With ELS and HLS coming to an end at the end of December this year, and no successor schemes currently in place, and there will not be until January 2016. 1 Dec 2013 is the last start date for ELS, applications for ELS need to be in by 1st September 2013.
A single start date for new schemes will be from 1st Jan 2014. With CAP reform in 2014 and first new scheme will not start from 1st Jan 2016. Natural England have been busy briefing advisors
Transitional Arrangements for 2014 and 2015
2014 about 5000 agreements come to an end including ELS , CSS ESA (Classic schemes ) Classic agreements ending may move to HLS
2014 transition measures could extend schemes but would come from a new scheme budget. Which could be a problem, the alternative would be a new agreement but from a policy perspective, this addresses old issues and may not meet new objectives.
Extending existing agreements is cheap but difficult from an IT perspective.
In 2015 12,500 agreements end, all ELS including upland future will depend on what comes out of the new scheme.
2015 not yet covered by the commission but a start date of 1st January 2015 is a given.
NELMS (New Environmental Land Management Schemes)
NELMS will be above the Greening base .
Budget: no idea yet but current budget of £400 m will not be increased
Drivers:- Climate Change resilience
Bio diversity towards 2020 targets
Water frame work directive are the key issues
In general, a simpler scheme with site specific options for the most important sites but also work at the landscape scale. Other issues:
Higher level more details: site specific and very targeted, SSSI SAC Water framework directive areas, bespoke agreements, one to one advice etc. Capital items may be available for higher tier schemes.
Middle tier landscape level similar environmental objectives across areas (Lawson areas?) high density of agreements, standard options, training will tend to be in the form of group.
Lower tier universal offer open to all, simpler (budget is important) ? targeting / localism limited, options group training
Budgets two scenarios depending on the level of Greening that is adopted by the CAP
1) Greening is some form of certification (higher level) and ELS in current form not so required therefore less money for ELS but possible more for targeted schemes overall a lower budget.
2) Low EU greening – ELS required at current budget to try and achieve some of the government’s environmental commitments This might end up as being similar to CSF approach of advice + grants.
Payments will only be for income foregone and not for public goods as required by WTO.
Woods and Forestry EWGS is likely to be included into any new environmental scheme.
Review of the current scheme and new options is being undertaken
12 themes
1) Objectives: have the original objectives been achieved
2) Landscape: what has been the impact on the landscape
3) Involvement and integration:- how well have the schemes worked
4) Synergises with other schemes and voluntary schemes such as water quality and integration with other schemes
5) Output performance. Feed back during schemes
6) Agronomic and forestry measures integrated advice better performance. ? where does CSF fit into the proposals
7) Adaptability and flexibility of the proposed schemes
8) Quality assurance of process from start to finish
9) Tailored advice and training what is needed and how will it delivered.
10) A cultural shift in land management
11) Simplification
12) Targeting to make scheme more effective at local regional level and national.
Review of current schemes including CSF
16 Groups have been reviewing the current schemes
Measures are going to need to be verifiable
Payment rates income foregone but with outside verification
Key Date October 2013: When decisions will be made and schemes sent to Brussels for agreement.