Jason's anti-social bee-haviour order

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), June 20, 2009

Byline: SAM CASEY

HONEY bees have been evicted from a Huddersfield allotment.

Kirklees Council has told plot-holder Jason Clegg to move his beehives from the Willwood Avenue allotment in Oakes - because the insects are 'livestock.' Unless he complies within 28 days he will be kicked off the site.

Father-of-four Mr Clegg, 37, said: "I think it's absolutely crazy." The IT consultant, of Rutland Avenue, Longwood, took over the allotment site in April.

He spoke to other plot-holders and introduced five hives, for about 100,000 honey bees, fenced off by a two-metre high mesh.

But, following an inspection by the council, Mr Clegg received a letter this week headed 'Willwood Avenue Allotment Site - Bees.' It said, under the 1950 Allotments Act, the council had discretion to allow livestock on allotments.

But it added: "Permission must be sought before any livestock is allowed on an allotment site.

"I am sorry to inform you that culture and leisure services do not allow bee keeping at our allotment sites." According to the letter, he now has 28 days to remove the bees.

If he fails to do so he faces being issued with a 'notice to quit.' Mr Clegg, who has been researching bees for the last 10 years and has a hive in his own garden, gives the honey he produces to friends and family.

He said: "The honey production is an obvious benefit, but it's not the be all and end all.

"Before I took over the allotment, I asked the allotment secretary for his thoughts on bees.

"Being a gardener, he was all for it. He spoke to some of the other plot holders and they expressed excitement and wanted to get involved because they recognised the value of bees being there for pollination.

"There were some initial concerns, but everyone has been fine about it." He said honey bees were vital for Britain's crops - pollinating 80% of the plants which humans depend upon and providing produce that is worth pounds 1bn a year to the economy.

He said there was also a need to encourage bee colonies because growing numbers are being wiped out by disease, pesticides and climate change.

Mr Clegg believes the council's decision contradicts its own environmental policies.

"Instead of our local council promoting bee keeping and trying to support what is rapidly becoming an endangered species, they are doing the exact opposite," he said.

"They are trying to paint a green picture and then taking all steps necessary to prevent the recovery of one of our most beneficial insects."

The Examiner asked for a comment from the council's culture and leisure services department, which is responsible for allotments, but did not receive one.

But Kirklees mayor Julie Stewart-Turner, a councillor for the Green group, said: "We do want to allow people to encourage bees, but allotment plots are very close together.

"But we should be able to provide alternative spaces, because they are extremely important to our food chain."

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CAPTION(S):

* HIVED OFF: Bee Keeper Jason Clegg and his son Dathan (right) tend to one of their hives. Below, part of the warning letter Mr Clegg has received from Kirklees Council Pictures by Andrew Catchpool ( * LOSING THE PLOT: Jason Clegg at the Willwood Avenue, Oakes, allotment