Rooted in Cumbria

The Federation of Cumbria Commoners is a member-led organisation dedicated to promoting commoning in Cumbria. Our overall aim is to maintain and improve the viability of hill farming on common land.

We want this website to:

  • Inform you about new issues in commoning
  • Let you know what we are doing
  • Make our voice heard all over the world and much more

Debate on Hill Farming at the House of Commons last Thursday

Taken from Hansard Online

Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)

3. What assessment she has made of the potential effect on hill farmers of the UK leaving the common agricultural policy.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Andrea Leadsom)
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker.

Submitted on Sunday 22nd January 2017

Meetings to discuss starting a commons council

A considerable number of chairmen of commoners’ associations all over Cumbria and Northumberland are showing an interest in starting a commons council. As a result we are planning a series of meetings to explain more about what a commons council can and can't do, hear the view of commoners and gauge whether there is sufficient interest to take this further.

Submitted on Monday 16th January 2017

RPA say they have paid 70% of commoners some of their BPS 2016

We have heard from the Foundation for Common Land (FCL) that the RPA have made substantial progress in paying commoners their BPS 2016.

FCL together with the NFU and Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) met with the Rural Payments Agency between Christmas and the New Year to monitor progress on paying BPS on common land.

Submitted on Friday 6th January 2017

Good news - 2016 BPS Payments on their Way to Commoners

We have heard from the Foundation for Common Land (FCL) today that Defra Ministers have authorised the RPA to make BPS payments to as many commoners as possible by the end of December 2016. This includes commoners who have unresolved issues with their 2015 payments.

application/pdf iconpress_release-_fcl_-bps_2016_payment_dec_16.pdf
Submitted on Tuesday 20th December 2016

RPA are slowly paying commoners waiting for their full BPS 2015 payment

We have worked with the Foundation for Common Land (FCL), the National Farmers Union, the Country Landowners Association, Yorkshire Federation, Dartmoor Commoners Council and others to put pressure on RPA to complete BPS 2015 payments for commoners. At the end of November 1200 commoners (many in Cumbria) were still waiting for their full payment.

Submitted on Thursday 15th December 2016

Restarting the process to establish a Commons Council for Cumbria

Brexit is a game changer for agriculture. The government of the United Kingdom will have to develop its own policy towards farming and rural land use to replace the Common Agricultural Policy. If commoning is to remain viable in this post-Brexit world, then commoners need to have a voice in the design of new agricultural policy and systems of payment. We believe a commons council for Cumbria is now more necessary than ever. It will give us better chance of getting heard and help us maintain the commons and promote good standards of livestock husbandry.

application/pdf iconcommons_council_leaflet_16-11-16_.pdf
Submitted on Monday 5th December 2016
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