Kirklees Council orders bees off Huddersfield allotment...because they’re livestock

Jun 20 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

HONEY bees have been evicted from a Huddersfield allotment.

Kirklees Council has told plot-holder Jason Clegg to move his beehives from the Willwood Avenue allotment in Oakes – because the insects are ‘livestock.’

Unless he complies within 28 days he will be kicked off the site.

Father-of-four Mr Clegg, 37, said: “I think it’s absolutely crazy.”

The IT consultant, of Rutland Avenue, Longwood, took over the allotment site in April.

He spoke to other plot-holders and introduced five hives, for about 100,000 honey bees, fenced off by a two-metre high mesh.

But, following an inspection by the council, Mr Clegg received a letter this week headed ‘Willwood Avenue Allotment Site – Bees.’

It said, under the 1950 Allotments Act, the council had discretion to allow livestock on allotments.

But it added: “Permission must be sought before any livestock is allowed on an allotment site.

“I am sorry to inform you that culture and leisure services do not allow bee keeping at our allotment sites.”

According to the letter, he now has 28 days to remove the bees.

If he fails to do so he faces being issued with a ‘notice to quit.’

Mr Clegg, who has been researching bees for the last 10 years and has a hive in his own garden, gives the honey he produces to friends and family.

He said: “The honey production is an obvious benefit, but it’s not the be all and end all.

“Before I took over the allotment, I asked the allotment secretary for his thoughts on bees.

“Being a gardener, he was all for it. He spoke to some of the other plot holders and they expressed excitement and wanted to get involved because they recognised the value of bees being there for pollination.