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EA frustration.

Graham Elliott

Graham Elliott

Senior Member & Supporter
I have applied to the EA to allow me to herbicide spray a bankside area on the Severn. Its overrun with weeds.

I have a commercial spray licence at the highest level.

After completion 5 pages of questions, including all product details/ usage rates/ owner agreements/location etc. They now seek that my
Certificate includes a PA6b reference.

I have explained this is just a module completed on the original PA6 course that can now be undertaken bit by bit.

Indeed I advised that they had previously given me agreement to spray an SSI water meadows site on the Hants Avon.

So. I have followed all their requirements in the past.

I am asking the NCTB (Spray city and guilds) Association if they possibly re issue my certificate to include the b notation. Fingers x either way.

I am beginning to understand why some clubs might just go ahead and get someone... anyone ....to just do it. Probably using totally wrong and damaging herbicides.

Fingers x.
 
Good luck Graham HS2 are still waiting for EA permission to put an access bridge across my section of the Colne. Its not expected for at least another 2 months. The bridge was due in position the 1st week of December. The bridge plans have been in place nearly 2 years. They put a bridge across a side stream without any permission on Monday. The EA does seem to be full of red tape these days
 
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Graham Elliott said:
I have applied to the EA to allow me to herbicide spray a bankside area on the Severn. Its overrun with weeds.

I have a commercial spray licence at the highest level.

After completion 5 pages of questions, including all product details/ usage rates/ owner agreements/location etc. They now seek that my
Certificate includes a PA6b reference.

I have explained this is just a module completed on the original PA6 course that can now be undertaken bit by bit.

Indeed I advised that they had previously given me agreement to spray an SSI water meadows site on the Hants Avon.

So. I have followed all their requirements in the past.

I am asking the NCTB (Spray city and guilds) Association if they possibly re issue my certificate to include the b notation. Fingers x either way.

I am beginning to understand why some clubs might just go ahead and get someone... anyone ....to just do it. Probably using totally wrong and damaging herbicides.

Fingers x.
Click to expand...
I hope that's the lower field Graham :p
 
This country is full of people making money and keeping there jobs by doing f### all, amazes me how anything gets done, well in fact it doesn’t. You reckon we could make an hospital in a week if we had a corona outbreak in this country. The surveyors would be coining it in for 6 months before a shovel got lifted.
 
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Bringing this back up to show how useless the EA are.

I requested an extention to this agreement for another year.

The Doctor at the EA Severn Trent who originally agreed stated he saw no reason why it should not be OK. But I needed to go back to PSCO.

So back to EA in Sheffield with the agreement number and confirmation that in its entirety nothing had changed. The same location, the same herbicide.

After 10 weeks and 3 reminders that I was waiting, finally a reply.

I would need to resubmit the entire forms with full details plus the location map of the site.

I responded that all the details were as before, again giving the site location and the agreement number and that I had waited 10 weeks for a reply and treatment time of early spring growth is key regards invasive weeds etc.

Not good enough for the EA. The full new application form would be needed with all details again.

Currently the normal time frame for consideration is 12 weeks.

So if you think the EA is underfunded, maybe the way they work is the key.

Given up now. Guess most fisheries that need similar treatment just do it.
 
I feel your pain Graham. You would think that given it was decades of inertia by the EA and it's forbearer the NRA which allowed invasive alien to become as bad as it is, they would perhaps have a heightened sense of urgency for pushing through permits.

Incompetence such as this causes multiple issues down the line. Not least the spread of invasive alien weeds. Nobody sensible would dispute the need for some regulation regarding pesticides use anywhere, especially next to a waterbody. Yet the failure of the regulator to carry out even the simplest of tasks in a timely and uncomplicated fashion just adds weight to the argument of those who see all regulation as 'needless, bureaucratic red-tape'.

It is utterly infuriating.

Worth emailing your MP about. They are really the only people with the power to do something about it.
 
Just say you're a Farmer, spray whatever herbicide you like, when you like, to within about a foot of the River.....
 
Joe, Ben.

The Herbicide used and intended is actually one that CAN and Is approved for use actually IN Water let alone the 1 Metre from the river as I stippulated we would undertake

So frustrating.
 
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