Growers ask others to pay for their rate cut
Friday 2nd July 2010, 2:30PM BST.
GROWERS in St Sampson’s want households and businesses to pay higher rates to cover a cut in theirs.
They are proposing that the owners of large vineries pay less than half what they are paying currently – £391 instead of £1,083.
Small and medium size vineries would also pay around half the amount handed to the parish now, while householders would see their rates increase.
If approved, the growers’ rates payable on various categories of land would see a the owner’s rate for a business in the parish rise from £1,495 to £1,621.
Guernsey Growers’ Association TRP representative Rodney Brouard (pictured) said the current rates were too high for growers and the unit allocations were unfair compared to other categories.
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When you lot were rolling it in—
Did you offer to help the less fortunate?
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Maybe with their reduction that the vineries get.. they can spend it clearing up the derelict vineries !!!Parishes should have the power to fine those in a dangerouse state.
Oatlands Vinery & Les Effards for a start ! Someone is gonna have their head cut off with flying glass at Oatlands one day !
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Given that we need to be increasing the level of foodstuff grown here, that sounds like a very sensible idea! However, to keep the balance, ensure that the majority is sold locally (in the shops & not just as hedge veg) – then as we are effectively subsidising growing locally, ensure that the prices of local food are lower than the imported equivalent. The two have to go together.
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Tom
I assume from your post that you are happy to see the growing industry die then???
Try to look beneath the facts, when the growing industry was in its prime it did a heck of a lot to help out those less fortunate. Certainly a damn sight more than our current main income provider.
Try to think things through logically before spouting such rubbish.
DP
I totally agree about derelict glasshouses, they are unsightly and dangerous, and fines should be imposed for owners of such properties.
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Its never ceases to amaze me how a misleading headine can give the wrong impression to so many people.
Fact 1: The growers are NOT asking the rest of the St.Sampsons parishioners to subside their business.
Fact 2: Its not only the growers who have been hit by the ridiculous increase (in my case by 1000%) which was implemented in 2009.
Fact 3: The St. Sampsons Douzaine have not provided a level playing field for householders, growers or small businesses in their parish..other parishes have.
All we ask is that the rates charged are on a par with those charged in 2008 and previous years.
Those with glasshouses (whether in commercial use or not), together with individuals such as myself with small agricultural/equine businesses were devastated by the increase in rates last year. To add insult to injury, our requests for an explanation were either ignored or whitewashed.
The St. Sampsons Douzaine have now been put in a position to account for this, and are blaming the growers because they, and others like myself have had the audacity to put a stop to this.
My rates increased by over £750 last year. To compensate, a normal household would be asked to provide an extra £5 – £10 this year. So who has the right to complain here?
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i suppose if all the house owners who object to the growers’ proposals turn up and outnumber the growers, that will be that? i confess to not knowing all the details but i was instantly uneasy when mr brouard was revealed as the growers’ leader. i think mr brouard has never done nowt publicly without some vested interest, even if perfectly genuine and legit. how many millions you and your companies worth mr b?
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Not at all ‘The Man’
But sometimes a harsh word brings a little sense into this somewhat Topsy turvy world of growing-
We, who at one time was one of the largest exporters of tomatoes have had to lower ourselves to buy some red tasteless objects closely resembling ‘Tomatoes’
I am so surprised that those who own glasshouses in a reasonable condition doesn’t grow enough for home use.
The nonsense of getting permission goes back to the days of GUB, instigated by the occupation days- Get on with it, give the people the taste once again of real tomatoes.
“Sorry if I offended “The Man” but it does make one angry when there is so much talk and no go.
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