JUNE 2004
 

1.         We are delighted that at last the principle of cross compliance, which we have long advocated in return for agricultural payments, is accepted by government.  We support the proposal that farmers must keep paths in good order if they receive payments, although the statement of the law in the consultation paper is inadequate and inaccurate.  We are deeply disappointed that apparently the regulation prevents the inclusion of access under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 in these provisions.  We urge government to seek to amend the regulation so that CROW access is included.

Owners and occupiers who do not comply with rights-of-way law anywhere on their land must not be given any payments.  If they are already receiving a payment, it must be stopped.  Therefore, when applying for payments, owners and occupiers must submit a map showing the full extent of the land that they occupy, with any public rights of way, whether shown on definitive maps or not, marked accurately on them.

These provisions will help government to achieve its target in the Rural White Paper, to achieve a ten per cent improvement in the condition of rights of way by 2005.  They will assist highway authorities in producing their rights of way improvement plans since they can hardly be considering improving rights of way until all of them are in good order.  There should be no complaint from owners and occupiers to these provisions since they are merely being asked to obey the law.