CONCERNED sheep badgers are asking the district council to reconsider plans to introduce an order in Bream that they say will make it impossible to run sheep and threaten the longstanding tradition.

The Forest of Dean District Council is planning to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Bream following an inquiry into ‘anti-social behaviour associated with irresponsible shepherding of sheep in the West Dean parish area’.

The PSPO would make it ‘an offence for anyone to allow sheep to enter and remain within a designated area. However, it will not prohibit sheep from passing through the area whilst moving from one area of grazing land to another.’

Mick Holder, secretary of the Forest of Dean Commoners’ Association said: “There are two issues with this: the first is that it will be impossible to police without extra resources, which will cost ratepayers dearly. If they overcome that, the second is that it’s impossible to comply with the order. Some areas will be fine for sheep to graze and others won’t. I don’t know who is going to educate the sheep on which is which.

“The police have said publicly that they don’t support this. If they aren’t involved, how will the council enforce the order? The council needs to treat us differently from the commercial farmers who run hundreds of sheep in the Forest. Some of our members only run a couple of sheep. We do this to uphold an ancient custom and tradition, not as a profitable business and the threat of court actions or fines if the sheep stray into the ‘wrong’ area will make many people stop altogether.

“This needs a common sense approach: we know there are problems in Bream, but if someone is causing a nuisance then summon them as an individual under existing legislation. The PSPO won’t solve the problem.

“By introducing this order, the council is effectively banning sheep badging. That’s what the result will be. The Commoners’ Association has offered to sit round the table with them and with representatives of the sheep scrutiny committee and the sheep liaison committee to discuss an alternative plan for the future.”

The council is planning to make a decision on whether to introduce the order at a meeting on Thursday, October 20.