Meeting with Nick Boles, Friday 11th June, 2010

Meeting with MP: On Friday 11th June, Martin Wilkins and Fin Monahan met with our new MP- Nick Boles – to discuss the Factory Farm and to try to gain his support.

His initial reaction was that he could not get involved with Planning Applications because as an MP he must not try to influence such decisions. He did say that he would insist on the planning process being enforced and carried out democratically.

We pointed out that there was no legislation to cover Factory Farms for cows – only Factory Farms for Pigs or Poultry. His reaction was that if we made too many regulations then it could drive the industry out of the country and lead to us importing all of our milk. We pointed out that it was important to have regulations that help the Farmers and the local rural communities and that the proximity of the proposed South Witham Factory Farm was totally unacceptable and needed some sort of regulation.

He asked for more information on the proposal and did say that he would give what help he could with our defence of the application.

We pointed out that the Chief Exec of NKDC – who have been dealing with the Nocton application - had asked DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) for help as there were no proper guidelines for Planners.

He did eventually agree that he would ask a question in the House at the appropriate Agricultural Question Time about how DEFRA was dealing with such Factory Farms.

Maybe a sort of success but he will need working on in the future!!