Law Change
Law Change
Jim Cunningham withdrew his Bill himself, when it was due to come up again on 23rd July 99. He was low on the list and had no chance of any time. He has been given a slot in October and expects to be allowed about ten minutes to speak on the subject.
Lady Gardner of Parkes will introduce this Bill into the House of Lords at the beginning of the new Parliamentary session. (A likely time for this is in the second half of November)
Historic Background
The second reading of this Bill, together with Andrew Rowe's Bill, came up on 7th May 99. There was not time for for the debates.
Mr Jim Cunningham's said, at the time of the postponement.
'Last week I met the Minister responsible, who assured me that the Government's proposals should be ready within a couple of weeks. He said that they had taken soundings from a number of organisations including Hedgeline ........... .
In view of the Government's assurances, I shall not press my Bill but wait to see what they do in the coming weeks. If they take no action, I shall seek to take the Bill further'.
Jim Cunningham's Bill was set to come up again on 23rd July 99.
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We heard prior rumour that the Hedge-Bill (Andrew Rowe's Private Members Bill) was to be killed.by the Government when it came up on March 26th. 99. The mover of the "Right to Roam" Bill said that he was withdrawing it at 9.30 am but the debate went on. The Minister of Agriculture introduced a non-urgent Government statement on pets from 11 to noon. Then the debate went on until 2.00 pm.
Minister Michael Meacher, replying for the Government repeated what everyone had said then went into meticulous detail, answering with frequent glances at the clock until closure time at 2.30. All this was obvious deliberate filibuster.
An extract from a press release from Andrew Rowe's office :-
"A disappointed Andrew Rowe said: 'I don't know what the Government is afraid of . They say they have been considering his matter for a year but they have no idea what to do. When they are offered a solution they not only refuse it but they take steps to prevent it even being debated. All the available time was taken up with a Bill on he right to roam which its proposer said he was going to withdraw. But to make assurance doubly sure they introduced a ministerial statement (on pets) for which there was no urgency. This, of course, followed their usual treatment of private members' time. There has only been one Friday his session which has not been interrupted by Government statements.
The growing number of people victimised by giant hedges will want to know what the Government is now going to do to help them.'
The Bill is to come up again with Jim Cunningham's Bill on 7th May 99.
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An additional EDM, to help our cause has been tabled by Mr Jim Cunningham MP.
At this early stage it has been signed by 20 MPs.
That this house recognises the misery caused by excessively large hedgerows and is supportive of of any measure which offers greater protection whose for those whose lives have been blighted by excessively high hedgerows and calls upon the Government to give consideration to the introduction of statutory measures which would allow local authority planning officers to exercise greater control over the height of residential hedgerows by amending the the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to extend the 'right of light' to tall hedgerows.
Information first received on March 16th 99.
We have received notice that Jim Cunningham is to introduce a further Private Members' Bill. The Bill suggests that our problem should be dealt with by giving greater powers to Local Government Environmental Officers to deal with hedges which are 'planted in such a way as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance'. We have received the text of the Bill.
It is unlikely to get any Parliamentary time, but as Jim Cunningham says it will suggest to the Government an alternative way of dealing with the problem to that put forward in Andrew Rowe's Control Bill, thus giving a choice.
Hedgeline welcomes the fact that it will give our concerns an even higher profile, in Paliament.
Jim Cunningham MP
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Hedgeline has received a letter dated 13th January 1999 from Mr Andrew Rowe MP, who was 17th on the list of 20 MPs successful in the Private Members' Bills Ballot. The letter reads as follows.
'Andrew Rowe, Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent, will today present a Bill in the House of Commons proposing to restrict the height of hedges in residential areas.
For the last nine months the Government has declined to comment on the need for some kind of Government intervention in the area of problems caused by high garden hedges and leylandii trees in particular. The 'Hedges Control Bill' would put what are currently only voluntary codes of conduct on a statutory footing. The time has come to tackle some of the very real problems caused by high garden hedges, including loss of light and loss of view.
At present, under the 'Town and Country Planning (General Development) Order 1995', a planning application is required to erect a boundary fence or wall next to a highway used by vehicles, or two metres elsewhere. The Hedges (Control) Bill proposes to subject hedges in residential areas to the same local planning authority'.
Andrew Rowe MP
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Text of Proposed New EDM to be Introduced by Dr Lynne Jones MP. (EDM 101, March 1998) .
Dr Lynne Jones MP has introduced a new EDM for the current session. This is her second 'hedge-control EDM'. The wording of the new motion is quoted below. (The previous EDM, number 1003, gathered over 199 signatures before the end of its session - 1997/98).
SANCTIONS AGAINST GIANT HEDGESEDM 101
09.12.98
Jones/LynneThat this House welcomes the Answer given by the Minister of State for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning to a Parliamentary Question in which he stated that he would consider 'whether some form of government intervention in relation to Leylandii trees and other high boundary hedges is necessary'; recognises that a key element in many of the most distressing disputes over high hedges is unsociable behaviour and harassment; therefore, believes that the Crime and Disorder Bill also represents an excellent opportunity to introduce effective measures to tackle the vindictive impulses of those who insist on allowing their hedges to reach monstrous heights, with the main purpose of inflicting misery on their neighbours; and urges the Government to take steps, either through improved planning regulations or crime legislation, to tackle this increasing menace
We are very lucky to have the support of Dr Lynne Jones MP. She is MP for Selly Oak, Birmingham and our earliest Political supporter. She joined our cause as Michael Jones' MP during his protracted, and much publicised, Court case.
She has introduced Early Day Motion, number 1003 into the House of Commons. The EDM will be effective until the end of the 1997/98 Paliamentary Session.
SANCTIONS AGAINST GIANT HEDGESEDM 1003
11.03.98
Jones/LynneThat this House welcomes the Answer given by the Minister of State for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning to a Parliamentary Question in which he stated that he would consider 'whether some form of government intervention in relation to Leylandii trees and other high boundary hedges is necessary'; recognises that a key element in many of the most distressing disputes over high hedges is unsociable behaviour and harassment; therefore, believes that the Crime and Disorder Bill also represents an excellent opportunity to introduce effective measures to tackle the vindictive impulses of those who insist on allowing their hedges to reach monstrous heights, with the main purpose of inflicting misery on their neighbours; and urges the Government to take steps, either through improved planning regulations or crime legislation, to tackle this increasing menace.
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