Kirklees Council Allotments and the Honey Bee!

[VEG]

Good luck and keep us informed.

I find it unusual in the way different councils deal with bees on allotments. I had no problem the chap from the council said just ask the other people on the allotments and if they are happy then thats ok with him. Yet as you have found out others really need to sort their act out.

 

[Roy S]

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/loca...atens-to-sue-if-hives-removed-86081-23984696/

Well this is the latest installment of the story. Tomorrow I have a camera man coming from Amature Gardner magazine, so the message is spreading.

On a very positive note, I have now been invited to attend a meeting with council next Thursday. Hopefully this is the start of positive change.

I hope its not to try to persuade you to give up the fight or face the consequences!!!.

I keep bees on my allotment, but the difference in mine and your councils policies couldnt be further apart. I have to praise Knowsley councils interest and encouragement with my bees, after seeing my apiary and hearing of the plight of bees and beekeepers they have started to encourage beekeepers with a view to having an apiary at every Knowsley allotment site as soon as possible. I think the key is having a council that is open minded, and not prejudiced by thier own misinformed opinions.

I could ask our council allotment manager if she will get in touch with Kirklees council if that may help?

 

[Geoff]

Quite agree. We need more ferals, not less - survivor ferals comprise the genetic pool from which the future 'varroa-tolerant' bees will come. While beekeepers continue in their attempts to poison varroa mites with chemical treatments, they will just go on selecting for resistant mites - as they have done for the last 17 years since varroa arrived in the UK.

And Geoff, I see no reason why honeybees would not have migrated here from Europe across the land bridge that joined us to France only 10,000 years ago. Even if they were brought here - and I have seen no evidence to suggest they were - does that make them somehow less worthy of conservation? Are you going to tell the Americans to kill off all their bees because there were none there before 1638?

Have i ever suggested that? Read the posts properly! I would like feral colonies, only having domestic colonies reduces the genetic pool in a small town such as my own. The countryside is not exactly heaving with wild bees - they don't seem to survive very long now.
I think the idea that nature will bring up a solution to varroa is somewhat naive. it might, but then it might not. Prehistory is littered with species that did not come up with a 'solution' and became extinct. Honeybees might be one such species, left to their own devices. They evolved in an environment that did not have varroa and so may not be able to combat it. There may be something in varroa's original environment that kept it under control, but we don't know. By the time you have waited for a natural control it could be too late. Nature sometimes comes up with a solution, but very often it doesn't and those that don't change disappear.
Honeybees have not evolved the ideal strategy for colder climates. I can well imagine our ancestors bringing the valuable commodity with them in hollowed out logs. I think English Nature don't regard them as native but i think they are being pedantic by not allowing hives on some of their properties for that reason.
I think we have a sub plot here. Keep up the good work Mission. Your action will educate the officials far more than any number of news articles.

 

[mikethebee]

Having been in a similar situation!! Ending up having to disband my Queen rearing 3 acre site I occupied for 25 years I know how you feel.

Mr. Clegg Please take a little advice and remember.
1 the law states no bees near public right of way? You are operating on a council allotment; this is for public use and a right of way.
2 My experience says the BBKA will not interfere or help.
3 Read the BBKA insurance small print, top to bottom It’s not what it seems to be? (get insurance advice).
4 if someone passing gets stung you and council will be responsible? (Talking Big money)
5 if there’s a death due to a bee sting in the vicinity you and council will be responsible. (Talking bigger money)
6 I suspect the meeting with council is to get you to sign full reasonability. Have every thing in-print.
6 you’re doing a grand job getting public support. BUT when the **** hits the fan your on your own.
7 your wrong I’m classed as a “commercial agricultural bee keeper” (keeper of FLYING CATTLE)
The law states “DAFRA” anything with fur scale hair insect that produces a food or product for consumption! ITs classed as agricultural livestock.

8 hedgerow pete Normally you need planning permission for a new garden shed “building” the councils add it on to your rates. As it is designed and used for an agricultural purpose “bee house” your bee buildings “shed” is not ratable as it is Agricultural. useless info,

We had a case years ago a woman was stung several times near my hives walking a dog across the farmers field, her solicitor sent us a bill for her hospital treatment and 6 days off work plus his bill £2800.
We proved she had no right to be in the field occupied with sheep. It was not a public right of way, we argued she was trespassing and it was not my bees that stung her!!
It all ended up I paid her and solicitor two jars honey each. But it could have been worse, big time.
All the best mike

 

[Geoff]

Allotments don't usually have footpaths or bridleways going through them ie. public rights of way. Otherwise it would be obstruction when they lock the gate which most allotment sites have to do nowadays. Just because it is council owned does not mean public have right of access. Most schools, usually council owned, do not allow access to grounds for security reasons. Most allotments only allow access to allotment holders.

 

[Mission]

Hi Geoff, that is indeed the case. The allotment is clearly marked as being private property and only authorised persons are allowed to enter.

Mike, thanks for the heads up on the insurance. I will have a look at it later this week. I am looking for good cover anyway to replace the run of the mill BBKA job. I wont be renewing my membership when it expires at the end of the year anyway.

 

[VEG]

Keep going at it mate

 

[Geoff]

What I would like to know is how could anyone prove it was one of your bees. In Mike's case he has carniolans and you have to do some serious interfering to get them upset. How can they be sure it wasn't somebody else's bad tempered bee that came mooching around? Also most people wouldn't know a honeybee if it jumped out and.......well stung them on the nose! I am on swarm collection list and I have only been out to one honey bee colony. People can't tell a bee from a wasp or any other buzzing insect.

 

[lusklabs]

I was going to say that I am amazed by this post when i reality I am not, what a complete waste of time this is. The worst thing about all this is, is that we, the taxpayer are paying these council bods x amount per year to drive about, in my opinion looking for trouble in menial matters like this. A few bee hives in an allotment, chalk and cheese ? I think not.

The only thing I would say is that Mike does have some valid points, we are now in a claim culture and all the time there are no win no fee practices around you will be leaving yourself potentially open to a claim.

Glad to see you arent letting them push you around

(I always thought livestock was something which ended up on your plate )

 

[JamieG]

How did you get on with Kirklees council? - I'm hoping to do the same on a Kirklees allotment.

 

[Mint Bee]

How did you get on with Kirklees council? - I'm hoping to do the same on a Kirklees allotment.

if you scroll over the picture of the poster it will tell you when they were last seen on the the forum. For OP it was 2009. there have been a load of threads on allotments over the years. try the search function top right of this page

 

[Erichalfbee]

if you scroll over the picture of the poster it will tell you when they were last seen on the the forum. For OP it was 2009. there have been a load of threads on allotments over the years. try the search function top right of this page

A blast from the past though
A banned member. A deceased one. The originator of the forum and Phil Chandler.