ALLOTMENT bosses have defended the decision to order a Huddersfield bee keeper to move his hives.

As reported on Saturday, Jason Clegg was told he could not keep five hives of honey bees at the Woodhill Avenue allotment in Oakes.

He has been given 28 days to remove them after being told that the bees are ‘livestock’.

Mr Clegg, 37, of Rutland Road, Longwood, received a letter telling him Kirklees Council had discretion to allow livestock on allotments under the 1950 Allotments Act.

But it added that the culture and leisure services department, which runs allotments, did not permit bee keeping on any allotment.

John Fletcher, from the department, said: "Hives are not permitted on allotments due to the dangers they can present to other allotment holders, such as swarming.

"However, wild bees do not pose this threat and should be encouraged on to allotments because of their pollination activity. For this reason we advise people against the indiscriminate use of pesticides."

Mr Fletcher said it was right for the bees to be classed as livestock.

"If you look at the dictionary definition of ‘livestock’, it is any animal and if you look at the definition of ‘insect’ you’ll find that an insect is an animal," he said.

"We had a complaint about the hives being kept at the Willwood Avenue site and that’s why we investigated it.

"As much as I enjoy my jar of honey and as much as bees are a vital part of the eco-system, I don’t think public spaces are the place to keep them.

"I think this is a sensible decision – we have to protect everyone’s interests."

Mr Fletcher said he would be willing to talk to bee keepers about finding places for them to keep bees.

He added: "The National Trust would probably talk to people about them going on to moorland, somewhere off the beaten track, but we don’t have such significant land holdings."

But Lindley councillor Tony Woodhead said he was confused by the decision.

"I don’t fully understand," he said.

"I can see why people might object to bees being kept near them, but that’s not necessarily a good enough reason to move them.

"I think bees are extremely important and I’m looking into this situation."

If Mr Clegg fails to remove the hives, which house about 100,000 bees, within the 28-day time limit he faces being given a notice to quit his plot by the council.

The father-of-four, who also keeps bees in his garden, said he intends to comply with the order.