Do local Councils have nothing better to do with their time!?

galadriel

galadriel

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Basically,
Ive just got a new horse on loan, and been granted the use of my friends menage, and just found out that the local council have just made the owner sign a witness letter that states that only her horses are ridden in the school. The menage is in the middle of a commercial farm, next to a small stable block, and hidden by hige dense hedgerows, and a field thats a hill..... There isnt a house in sight from the menage and people walking on the fottpaths barely see it behind the huge hedgerow.... Does anyone think that this is something for the district council to do, as they have nothing better on their plate?

Or has anyone else had similar problems, and been able to combat them? The ground at this time of year, is either rock solid or knee deep mud, and the mare I'm riding needs to be schooled, so I'm stuck for ideas!!
Would really like some help here!!

Thank you for taking the time to read my grumble!

:)
 
Sorry to hear about your situation, sadly i cant be of any help but councils must be bored at the moment as a field i have, used to have heras site fencing panels up as a gateway - so it looked messy and there were rather high.... Last spring the farmer replaced the panels for us with some nice, fully panelled wooden ones, that are maybe 4ft high or just over. They are very much in keeping with the neighnours gates and TBH, much smaller. Well, they have been up months and suddenly, we get a notice from the council that someone has complained and they want a standard 5 bar gate putting up with is no taller than 1 metre high....
This field is on a really busy, fast moving road, and often has a 17.2 grazing in it who could quite easily get over a 1m gate! Needless to say i am having to change it but am also putting in an appeal based upon safety as if he got over, it would be a very nasty accident!
 
I might well be wrong but I *thought* that as long as the school was ridden in by people who aren't paying to do so (which would obviously make it a business, subject to taxes etc) then you were allowed.
But no, they haven't got anything better to do with their time. The big issues are ignored i favour of minor nit picking.
 
Im going to be very anal here and point out that if the school was granted as private use, then surely your freind has to accept that she put the forms in on the basis it was private use and not commercial.

It may seem a small point, but where do the Council draw the line? Your freind has private use and not commercial. If the council let this slide, where do they say enough is enough?

Re fence next to road - General Permitted Development Order 2005 states that any land next to the highway can not have a fence higher than 1m next to it with out planning permission. Apply for planning permission and you should not have any probs. At the end of the day, the council is only following its stautory obligations as set down by the goverment.
 
galadriel said:
Basically,
Ive just got a new horse on loan, and been granted the use of my friends menage, and just found out that the local council have just made the owner sign a witness letter that states that only her horses are ridden in the school. The menage is in the middle of a commercial farm, next to a small stable block, and hidden by hige dense hedgerows, and a field thats a hill..... There isnt a house in sight from the menage and people walking on the fottpaths barely see it behind the huge hedgerow.... Does anyone think that this is something for the district council to do, as they have nothing better on their plate?

Or has anyone else had similar problems, and been able to combat them? The ground at this time of year, is either rock solid or knee deep mud, and the mare I'm riding needs to be schooled, so I'm stuck for ideas!!
Would really like some help here!!

Thank you for taking the time to read my grumble!

:)
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I dont think they can dictate to your friend what she does with her private property unless it is for a comercial enterprise, on that basis you wont be able to visit and have a cup of tea .... more cuts please Cameron.... and death to clipboard carrying council staff.. public service??? yes like what the Bull does to the cows :D
 
If permission for the school was granted on the basis of it being for private use only then yes, the Council is within its rights.

If this was the case and your friends choose to ignore what they have signed and you use the school - even if free of charge - they could be landed with a nasty bill for business rates.

That said I am surprised that with the current climate the Council doesn't have anything better to do with its time.
 
luckilotti- Yes I completely agree about the fence, but you do have to have permission for such a high fence to be put in place unfortunetely, but I agree, the accident could be horrendous!

Maizemouse- Well I dont think so! Only maybe people walking on the footpath, but how would you know that I dont live on one of the many houses on the farm? Its a MASSIVE commercial farm! But this problem has arisen since I rode in the school on saturday... and the owner thinks theyve been bugged!

tasteofchaos- No I completely agree with that! And no, its a friend doing me a favour... No money involved and i'd be riding in it ONCE a week! The owner is making no money, and is the only other person using it!!

Frecklesmum- No I know about that, but the difference between private and commercial is money. Another school nearby is used priavetly by the owners and peopole liek me who ride in the school, and theyve had NO problems, and thats just off a main road!


Anyone have any ideas as to how I can overcome this in the time I dont have a school to use? Need to fitten the mare, and school her!!
 
I work for a local authority and a small part of my job is investigating people who should be paying business rates, but aren't. But we only deal with bigger issues as we really don't have time to deal with stuff like this and I've never heard of anyone being asked to sign something like this!!! It sounds to me like someone has a gripe and has complained to the council which makes it duty bound to investigate, but it sounds like someoe really is being rather officious!!
 
Holly Hocks-
Thank you for that! It has really annoyed me, and much mroe the owner of course, as there is a possibility they might make her plough it back to a field!!!
 
I think that they would be struggling here with the legal definition of "private" use. I made my arena application, because it's in a national park, "personal use" only. But "private use" would surely include inviting a friend over to ride her horse without a payment. I think your friend should write to the council and tell them that your use is "private" not commercial.

This has NOTHING to do with enforcing planning applications and EVERYTHING to do with attempting to raise several thousand pounds of business rates on the arena. They do snoop, a friend has had them spot that they left some tack in a barn - they had to have been 200 yards into private land to see in the door. As long as the consent was for "private" not "personal", fight them!
 
galadriel said:
Holly Hocks-
Thank you for that! It has really annoyed me, and much mroe the owner of course, as there is a possibility they might make her plough it back to a field!!!
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If the owner had planning permission in the first place, they won't make her plough it back into a field.......it sounds like it wasn't anyone from business rates who visited, as it is very rarely that we would then report anyone back to planning....we couldn't give a toss as to whether someone has planning for the building, the only thing there is concern for is that if they are using it for business, then rates are payable. I would suspect it was someone from planning that came out to you......my only advice is to appeal all the way. Good luck!
 
I work for the local council too and you would be amazed at what people complain about. My bet is someone has complained to the council so as Holly Hocks said, they have to investigate.
 
There is always some little person who normally has no life, no friends and that enjoys winnging to the council. Makes them feel important. :rolleyes:

It's called 'I'm an arse' syndrome. :cool:

I had one call the council on me for . . . . wait for it . . . . fencing. The white tape of my electric fencing. LOL.

Council came and we had a chuckle over it.

Let them prove it's for financial gain.

The councils don't have a pot to pi$$ in at the moment so don't think they will be taking you to court over it.
 
Am I missing something here, no Council department can dictate to anyone who can or cannot use a manage, providing it is not commercial, private or personal use would surely include family and friends. I am dead against all these cuts to front line services, but, when you read about money wasting antics like this, massive salaries of Council Chiefs, and the phenominal expenses claimed by Councillors it really is quite disgusting.

Now that MP's corrupt expence claims have been exposed, I'm sure that there would be rich pickings for anyone who cared to have a good look at Councillors expenses. Perhaps this should be looked at before any more people who do usefull jobs are made redundant.
 
AndySpooner said:
Am I missing something here, no Council department can dictate to anyone who can or cannot use a manage, providing it is not commercial, private or personal use would surely include family and friends. I am dead against all these cuts to front line services, but, when you read about money wasting antics like this, massive salaries of Council Chiefs, and the phenominal expenses claimed by Councillors it really is quite disgusting.

Now that MP's corrupt expence claims have been exposed, I'm sure that there would be rich pickings for anyone who cared to have a good look at Councillors expenses. Perhaps this should be looked at before any more people who do usefull jobs are made redundant.
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Yes good points raised, I think now the open cheque book is closed from central
goverment there isnt enough money for the councils to look after themselves and still provide services So obviously its better to get rid of 4 members of front line staff
on say 25k than the chief on 200k, because its more important to pay a jumped up social worker or 3rd rate acountant a small fortune than have daycare for the aged or public toilets , childrens services ,street cleaning etc ...
 
tasteofchaos said:
I might well be wrong but I *thought* that as long as the school was ridden in by people who aren't paying to do so (which would obviously make it a business, subject to taxes etc) then you were allowed.
But no, they haven't got anything better to do with their time. The big issues are ignored i favour of minor nit picking.
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hey.. i would have thought the same as the above. So long as its not being used as an equine business and she's not earning from it it shouldn't be an issue. You can't stop your friends from popping round the run around your garden so I don't think they can do that. I'd get their decision notice and go through it very very carefully.. they are a right nuisance at times!
 
PeterNatt said:
Sounds very odd and fishy to me. If planning permission was granted for the menage it would under normal circumstances be for familly and friends. Ask to see the original planning consent form.
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How would you know it would be for family and friends? The stables on my paddock have permission for "the applicant's own horses only .... and not for any commercial use". When we purchased the paddock I checked with the council who said we would have to apply to have the pp changed as we werent the original applicant and therefore the pp would not allow us to use the stables, even though we were the purchasers of the paddock. We decided to take a chance and not bother - and so far, no-one seems to have noticed.
 
Holly Hocks said:
I work for a local authority and a small part of my job is investigating people who should be paying business rates, but aren't. But we only deal with bigger issues as we really don't have time to deal with stuff like this and I've never heard of anyone being asked to sign something like this!!! It sounds to me like someone has a gripe and has complained to the council which makes it duty bound to investigate, but it sounds like someoe really is being rather officious!!
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I think this is it. I had a complaint last year because I had put three coloured wasp catchers in my tree which could be seen from the road. The guy from the council was lovely and rather embarrassed to ask but they are duty bound to follow up a complaint if its made. The problem is busy bodies who have nothing better to do with their time than worry about triviality.

Tell you what we'll all sell up to p@ckeys and then they'll really have something to complain about. Sorry can you tell this is a pet hate of mine.
 
Hmm. Leg-yield from side to side of track, SI along track, pick trees as markers for transitions, use forks for ToF/ToH...much schooling is possible on a hack! :)
 
BBH said:
Tell you what we'll all sell up to p@ckeys and then they'll really have something to complain about.
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:eek: :eek: :eek: Just when you thought people were having an interesting, civilised discussion...I can't quite tell if your problem is with people of Pakistani origin or Romany Gypsies, but either way :eek:
 
perfect11s said:
Yes good points raised, I think now the open cheque book is closed from central
goverment there isnt enough money for the councils to look after themselves and still provide services So obviously its better to get rid of 4 members of front line staff
on say 25k than the chief on 200k, because its more important to pay a jumped up social worker or 3rd rate acountant a small fortune than have daycare for the aged or public toilets , childrens services ,street cleaning etc ...
Click to expand...

I agree with the above. My main job is shall we say - identifying Housing benefit claims which are "wrong" - you know, the ones where people forget to say their partner has moved in, or accidentally forgotten about that job they get paid for etc etc. Over the past few years I've been doing the job, I've worked my backside off, saved my local council hundreds of thousands of pounds in benefits and you know what?? In a team meeting the other day, my manager told me I'm an easy target for redundancy as I'm not considered essential! I get paid £23k per year and save about 3 times that per year for the council. Thanks very much Mr Cameron and the other one - whatsisname.....they will NEVER get my vote again.
So if you see a post from me pleading for help to rehome my two horses, you know what's happened!!
 
Holly Hocks said:
I agree with the above. My main job is shall we say - identifying Housing benefit claims which are "wrong" - you know, the ones where people forget to say their partner has moved in, or accidentally forgotten about that job they get paid for etc etc. Over the past few years I've been doing the job, I've worked my backside off, saved my local council hundreds of thousands of pounds in benefits and you know what?? In a team meeting the other day, my manager told me I'm an easy target for redundancy as I'm not considered essential! I get paid £23k per year and save about 3 times that per year for the council. Thanks very much Mr Cameron and the other one - whatsisname.....they will NEVER get my vote again.
So if you see a post from me pleading for help to rehome my two horses, you know what's happened!!
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I know how difficult it can be dealing with the sort of case load you have, and for some prat to tell you that you are not essential is just gross stupidity. I know that the Government has virtually declaired war on people on benefit, and the usual tactic of high lighting a lot of really outrageous fraudulent claims, and getting thier mates in papers like the Daily Mail (what a horrible rag), to try and make out everyone on benefits is the same, in an attempt to justify thier policy.

We all know that any system needs proper enforcement to stop people taking advantage, and thats why your job is essential. Just look at how MP's took advantage of a poorly enforced claims system, and we are supposed to trust them. Calling any parlimentarian 'honourable' is now just a sick joke, and thier own fault.

Time was when a local councilor was a person who in thier spare time went to meetings and held surgeries to help local people about local issues, now the whole thing has been highjacked by political parties furthering the careers of people who are only in it for themselves and the party. They claim massive amounts in expenses, and use the expense system as wages, local people come very far down the agenda, until they need your vote.
The whole sorry thing run by Chief Executives on mega bucks.
Rife with corruption, just look at how some of these people vote on planning issues.

We always think that nowhere is as good as the UK, an over infalated attitude of self deception, when it comes to government, local or national. In France, if someone has a problem the Town Hall is thier first port of call, not like here where the Local Council is avoided like the plague by anyone with any sense.
 
It's nice to know that the government care about us. When its only their biggoted desire to have some power in their weedy little lives!
It's just really annoyed me that some prat has decided to complain about her, especially as she is the wife of a farmer who runs a MASSIVE commercial farm, that ADDS to the economy!

Oooooh I'm bitter.

That's rediculous that they can say that to you!! Cut's here, cut's there! You know, my generation have been completely screwed over by this government, for many reasons, and not only the tuition fees! Especially for me aiming to go into veterinary! I'm not saying that the current tax paying generation arnt suffering at all, I know you all are, but I'm just a bitter young person, and I can see myself in 50 years, sitting in a caravan with 40 cats, grumbling at my small handheld TV! Ha! Maybe I'm just being sinacle!

Very helpful to know everones views!
 
I bloody hate British society, living and regulations as it is now. You can't fart without having to record it and send it away to some bleddy department or other.

Gone are the days when we could just be people.

I, personally, have had enough of all the fecking crap.
 
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