NEW MEMBERS FOR THE INDEPENDENT AGRICULTURE APPEALS PANEL

17 Nov 2004 10:45 AM

Twenty eight new members have been appointed to the Independent Agriculture Appeals Panel.

They will be joining the existing 16-strong pool of members. Details of the new members are attached together with a list of the existing Panel Members.

Panel Members are paid a fee of 158 per day for attending hearings plus a half day's preparation fee, together with expenses.

Appeals Panels meet to consider appeals from farmers and traders against decisions made by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in administering the various schemes which it operates.

The Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) Appeal Procedure was introduced on 1 April 2002 and was followed by the UK Appeal Procedure for non-IACS Schemes which came into force on 1 April this year.

Two further appeal procedures have been introduced for farmers unhappy with decisions taken by the RPA in establishing their entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme. These are the Single Payment Scheme Appeal Procedure in England and the Single Payment Scheme Moorland Line Appeal Procedure in England. Information about all four appeal procedures is available on the RPA website: www.rpa.gov.uk.

A further appeal procedure will be introduced next year to deal with appeals from farmers dissatisfied with decisions taken in connection with the ongoing administration of the Single Payment Scheme.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The Appeal Procedures are administered by the Rural Payments Agency which is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England and for certain schemes throughout the UK. It will be responsible for administering the Single Payment Scheme in England.

2. The advertisement for the additional panel members appeared in the farming press on 30 July 2004. 320 people requested the information pack and nearly 300 submitted application forms.

3. The selection procedure was conducted under guidelines set by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, with an independent assessor involved throughout.

4. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Where this is applicable the information is included with the Panel Members' details.

5. News Release 122/02 issued on 26 March 2002 announced the appointment of the original Panel Members whose initial appointments extend until March 2005.

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Mr Richard Angood is a self employed farmer and contractor. He has previously been the chairman and treasurer of the March and Chatteris Agricultural Training Group, and Melton Mowbray National Farmers Union (NFU) Assistant Group Secretary.
He holds an unremunerated ministerial appointment as a lay member on the Agricultural Land Tribunals and has declared no political activity.

Mr Richard Betton is a self employed farmer, a farmers' liaison worker for Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services and a District Councillor.
He is the Leader of the Teesdale Independent Association. He has no other ministerial appointments.

Mrs Sarah Blackford is an Inspector of Organic Food Standards working on behalf of the Soil Association, and an active member of a farming partnership. She was previously a MAFF (now Defra) Horticultural Marketing Inspector.
She has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Robert Caudwell is director of two farming businesses totalling circa 2,000 acres. He is a NFU Headquarters spokesperson and also Chair of the Northern Area Advisory Panel for the Anglian region of the Environment Agency. He is a District Councillor and Labour Party Chairman for Wainfleet and District. He has no other ministerial appointments.

Mr Mark Cossens is the owner / working manager of a coal merchant and distribution company. He worked previously as a farm manager. He is Town Mayor for Frinton and Walton Town Council. He has canvassed on behalf of the Conservative Party and has obtained office as a Local Councillor. He has no other ministerial appointments.

Mr Philip Denee is a farmer and self employed chartered surveyor. He was formerly a land agent. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mrs Jane Dyson is the farm director of a 500 acre family dairy / arable business. She was previously the director of a large farming co-operative buying group and a farm management consultant. She has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Graham England is a self-employed pig and sheep farmer. He has extensive experience on NFU committees, including acting as National Chairman of the Pigs Committee. He has had various appointments within Meat and Livestock Commission. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Ms Marie Francis OBE is a freelance journalist writing on agriculture, environment and rural affairs, and a rural consultant. She previously ran an arable farm for 25 years. She was awarded an OBE for services to Agriculture and Rural Economy in 2003.

She has two other ministerial appointments, one on the Food From Britain Council (2000 pa), the other at the Home Grown Cereals Authority (4300 pa), and has previously been a member on the board of the East England Development Agency and the National RDA Rural Committee. She has declared no political activity.

Mrs Rosalind Gough is partner in an agricultural consultancy practice in the south west. She was first lady chair of the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants. She has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Mark Howard is a self employed mixed business farmer, as well as a small / farm business advisor and consultant. He has previously held senior positions in the NFU and Milk Marque. He holds an unremunerated ministerial appointment as a lay member on the Agricultural Land Tribunals and has declared no political activity.

Mr John Hugill is a self employed mixed business farmer. He is also a member of the North Yorkshire County Council Single Regeneration Budget Agricultural Panel, local NFU chair and vice chair of his County NFU. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mrs Anna Jonas is the Technical Manager for Soil Association Producer Services. She was previously a farm manager in the pig farming industry.
She has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Peter Johnson is a self employed business advisor and agricultural advisor to solicitors. He was Director of Farming with Farmcare up until 2001 and is former Chief Executive and Managing Director of Booker Countryside.
He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Peter Lawler runs his own supply and agricultural consultative business. He is also as organic farm inspector and agronomist. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Martin Lea is a self employed farmer. He was previously Director of the Express Milk Partnership and vice chair of East Cheshire Panel of Lay Visitors to police stations. He has canvassed for the Labour Party on behalf of his wife. He has no other ministerial appointments.

Mr Alistair Mackintosh is a self employed tenant farmer and NFU county chairman for Cumbria. He was previously farm manager for Muncaster Estates. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mrs Elizabeth Mansfield is a self employed marketing and PR consultant working with rural and agricultural enterprises. She is also Mid Anglia WFU Branch chair, and partner in 1000 acre family farm business. She has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr David Papworth is the Managing Director of a family farm business and vice chair of the Environment Agency Local Flood and Defence Committee. He is also Governor of his local Agricultural College and honorary life vice-president of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Andrew Pye is a tenant dairy and sheep farmer and rural businessman. He was recently elected local director on the board of a dairy farming co-operative. He was also chair of a farmer run buying group for two years and is vice chair of his local NFU branch. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr James Reader recently retired as Chief Executive of Wimbledon and Putney Commons. He was previously a farm manager and land agent. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

James Reed OBE is a self employed Agricultural Consultant. He was formerly the Chief Executive of the UK Agricultural Supply Trade Association (UKASTA, now called Agricultural Industries
Confederation). He has a ministerial appointment as unremunerated member of the Defra Voluntary Initiative Steering Group, and has declared no political activity.

Mr Glen Sanderson is a self employed farmer (formerly tenant) and part time consultant working with Business Link for Northumberland and the Improvement and Development Agency. He is also County Treasurer for his local NFU. He has two other ministerial appointments, one on the Home Grown Cereals Authority (3800 approx pa) and also works as a Justice of the Peace for which he is paid expenses. He is a Conservative councillor for Castle Morpeth Borough Council.

Mr Simon Smith is a farmer and part time property consultant for a large land agency, at which he was previously Associate Director. He is also vice chair designate of his local NFU. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mrs Jane Uzzell is a farmer and saddler and Chair of the Yorkshire Dales Equine Access Group. She has previously been a solicitor, MAFF (now Defra) Diseases of Animals Inspector and a member of a parole board. She has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mrs Elizabeth Wareham is a farmer and farm administrator. She was formerly Personal Assistant to the Chief Constable of the Devon and Cornwall Police Constabulary. She has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Stephen Willis is a self employed dairy farmer and chair of the NFU Dairy Board for North East. He is also secretary to a farmers' buying co-operative. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Mr Tim Wilson is a Rural Practice Chartered Surveyor for Salisbury Plain. He was previously a land agent with National Trust. He has no other ministerial appointments and has declared no political activity.

Existing Panel members

Margaret Angood
David Boreham
Neill Broughton
Stephen Cobbald
Molly Collishaw
Mark Donsworth
John Edge
Lesley Gilman
Susanna Gorst
Patrick Grange
Judith Green
Robert Hicks
Muriel Naughton
Robin Sandys-Clarke
Janatha Stout
Patrick Wrixon

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