Visit to Lancashire members

The CLA North Regional Surveyor, Robert Frewen, took the new Regional Director, Lucinda Douglas to visit members in Lancashire and tour parts of the county. The theme of the visit was flooding where it is a significant issue in the west of the county.

The first stop was to see Miles Silcock who farms on the River Alt north of Liverpool. He explained his frustration with Environment Agency works on flood problems in the area, a problem that was evident throughout the trip.

Next they went north to the River Crossens where Lancashire committee member, Amy Hargreaves had arranged for a number of local farmers to come for lunch both to meet Lucinda and to set out the problems caused by the EA withdrawal from drainage work and the need for a drainage board to replace it.

The final visit was to Andrew Hull who farms near Cockerham north of Preston. Again the principal issues centre around EA maintenance of the water courses. Andrew showed Lucinda the outfall of the River Cocker that discharges onto the salt marshes where new doors are needed to prevent salt water running upstream at high tide but which open effectively at low tide to allow the farmland to drain properly.

The trip was interesting and informative, giving Lucinda a clear understanding of what is needed at a national level in terms of CLA policy and lobbying on water management as well as being an enjoyable opportunity to meet more members.