, ave 196.04p; heavy steers to 215.5p, D W Mook, Sheriff Hutton, ave 208p; light heifers to 190p, A L Bosomworth, Thornton-le-Dale, heavy heifers to 250p, J and R Waind, Brawby, ave 204.6p; light bulls to 148p, M Hamilton, Snainton, ave 146.5p; medium bulls to 189p, I D Watson Farmers, Rudland, ave 166.8p; heavy bulls to 208.50p, J H Almond, Bempton, ave 192.7p; OTM heifers to 204p, Garrowby Estate Farms, ave 176.2p; OTM steers to 189p, E Woodmancey and Son, Newton-on- Rawcliffe, ave 184.3p; cows to 144p, A W Hardwick and Son, Snainton, ave 123.3p; standard lambs to 192p, T & E Dent Rosedale, ave 183.7p; medium lambs to 201p, P Cass, Scalby, ave 185.55p; heavy lambs to 183p, JW and E & P Robson, Lockton, ave 173.77p; overweight lambs to 170p, JW & E & P Robson, Lockton, ave 161.2p; ewes to £116, S and N Harper, Newton-on-Rawcliffe, ave £72.30.