NEWS RELEASE

Dorset Council seeks Local Government Association Action on GM crops

Warning of break down in law and order

[Earlier Dorset Echo item on this subject - click here]

 Date: 21 September 2000

Council Resolution 21 September

At a full meeting of West Dorset District Council today members approved a resolution calling for the Local Government Association (which represents local authorities throughout England and Wales) to seek measures from Central Government that will ensure that proper local consultation on all GM crop trials takes place before any are authorised.

The resolution follows a request by the Wessex Natural Law Party submitted to the Council in June seeking planning enforcement action against a field trial of genetically modified maize near Yeovil. Today's motion was proposed by Cllr Rear Admiral Pritchard (Con).

Unusual Procedures Lead to Confusion

By virtue of new and somewhat unfamiliar council procedures the final resolution supplanted an even more forceful motion from Cllr Stephen Friar (Lib Dem) which had been adopted earlier in the same meeting by 25 votes to 12 proposing: " ... that other like-minded planning authorities be approached, together with the Local Government Association, so that a test case [through the courts] may be brought to clarify the [planning] issue".

Welcoming these developments Wessex Natural Law Party leader Mark Griffiths said:

"Whilst it would have been preferable if both motions had been adopted, procedural complications prevented this. Nonetheless an important fuse has now been lit in West Dorset. We can expect it to stir other local authorities into unified action in conjunction with the Local Government Association. There is a growing resolve to squeeze the necessary local consultation out of Central Government before these trials go any further."

Speaking after the meeting, Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, Cllr Pritchard, confirmed that his motion left the door open for a variety of consultation possibilities, including bringing the trials within the ambit of the planning system. However, it remains unclear at this point whether this is already a legal requirement under English law, or whether a change in the law is required.

There was complete unanimity amongst councillors that proper local consultation is required before such trials go ahead (one councillor had confirmed this by carrying out an informal poll in his area). There was only disagreement at the meeting as to the best way to go about achieving this, with a total of four votes on the subject being taken during the afternoon.

According to Mark Griffiths, who attended the session: "I am sure that had there been more clarity on procedure and better communication between members prior to the meeting an even stronger position could have been adopted by the Council. There was considerable discussion about whether the Council - possibly in conjunction with the Local Government Association and other local authorities - should mount a legal challenge on this subject. I think this is an area which is going to evolve further as the subject comes up for debate in other council chambers around the country. It is vital, however, that councillors of all political colours should communicate with each other before motions are put before committees."

Warning of Break Down in Law and Order

The importance attached to the issue by councillors in West Dorset was clearly demonstrated when the debate on the GM crop item of the meeting lasted for as long as would normally be taken by an entire session of the Council. Comments made during the discussion included:

• Cllr Martin (Independent), ward councillor for Over Compton where there is currently a GM maize trial crop, described the public meeting on the trial held earlier in the year by DETR as a "masterpiece of ineptitude" and that local people were "hopping mad".

• Cllr Wild (Labour) thought it would be "feeble and irresponsible" for the council not to pursue the planning issue further.

• Cllr Legg (Lib Dem) warned that unless the government conceded the need for proper local consultation "there will be a complete break down in law and order in this country...... The Government has got to learn to listen."

Other Councils Willing to Act

At the beginning of the month the Natural Law Party wrote to all 55 West Dorset councillors pointing out the risks associated with GM crops and recommending that the Council considers joining forces with the other local authorities across the country who have already indicated a willingness to act in the matter.

Mark Griffiths reacted to the day's proceedings with some optimism: "We are delighted that the motion adopted today represents the first important step in such a process. We now expect local authorities across the country to develop a powerful counter-action to the authoritarian way in which Central Government is forcing this risk-laden technology upon people and their environment without their consent.

It is important that local people are given a genuine say in the decision making process and that any future consultations are not simply used as a 'rubber-stamping' exercise. The planning system is the obvious vehicle for this. It is a procedure specifically designed to give local communities a say in land-use decision making and it is one which is already in place."

Notes for editors:

1. The adopted motion is: "That this Council urges the LGA to take up the question of GM Crops with Central Government to ensure proper local consultation takes place before any trials are authorised."

2. A copy of the NLP's letter to West Dorset Councillors is available at: www.btinternet.com/~nlpwessex/Documents/Westdorsetcouncilletter.htm

3. West Dorset District Council can be contacted on: 01305 251010 or http://w3w.westdorset-dc.gov.uk/Council/index.htm

4. The Natural Law Party is active in over 100 countries around the world including all 15 EU member states and is seeking a global ban on GM foods. See: http://www.natural-law-party.org/key_issues/immediate_global_ban_of_gm_food.htm

5. Mark Griffiths BSc FRICS FAAV can be contacted on 01962 852122 or at nlpwessex@bigfoot.com .

[Earlier Western Gazette article on NLP message to Dorset farmers on economic importance of remaining GM free - click here]

Download briefing paper on Chardon LL - the GM maize being grown at Over Compton - PDF format

Return to NLP Wessex GM page
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Dorset farmers react in support of NLP GM warnings
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Natural Law Party campaign to ban genetically modified foods in Wessex

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