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2004: A turbulent year for the countryside 'This year will see the countryside facing a turbulent ride over new rights of access, housing problems for the local population and a radical overhaul of farming, not to mention a host of new legislation that will bring more liability issues for property owners,' says Mark Hudson, President of the Country Land and Business Association.
Mark Hudson continues: 'The single most important announcement for the countryside is likely to be made within the first few weeks of the New Year. That will be the Secretary of State's decision on how the single farm payment for English farmers will be calculated. Will Margaret Beckett decide on the least controversial option of historic entitlements or will she have the political courage to opt for the more credible and less divisive hybrid that the CLA has asked DEFRA to consider? 'Whatever the decision, 2004 will herald in a totally new era for British agriculture. Farmers will have to decide how to change their businesses to cope with the realities of a single de-coupled payment. This, in turn, will have a direct impact on the shape and diversity of Britain's landscape. 'In February, the CLA will be launching a Rural Housing Policy Report which will push for more far sighted and evidence based thinking on the provision of rural housing for rural people. Whilst there is a pressing lack of affordable housing in rural areas, there are equally urgent problems of open market housing in the countryside, which has a knock-on effect on affordable and accessible housing. The Government must match housing with jobs to enable rural communities to survive and thrive. 'Rights of way and access are two upcoming issues that are likely to bring more problems in 2004. Plenty of work still needs to be done on closures and restrictions, including persuading the Government that much of the implementation of the Countryside Rights of Way Act has not been thought through. Our message to Government is: ?Think ahead and think practically to ensure that rights of access work from day one for everyone.' 'Rural crime will creep up the agenda as the countryside suffers from a surge in fly-tippers flouting the law to save money on landfill tax. Illegal use of rights of way by modern vehicles is already affecting some parts of the country, with quad bikes and four-by-fours disturbing walkers, wildlife and rural dwellers whilst facilitating crime and trespass. This is likely to grow with the Discovering Lost Ways Project funded by Government, which is aimed at re-opening old paths, many of which were once used by horse and carts. 'The Government's Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill will, if not amended, greatly increase the powers of local authorities to acquire land while reducing the ability of property owners to object to compulsory purchase orders. Property owners will be facing increasing liability issues under a range of new legislation coming in in 2004, along with the recently introduced stamp duty land tax which affects tenants as well as home owners. ?We shall continue to keep a close watch on field sports and, whilst no Hunting Bill was mentioned in the Queen's Speech, there are other routes by which such a bill could be re-introduced. As importantly, we must continue to promote the Code of Good Shooting Practice to protect this other important field sport.' |
Contact Rob Wise
Dr Charles Trotman
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Harry Cotterell
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Belinda Walters
Andrew Gillett
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Valerie Taylor
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Mike Ashton
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Sue Baron-Duff
Ben Underwood
Lucy Wright
Paul Millard
Sarah Fern
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Colin Fletcher
Caroline Parkinson
Richard Humphreys
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Richard Williams
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Roger Daniel
Charlotte Bullock
Tim Isaac
Rosie Farthing
James Sheward
Donna Tavernor
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Rupert Ashby
Derek Holliday
Patricia Powell
Charlotte Sealy MSc MRICS
Caroline Fardell
Henry Robinson
Ollie Wilson
Tim Brock
Verity Hawkins
William Wilson William joined ICI agricultural division from Newcastle University and worked for the company in East Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northumberland and Suffolk.
Before he joined the CLA (as a membership officer) in 2006 he was a self employed Business adviser, marketeer and coach. He joined the East region team in Kentford at the beginning of March 2012 to help with general administration and the membership database. William is responsible for managing the shows and helps out at events and AGM visits. Bernard Pentelow
Helen Woolley
Ross Murray
Richard Humphreys
William Cross
Douglas Chalmers
Douglas is from an Aberdeenshire farming family and trained as an animal nutritionist after graduating from the University of Aberdeen. He held technical and management positions in the agricultural supply industry for 20 years prior to joining the CLA in 2001 as North West Regional Director. He is a Governor of Myerscough College and a member of Cumbria Local Access Forum. He was previously Chairman of Cumbria Fells & Dales RDPE Local Action Group and Vice Chairman of the North West Rural Affairs Forum. Douglas and his wife own a small farm near Appleby-in-Westmorland keeping Herdwick sheep and free-range poultry, and where he has helped his wife to form Learning Fields, a Community Interest Company and care farming enterprise offering educational and environmental activities. He is also a member of Eden Time Bank. T: 01748 907070 F: 01748 907075 douglas.chalmers@cla.org.uk Dorothy Fairburn
A farmer’s daughter from the North York Moors, where her brothers still farm, Dorothy has clocked up more than 30 years’ service to the rural economy since graduating from Wye College (University of London) with a degree in agriculture. She qualified as a rural practice chartered surveyor (land agent) whilst working for Savills plc in London and York, dealing with sales and purchases of country houses and estates as well as the management of investment estates for financial institutions. Prior to joining the CLA, Dorothy worked for the National Trust in Yorkshire. There she managed some 30,000 acres of outstanding countryside as well as being responsible for historic houses open to the public and the acquisition of major new properties. Dorothy was awarded an MBE in the 2011 New Year Honours List in recognition of her services to rural affairs. T: 01748 907070 F: 01748 907075 dorothy.fairburn@cla.org.uk Sarah Worboys
Sarah was brought up on a Worcestershire dairy farm later moving to Hertfordshire where she became involved with Hertford Young Farmers. After leaving school she lived in France and then went to university in Italy. She is a Registered Hairdresser and worked for BBC TV in the make-up department and for British Airways as a stewardess. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher and a student of colour therapy. She spent her early married life on a Cambridgeshire arable farm but now lives on a mixed farm in Suffolk where she is surrounded by dogs, cats and horses. Much of her spare time is spent in managing the farm's holiday cottages.T: 01638 590429 F: 01638 552206 sarah.worboys@cla.org.uk Jane Harrison
Jane is a regional adviser with over 30 years’ experience of dealing with CLA members’ enquiries. She is often the first point of contact for members phoning the regional office for advice and enjoys the challenge of dealing with the wide range of issues that she handles. She is a lifelong fan of field sports and is Hunt Secretary to a pack of beagles. T: 01748 907070 F: 01748 907075 jane.harrison@cla.org.uk Daniel Curtois
Daniel is an experienced PR and marketing professional, who has worked as a public relations officer for the CLA since 2006. A Business Studies graduate and former journalist, he is responsible for media relations and member communication in the North and welcomes contact from members with ideas for media stories. He is a fan of the great outdoors and spends much of his spare time walking and cycling in the region’s spectacular countryside. T: 01748 907070 F: 01748 907075 daniel.curtois@cla.org.uk Debbie Nicholson
Danielle Troop
Jacqui Stoddart
Jacqui is a qualified rural practice surveyor and Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) as well a Fellow of the Association of Agricultural Valuers (FAAV). Working alongside Jane Harrison, she provides CLA members with advice and information on a range of landowning issues. Prior to joining the CLA, she was part of United Utilities’ property team for eight years negotiating with customers, tenants, landowners and agents across the North West. Jacqui has a keen interest in farming and rural matters having grown up on a hill farm in Teesdale and more recently helping out her partner in her spare time on his farm.
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Nikki Brown
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A regional adviser who handles environmental issues affecting landowners, including implementation of the Water Framework Directive and Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, waste, fly-tipping and agri-environment schemes, rural grants, coastal defences and coastal access. He will also be dealing with political matters at all levels of local, national and EU government.
Rob grew up on an arable farm in Suffolk and went on to work on farm policy in the U.S. government in Washington D.C. before returning to the UK where he worked in agricultural government relations before joining the CLA.
An economist, advises on rural economic issues, particularly food policy, rural tourism, equine issues and telecommunications policy. 
Advises on agri-environment grant schemes, SPS, cross compliance, designated areas (including SSSIs, SACs and SPAs) and the greening of the CAP.
Advises on aspects of forestry and woodland management including grants, regulation, marketing and utilisation, timber transport, non-timber forest products, wood fuel, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, plant health, deer and squirrels.
Formerly an Inland Revenue Tax Inspector in Leicestershire. He was promoted to the Inland Revenue Policy Division at Somerset House, London, and was an Inspector Principal when he joined the CLA.
Called to the Bar in 1991, in Chambers until 1997 when she joined the CLA. Advises on grazing tenancies, agricultural holdings legislation, farm business tenancies, residential landlord and tenant, public rights of way and the Treasure Act.
Christopher Price is the Director Policy and Advice at the CLA. He has overall responsibility for managing all the CLA's national policy and advisory work. He makes sure that the organisation's policy work is focused on what matters most, and that members' queries are dealt with accurately and efficiently. A planning and environmental lawyer by background, he joined the CLA as public law adviser in 2002. He became Chief Legal Advisor in 2007 and took up his current post a year later. Before coming to the CLA Christopher worked in local government for a number of different authorities.
Caroline leads the Midlands team and has overall responsibility for the management of the CLA’s regional business and membership.
A qualified Chartered Surveyor respected throughout the industry, she also represents the CLA on a wide range of regional committees and panels.
A chartered surveyor with responsibility for CLA policy on planning and housing issues. Advises on policy including national, regional and local planning and the community infrastructure levy. 
Tim manages media relations for the CLA in the East. He trained in broadcast journalism and worked at radio stations in Norfolk, Essex, Nottinghamshire and the West Midlands before becoming a reporter for the Mirror Group's L!ve TV cable network. He went on to work for ITV for a number of years where he presented, reported and produced programmes for Central Television in Birmingham. Tim made the traditional jump from the media into PR and uses his knowledge of the industry to specialise in media relations. 
A Chartered Surveyor, Andrew advises CLA members on a range of topics including planning, rights of way and access, compulsory purchase, tenancies, and Network Rail.
Previously with Carter Jonas in Hereford andADAS/MAFF, Andrew has been with the CLA for 15 years, covering Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire before becoming national arable adviser and recently, acting regional director in the East Midlands.
Harry Cotterell, President of the CLA, owns and manages a traditional rural estate in Herefordshire. The main enterprises on the estate are cider fruit, mushrooms, chickens and arable. There is also a commercial forestry operation and a small shoot.
A chartered surveyor with responsibility for CLA policy on public rights of way and access issues. Provides advice to members on issues arising from public access to the countryside.
Chartered Surveyor.
One of the CLA’s most successful Field Officers, David is Territory Manager for South Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire.
Anyone who would like to find out more about the benefits of becoming a CLA member can contact David on: 
Belinda Walters is Regional Director for the Isle of Wight. Belinda is based in the Isle of Wight office and is the first point of contact for rural queries relating to the island. 
A solicitor, advises on areas of law including highways, public rights of way and access issues, trespass, firearms and hot air ballooning. Also advises on occupiers liability and the liability owners may face in relation to their animals.
Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire
Valerie has a deep understanding of rural business issues from her background working for an agricultural co-operative in Wales and from her family - her parents are agricultural contractors who run a smallholding. 
A solicitor, advises on general property law, including land registration, conveyancing, business tenancies, easements, private rights of way, commons, water and drainage and sporting rights.
A solicitor, advises on areas including employment, litigation, contract and sale of goods.
Mike has worked in communications roles for the CLA for over ten years and has extensive experience in PR and marketing in the public and private sectors.
He is responsible for regional communications with members and the media and firmly believes that the CLA is about people, and that its strength comes from its members.
Nicola has a post graduate diploma in Advanced Farm Management from the RAC and seven years experience as a tenant farmer, building up a pedigree dairy herd from scratch. She has also spent time in professional practice in estate and farm management. This background has provided Nicola with a useful grounding to work for the interests of the region’s farming and rural businesses.
Sue is the Membership Co-ordinator based in the South East office. She manages the Field Force and deals with membership issues for the Southern Region.
Currently on Maternity Leave
Public Relations and Communications for South West Region
A solicitor, advises on all aspects of residential landlord and tenant legislation including farm cottages, the housing of agricultural workers and service occupancies. Also advises on ballooning.
Tim Broomhead is Regional Surveyor and covers the whole South East region. He is based in the South East office near Andover.
A chartered surveyor, Sue is a Welsh-speaking farmer's daughter from Anglesey. She studied Estate Management at Harper Adams University College and is also a qualified mediator.
She co-owns a smallholding and has a full understanding of the needs and problems faced by CLA members.
Advises on livestock movements, livestock register, veterinary medicines, TB, British Cattle Movement System, RPA and livestock based cross compliance issues.
Advises on heritage policy, historic and listed buildings, scheduled
monuments and archaeology, parks and gardens, viable uses and grants. 
A tax consultant with over 30 years’ experience in the legal profession and with the CLA, where he worked between 1976 and 1986. He is the editor of two technical newsletters, "Farm Tax Brief" and "Trusts and Estates".
Dorset; Somerset and South Wiltshire
Territory Manager for Devon and Cornwall
Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Wiltshire
Tim has a degree in agriculture and is a qualified rural surveyor, specialising in farm and estate management. He lives on his family's farm in Essex. Tim advises and represents members on rural business management and lobbies all levels of government on key rural issues.
Rosie Farthing is the Events Manager for the South East region. She runs a variety of events from technical seminars, to farm walks and fly-fishing days. Rosie is also responsible for regional sponsorship. She works full time and is based in the Andover office.
James, as interim Head of Public Affairs, is responsible for the CLA's political strategy, parliamentary lobbying and campaigns.
An experienced rural advisor who advises members on subjects including the environment, fly tipping, forestry, NVZ, stewardship, single farm payment, water framework and planning. Donna is also Midlands lead on the Campaign for the Farmed Environment. A past YFC County chairman, Donna has a Countryside and Environment Management degree, a Masters in Land Management - and owns sheep.
Jan has eleven years’ experience within the CLA and is the first point of contact for the eight regional Branch Committees.
Jan takes the lead in arranging lobbying and briefings with MPs, MEPs and decision makers in the region and is also PA to the Midlands Director.
Stuart has been with the CLA for over ten years and will be a familiar voice to many as has the pivotal role of managing the membership details of the region’s 6,000+ members. 
Rupert leads the CLA regional staff and has overall responsibility for the CLA regions including their sales and retention strategy to achieve sustainable growth in membership income and numbers.
Lead adviser on European and national environmental issues including water quality (Water Framework Directive, Catchment Sensitive Farming, Nitrates Directive), water resources, fluvial and coastal defence, soil resource, climate change and fisheries.
Formerly a private banking consultant working in London, Guildford and Norwich for some 20 years. She has a broad range of experience in financial issues.
In addition to advising on taxation issues, also advises on potential solutions to rural business problems and assesses specific members' queries for referral to relevant CLA advisers.
Chartered Surveyor.
Caroline worked for the BBC, the Football League and Essex County Cricket Club before joining the CLA in 2003. The role of the Office Manager is varied but generally, Caroline co-ordinates the East region team’s activities, organizes events and AGM visits and supervises the branch committees.
Caroline's spare time is spent looking after and riding her pony and walking her two dogs - a labrador and a flat coat retriever. As a qualified Dog Listener, she enjoys helping owners solve behavioural problems with their dogs.
Henry Robinson, Deputy President of the CLA and Chairman of the CLA’s Board, owns and manages a farm in Gloucestershire. His main crops are wheat and oilseed rape and he also lets out workshops and cottages.
Ollie is responsible for managing media relations, the national magazine Land & Business, and the co-ordination of the CLA’s regional press officers.
Tim Brock is Interim Regional Director and is responsible for the whole of the South East region and works from the regional office in Andover. 
Covers: Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Essex, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire 
Covers Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk
Helen Woolley is responsible for running the CLA business, and for the strategic leadership of the CLA.
Ross Murray, Vice-President of the CLA and Chairman of the CLA’s Policy Committee, lives near Abergavenny, South Wales. He has been a chartered surveyor since 1991, managing rural and urban estates in South Wales. He has served as Chairman of CLA Wales and has also chaired the CLA’s Legal and Property Rights Sub-Committee.
Debbie helps to organise the many and varied events that are held across the Midlands. She has many years' experience working in the dairy industry and has worked for the CLA in the past on a variety of projects organising training events and seminars.
A Land Economist by training, Danielle moved to the public sector from Rural Land Management in 2002 to work on housing-led regeneration, affordable housing delivery, private sector renewal/enforcement, homelessness and allocations strategy and service delivery.
Sarah has a keen understanding of rural issues having grown up on her family’s pig, beef and arable farm near Stokesley.
A highly experienced administrator, Nikki is also a fan of the great outdoors and enjoys spending time with her family camping and walking.
Pippa Turner is Press and Communications Manager for the South East region and is responsible for regional communications with members and the media. She is based in the Andover office.
Julian Rowlandson is Sales Director for the Southern Region and is responsible for creating and developing the structure and strategy for this region. He manages, trains and develops the southern region sales team to ensure membership and membership services targets are met.
Joanna Simms is Membership Secretary and is based in the Andover office.
Advises on issues relating to land use, arable, food production, livestock, disease, technology, SPS, the Rural Payments Agency and Cross Compliance.
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