Government guarantees post-Brexit EU funding for New Forest

EU CASH worth millions of pounds to the New Forest has been guaranteed by the government until at least 2020.

The referendum result had thrown into doubt as much as £3.8m of allocated funding for environmental schemes in the area – including crucial payments to commoners for putting out stock, such as ponies.

But last weekend the chancellor, Philip Hammond, promised that whenever the UK eventually leaves the EU, the government would keep the money supply going at least until the end of all agreed projects.

In the New Forest, £19m of combined EU and Treasury money has been locked in for projects under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (HLS), a 10-year agreement – the largest of its kind in Europe – that ends in 2020.

But the Brexit vote put a question mark over how much of it the New Forest would receive once the government triggers Article 50 which starts a two-year countdown for the UK formally to leave the EU. About £3.8m is allocated during 2019 and 2020.

Environment secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “It means farmers are assured of current levels of funding until 2020 and any agri-environment schemes agreed before the Autumn Statement will be fully funded – even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

“I’m delighted we can provide this crucial certainty and continuity to our rural communities while we develop a new approach to supporting agriculture and protecting our precious countryside.”

The news was welcomed by Graham Ferris, chairman of the Commoners Defence Association which stands up for the 300-plus people who put more than 6,000 animals out onto the Forest.

“It’s good news generally because it provides some certainty in the medium term that the funding stream that to date has come from the EU will be guaranteed by the British government as it is at present. It gives people the opportunity to plan – which they would not be able to do.”

Looking longer term, he added: “I think that commoning in the New Forest – given how essential it is for the maintenance of the unique environment and habitat – will always need some public funding to continue to make it viable.”

The money is distributed by the Rural Payments Agency, and goes towards sustainable commoning, wetland restoration, and other projects to protect the New Forest. It is run by a partnership of the verderers, national park authority and the Forestry Commission.

The commoners currently receive about £750,000 a year from the scheme, with payment for each animal turned out on the Forest.

As reported by the A&T, the national park authority agreed last month to write to Brexit secretary of state David Davis to put the area’s case for sustained funding.

NPA chairman Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre – and former Official Verderer – said then: “We are not the only ones worrying about it. The verderers are probably the most concerned in the Forest at this moment in time.”

Other local EU funding is from the New Forest Leader programme which offers £1.43m of grants from 2015-2020 from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, which can unlock a similar amount in matched funds. More than £360,000 was also distributed between 2009 and 2015.

EU cash has also included £15,773 between 2012 and 2015 for the district council to invest in computer software to help schemes supporting local produce in the New Forest.

Hampshire County Council received more than £5.6m over nine years for projects including support for rural communities and for up to 525 young people to find work or training.