Forestry Commission Charges 2005

[PorkyFatBoy]

Our club is being asked to pay a huge (90-odd%) increase in fees for use of FC land for O events in 2005, and is being asked to pay in advance of the event. Is anyone else coming across this situation following the discontinuation of the national agreement that BOF had with the Forestry Commission?

Apparently the new fees are on the FC internal website, so presumably they must have been approved by FC, without consultation, since BOF are unaware of the announcement of any fees for 2005.

Far be it from me to BOF-bash, but surely they should be trying to re-negotiate a national access agreement on behalf of their paying members

[Mrs H.]

Perhaps they're too busy producing papers on "ethical communication" with newsletter editors to worry about trifling external matters to do with orienteering

[Guest]

I am sure that SOA have had their agreement extended for another year.

Didn't know about Englands troubles.

I shall look into it.

Jase

[awk]

Far be it from me to BOF-bash, but surely they should be trying to re-negotiate a national access agreement on behalf of their paying members

How do you know they didn't and aren't?

[Guest]

Awk
normally new agreements are sorted out well in advance to the previous ending. If there are changes them surely the clubs should have been informed which has not happened with my club. Our club has just set its rates for the next year and seeing that half our areas are FC it could make a huge difference to our finances. Wont affect BOF they will get there levies so I supose it doesn't matter.

[PorkyFatBoy]

How do you know they didn't and aren't?

Because I asked them.

I know that the FC are reorganising and therefore it appears to be difficult to find someone who has the authority to negotiate with BOF (previous contacts having been made redundant in the FC reorg), but surely access to FC land is fairly fundamental to our sport. It should be discussed at a senior level with FC.

Harking back to a thread on the new membership proposals I recall that one of the things British Canoe Union do is to deal with access issues on behalf of the members. Surely BOF should negotiate land access and fees for its members?

[Guest]

Access Agreements are set by Forestry Comission Estates.
There are still people in silvan House doing this for all sports.
The only problem is there seems to be a delay (which I'm sure is not with the BOF end).

The current agreement expires this December - it was a 1 year extension of the old agreement and so is definitely needing a review.

If BOF push hard then the FC will just extend the old agreement for another year rather than spend time and energy reviewing the whole thing.

Forest District Managers should be sticking to the old agreement and not charging whetever they like for 2005 events at the mo.
If you have a District where they are charging more than the old agreement - which is widely available , then see BOF and don't pay until you have.

Forest Districts want your money also, so a period of negotion is necessary (don't simply back down).

Jason Inman
Forestry Commission employee

[PorkyFatBoy]

Thanks Jason,

We're planing to go back and discuss this with the ranger, with whom we have very good and usually relaxed relationship. From the conversations I've had with other club members, the ranger seemed to imply that the figures he was quoting were "official".

I'll keep you posted if I hear more.

[pyrat]

I have spent several months trying to get the newly-created Forestry
Commission Scotland (FCS) to agree to my proposals for a new SOA /
FCS Agreement within the framework of the new access legislation
passed by the Scottish Parliament recently. As they didn't seem to be
willing to set the ball rolling I wrote a draft agreement 4 months ago and
passed it to them.

I have been chasing them ever since and can't get any sensible
response. I have just been told the new person dealing with the matter
is away on leave for another 2 weeks.

I understand Alex Ross at BOF Office is trying to do the same with
Forestry Commission England (and possibly Wales) and is having the
same problems.

We have agreed with our contacts in the meantime that the current UK-
wide BOFagreement is extended to the end of December 2004.

I am not aware of any charges for 2005. If they are in place then they
haven't been discussed or agreed with SOA or BOF.

The lack of progress is not the fault of SOA or BOF. We are finding it
extremely difficult to make any headway with Forestry Commission. I am
as anxious to sort the matter out as anyone.

Hope this clarifies the position.

Donald Petrie

[PorkyFatBoy]

So it seems that we should be Forestry Commission bashing and not BOF bashing (for once!) Apologies if I've wrongly accused anyone.