Christmas message from CLA President

CLA President William Worsley today (22 December) issued his Christmas message - and looked at the challenges of the year ahead.

Mr Worsley said: "2011 promises to be a significant year for the countryside and the rural economy.

"This will be the year in which most of the big decisions on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy are made. We need a policy that will promote and protect our ability, over the long term, to produce sufficient food. However, this must not be at the expense of the environment and we may need to find new ways of farming and creating incentives for farmers to provide more positive land management. It is essential that our own Government recognises the importance of engaging with the mainstream EU debate and arguing for sufficient funding to pay for what is needed.

"In the meantime, it is vital that farmers and land managers get involved with the Campaign for the Farmed Environment to stave off the threat of further Government regulation, which despite the change of Government has not gone away. Farmers must start putting words into action by adopting the Campaign voluntary measures on land not under agri-environment schemes and by adopting ELS target options in their new agreements.

"2011 will also see a shift from regional Government to a more decentralised structure with Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) being abolished and replaced by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). These new bodies are intended to provide the strategic economic lead for their areas. It is essential rural businesses get involved and that the new structure is capable of recognising their concerns.

"The New Year will also bring major reforms to the planning system. It is good news the Government has recognised the importance of the issue, but they need to get it right. We need a system that is flexible, transparent and efficient - not a charter for the 'Nimby'.

"Finally, while broadband and mobile phone coverage in rural areas has got better in the last year, it is still not good enough. The Government should introduce a Universal Service Obligation requiring broadband service providers to supply speeds of two megabits per second to every door by 2015. OFCOM and the mobile phone service operators should do more to ensure full coverage in rural areas.

"Together we can make 2011 a great year for land management, farming and the environment. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year!"

Contact

Ollie Wilson
Director of Communications

Ollie is responsible for managing media relations, the national magazine Land & Business, and the co-ordination of the CLA’s regional press officers.

T: 020 7460 7936
F: 020 7460 7962
ollie.wilson@cla.org.uk

Media Contacts

Ollie Wilson
Director of Communications

T: 020 7460 7936
F: 020 7460 7962
ollie.wilson@cla.org.uk

Lisa O'Brien
National Press Officer

T: 020 7460 7934
lisa.obrien@cla.org.uk

Out of hours: 020 7201 9511

Join the CLA today

Anyone who owns rural land or runs a rural business will benefit from joining the CLA.

Click here to find out how

The CLA Game Fair 2012

20 - 22 July 2012 Belvoir Castle. Grantham, Leicestershire.

CLA Member Ticket Box Office

Visit The CLA Game Fair website

Simple solutions are not always the best: Instead of simply fixing future payments at a forward rate, use hedging strategies (i.e. currency options) that are tailored to fit your exposure, currency forecast and risk level.

More articles and documents

CLA President challenges Government in major speech on rural economy
[News Archive]
[3 March 2011]

Country Land and Business Association Limited. Registered Office: 16 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PQ. Registered in England and Wales: 6131587. VAT Number: GB 238 7714 35

© 2012 Country Land and Business Association Limited (CLA). All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as expressly permitted by law.

Disclaimer

No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action in reliance on or as a result of the material included in or omitted in this website can be or is accepted by the author(s), the CLA or its officers or trustees or employees or any other persons.

The Advisory Services are made available to members on the basis that members' rights to compensation and the liability (if any) of CLA and its officers and/or its staff advisers, are restricted in the following ways. In the event of any advice given by any CLA staff adviser being given negligently or otherwise being incorrect no liability whatsoever is accepted by the CLA or its officers or by its staff advisers concerned

(a) towards any person who is not the current CLA member to whom the advice was directly given,

(b) to any person in the respect of consequential loss or loss of profits, or

(c) to any person for any sum exceeding £50,000 in respect of any one enquiry (whether made or responded to orally or in writing and whether dealt with at one time or over a period of time).

Any person making use of the Advisory Services accepts such restrictions. Members should refer to appropriate professional advisers in private practice before taking any particular course of action potentially or actually involving any substantial amounts of money.

Please note that whilst the advisers are able to advise on a wide range of subjects relating to land ownership, they cannot act in place of a member's own solicitor, accountant, surveyor and tax specialist by, for example, drafting documents or corresponding on their behalf and may be precluded, by the rules of their own professions, from advising one CLA member against another CLA member in the case of conflict.

Solicitors Indemnity Fund . Solicitors in the CLA Legal Team are not covered by the Solicitors Indemnity Fund in relation to professional negligence in relation to any advice given by them.

Please note that from time to time telephone calls maybe recorded for training purposes.