Council proposed to give commoners more control

A council would bolster commoners' powers over the agricultural activities on their land, including the gathering of animals, disease control and delivering agri-environment schemes, which are currently collaboratively managed through voluntary commoners' associations.

Over the last few years the Federation of Cumbria Commoners has been working with Defra to see how a commons council could become a useful and effective body for Cumbria.

Joe Relph, chairman of the Federation of Cumbria Commoners, said: "We believe a commons council for Cumbria is now more necessary than ever if commoning is to remain viable in this post-Brexit world.

"Commoners need to have a voice in the design of new agricultural policy and systems of payment. A commons council will give us better chance of getting heard and help us maintain the commons and promote good standards of livestock husbandry,"

In 2013 the federation consulted their members, developed a proposal for a council and organised a successful vote.

However this plan to submit an Establishment Order to Parliament was put on hold as the associations were busy negotiating and securing entry into Upland Entry and Higher Level Stewardship schemes and could not commit enough time to setting up a commons council.

The federation believes that the Brexit result has changed everything and is taking up where it left off.

The 2006 Commons Act made provision for establishing statutory commons councils. These are recognised by law and can make legally binding rules to help if commoners, landowners and others with an interest in the common can’t agree about how to manage the common.

The Federation now needs to know if commoners are still interested in a commons council for Cumbria and are writing round to the chairman of local commoners’ associations.

If they find enough interest, they will be holding public meetings for commoners in January to explain the process and what has to be done next.