LATEST FROM PETER BRYANT

[Guest TAMMY_1]

RESULT OF DELIBERATIONS WITH DEFRA 14 DECEMBER 2006

 

The Presidents of the NEHU, WHPU, NWHU and the RPRA and myself were in attendance at DEFRA on 14 December to start negotiations over the 2007 licence conditions for pigeon racing, shows and gatherings.  I must start by stating that this meeting was formal discussions.  DEFRA considered a comprehensive document that I had provided on problems in the 2006 season, financial implications and the latest veterinary advice.  

 

No decisions were made and nothing we discussed can be considered concrete.  The DEFRA policy team will now make recommendations to the senior policy advisors to the Minister and we can expect a formal announcement towards the end of January 2007.  What I can say is that the talks were very positive and constructive and all the delegates left the meeting in a positive frame of mind about racing in 2007.  There are likely to be some tweaks to the current licence conditions. It is certainly our hope that, subject to any AI outbreaks, we will be able to achieve unrestricted distance in 2007.  Clearly, if there are AI outbreaks in areas, whether the UK or the continent, then racing, training and gatherings will be restricted under the AI contingency plans (much like we have for Newcastle disease outbreaks).

 

I reiterate that until we see the final licence conditions early next year, nothing is certain but all the delegates are very optimistic about 2007.

 

 

 

 

[blackjack]

Let us hope that commonsense will rule but expect the unexpected with defra .Well done though to Peter for all his hard work defra are not ease to deal with they are political creatures.

[Guest TAMMY_1]

he does put a lot of work in and he still has his critics, don;t see anybody else arguing the case alongside him