Ragwort infestation: who to report to?

[Lolo]

As title really. My google fu is low and the situation is out of control- how can we keep our fields safe when others don't even try?

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Its the same round by us...I have never seen so much of the stuff..!!!!!

 

[JillA]

DEFRA, but you have to put pressure on them, they would really rather not. Owen Patterson is our MP and also the minister - write to him if you get no help from Defra. It is all getting out of control including publicly owned land.

 

[Auslander]

Makes me so cross! Its' a notifiable plant, and the councils ought to be forced to take action to eradicate it from verges/council owned land. My new place has been carefully maintained, but I am finding young ragwort plants, because the verges are full of the bloody stuff. Grr!

 

[mon]

Our farm is ragwort free as sheep don't give it a chance to grow but horse fields roadsides and railway lines all covered with it, I think they who let it grow are a disgrace. But unless they control it no hope.

 

[Dry Rot]

DEFRA, but you have to put pressure on them, they would really rather not. Owen Patterson is our MP and also the minister - write to him if you get no help from Defra. It is all getting out of control including publicly owned land.

I thought the minister was Richard Blockhead. Oops! I mean Lochhead. Silly spell checker!

Anyway, the Achilles heel is to mention to your MP that there does not seem to be much point in voting because when we do and they get into Parliament and make the laws, the civil servants simply ignore them!

DEFRA has a DUTY to take action when they see an infestation so have a double duty to take effective action when it is reported to them.

Keep chasing them! This subject is covered again and again on this forum. Do a search.

 

[Lolo]

Thank you guys, will contact DEFRA. We've just had enough- if they want to endanger their horses, fine, but we don't want to do the same to ours.

 

[JillA]

Good luck - you will probably have to shout at them. Let us know how it goes?

 

[BBH]

My neighbours are shocking for ragwort infestation. Who are they


The highways agency.

 

[Dry Rot]

Just a tip.

When dealing with civil servants/large agencies/companies, it pays to address your complaint to whoever is at the top of the heap (Google for that), mark your letter Private and Personal, keep a copy, and send it Recorded Delivery. If Google doesn't reveal who that is, phone head office. If they ask what you are calling about, say it is personal.

If you want to be beastly (like me!) you can put a note on the bottom of your letter "Copies to (name) MP. Editor of (your local newspaper), BHS", and anyone else you can think of.

It is worth remembering, too, that anyone can be a journalist. So you can legitimately say you are doing an article for such-and-such a newspaper (doesn't mean you will complete it, let alone that it will be accepted or even published!) and want to know what they are going to do about the ragwort infestation.

Always be polite and to the point. State a six figure map reference (which you can find from Streetmap.co.uk or Google Maps) of the infestation, put a picture in Photobucket and state the link in your letter.

Go get 'em!

 

[Lolo]

Thank you! I'll keep you updated- hopefully they'll start doing something about it soon

 

[JillA]

Nice one Dry Rot - I do like a nice underhand tactic

 

[Slightly Foxed]

Good stuff Dry Rot, currently surrounded by ragwort, council farm fields, highways and the field next door owned by a retired solicitor who appears to be cultivating the yellow peril despite my education last year and plea to have have the stuff cut down - I did offer to do it myself but... 'Course my problem is Nadine Norris is my MP - go Google!