Government cuts mean immediate freeze on some agri-environment scheme capital works:
As part of the government’s drive to find £6bn of overall savings this year, Natural England has decided to take immediate action by freezing additional new in-year HLS and Classic Schemes capital works for payment in this current (2010/2011) financial year .
The key point for members is that the suspension does not impact on existing agreed payment commitments or indeed those applying for new agreements with a capital works element.
In summarising the situation Natural England has stated that:
Defra and its delivery bodies like Natural England will contribute £162m to the government’s overall £6bn savings this year – that is 5.5% of Defra’s budget for 2010/11. Like most areas that are not ring-fenced, the RDPE will make a contribution to that reduction in the budget deficit.
One part of the cuts is a reduction in the RDPE budget in 2010/11. This is a first step in efforts to reduce the public sector deficit and Natural England and Defra are working with central government to balance this need with the need to protect the environment. Existing commitments for agreements and capital works will not be affected.
However, this will have a significant impact on the number of new in-year capital works within existing agreements that Natural England are able to offer this year.
Within a much smaller budget for capital works additions to existing agreements, Natural England will look to fund the projects which deliver the greatest environmental gain. Natural England is still able to offer new HLS agreements, including capital works. The agency will continue to discuss with agreement holders the possibility of agreeing further capital works later in the year, when they have a clearer picture of all of the budget priorities.
No comments have been made.