Marlborough’s town councillors are facing an online petition to ‘Keep the Sheep’ grazing on Coopers Meadow.
Monday’s ‘full council’ meeting of Marlborough Town Council (December 15) will be discussing and voting on its Amenities and Open Spaces Committee’s decision to withdraw grazing rights for the town’s Coopers Meadow.
The committee split with five voting for the ban, two against and one abstention. The motion on the Coopers Meadow Management Plan stated that “…references to grazing rights are withdrawn so bringing it in line with the restrictions set out in the original lease and that the plan then be recommended to Full Town Council for adoption.”
The ban on grazing was not on the agenda. The agenda item was to approve the Grounds and Estates Manager’s scheme for the future of Coopers Meadow. Councillor Dobson then raised the fact that under the lease fences were not permitted – and no fences meant no sheep.
Speaking later, the Vice Chairman of the committee, Councillor Bryan Castle said the move to ban sheep ‘came out of the blue’: “The recommendation of the A&OS committee is a betrayal of the 2009 vision – with no effort made to spell out alternative plans or consult the public.”
The meadow has been managed by Action for the River Kennet (ARK) for the past five years. And the committee’s decision has come as a shock to ARK’s supporters.
At the time of writing the online petition set-up by ARK supporter Harry Forbes had collected 298 signatures and was aiming at 1,000. Signatories include former Mayor and councillor Edwina Fogg, former councillor Rich Pitts and campaigner Val Compton.
ARK will be tabling a question at the council meeting asking the Council to explain why they think a different way of managing the meadow would be better and what the cost would be.
The Gazette and Herald started a poll on the issue. But with 107 votes (104 in favour of keeping the sheep and three against) cast, the poll was suspended “due to voting inconsistencies”.
You can read the Director of ARK, Charlotte Hitchmough’s Column for Marlborough News Online about water meadows here.
