The 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens
Date: Thursday 1st July 2010 - a one-day event
Venue: University of Gloucestershire, Park Campus, Cheltenham
The 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens took place on Thursday 1st July 2010 at the University of Gloucestershire’s Park Campus in Cheltenham.
Over 160 delegates attended the event, and BBC Radio 4 was also there and recorded a debate on the motion 'This seminar believes that little change to the current town and village green regulations is required'. Proposing the motion was Kate Ashbrook from the Open Spaces Society and opposing the motion was Cameron Watt from the National Housing Federation. Not only was the motion was passed, it will be broadcast on BBC 4's 'You and Yours' on Monday 5th July.
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Natural England provided some sponsorship for the event and this enabled a large number of upland farmers who graze areas of common land in England and Wales to attend. These upland pastures are an important part of their agricultural businesses, providing grazing for stock over the summer months, which allows fodder to be made on enclosed land on the farm to feed stock in the winter months.
Government officials attended from both England and Wales to provide updates on recent changes to regulations and schemes, and there were a number of interesting discussions on how these changes can work on commons. The event also saw the public launch of the Foundation for Common Land, an organisation that is seeking to raise the profile of and to represent upland farmers who manage these upland commons that are crucially important for biodiversity, heritage, landscape, mitigation against climate change and local communities. Some upland graziers, often terms 'commoners', offered their thoughts on the creation of Commons Councils, a new local 'bottom -up' body based on one or more commons that would be approved by the Secretary of State as formally responsibly for management on that area.
The Association of Commons Registration Authorities, the local authorities who hold the registers of common land and town and village greens, also made a presentation and delegates were keen to hear about how these registers, established in the 1970s, might be transferred to electronic registers and the current trial in some authorities on updating them.
Event organiser Chris Short said "This years event was the best yet because it had the widest range of speakers and topics and a real buzz of enthusiasm for all those with an interest in these fascinating and valuable public 'assets' to work together and that is what this event is all about - bringing people with very different objectives together."
Conference organiser, Chris Short, (pictured right) with Kate Ashbrook, Open Spaces Society, and Cameron Watt, National Housing Federation at the 8th National Seminar on Common Land and Town and Village Greens.
The CCRI has played a vital role in disseminating information on principal developments in common land legislation through the National Seminars on Common Land and Village Greens, which it has organised and hosted since 1999. The CCRI also organised and hosted the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of Commons Conference at the University of Gloucestershire in July 2008.
These seminars are aimed at commoners, landowners and agents, practitioners, recreational users and institutions and all those involved in the management of commons and village greens.
Summary of 2010 programme
The 2010 Seminar showcased local examples of good practice, the new opportunities arising through commons councils, latest updates concerning the Commons Act 2006, financial support such as the Upland Entry Level Scheme. The format offered delegates an opportunity to raise their own particular issues in the wide range of afternoon workshops and discussions.
The Seminar included presentations from commoners and others who are putting the Act into practice, and an update from Defra and Natural England on the implementation of the Commons Act 2006 and other related policies. Particular attention was paid to different approaches to establish Commons Councils and the benefits these and other less formal structures can bring to commons management. The afternoon session was more interactive with in-depth discussion around particular aspects concerning common land and town and village greens. Overall the focus was on best practice to actively protect and manage common land and town and village greens in England and Wales and embedding the opportunities in Commons Act into current and future management practices.
The cost
The cost of the event was £100 for the day, with refreshments and a buffet lunch included in the cost.
The convenor of the seminar series is Christopher Short.
If you have any queries please telephone +44 (0)1242 714122 or email ccri@glos.ac.uk
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