Although it was not found on Symonds and estate agent’s website after its brief appearance in one edition of the Midweek Herald, Ware Farm is now being given its appropriate exposure.
The farm, belonging to former disgraced District Councillor Graham Brown is advertised not only with details of its agricultural tie but also with the comment:
“Basic Payment Scheme
The vendors will endeavour to transfer the entitlements under the BPS, with the purchasers being
responsible for the agents costs involved.”
These are, of course, the Basic Payments received from the European Union for farming subsidies that ex-Councillor Brown neglected to mention when he applied to East Devon District Council to have his agricultural tie lifted saying that he had not practised farming on the land for many years. The council refused the application as “[it] was not satisfied as to the lawfulness at the date of application of the use specified in the application”.
see: Planning Application 14/2032/CPE
And just to be absolutely clear, the brochure says:
Planning
The house was built subject to an Agricultural Occupancy Condition. Planning Reference 00/
P0940/01309 which states that “The occupation of the dwelling shall be limited to a person solely or
mainly working, or last working, in the locality in agriculture as defined in Section 336 of the Town
and Country Planning Act 1990, or in forestry or a dependant of such a person residing with him or
her or a widow or widower of such a person”.
East Devon Watch 
The property details talk about 22.4 acres of land, but states that this is “protection and grazing”.
So just what farming subsidies does that land actually justify?
I wonder whether the basis for the BPS payments would survive an investigation as to their probity?
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Maybe it applied to the larger acreage. It doesn’t say that he has sold that acreage, only that it does not go with the farm in this sale. Interesting was the large amount of money raised by the equine area, which is included – more than £300,000. Presumably it is or was a stud.
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Well – if GB still owns the larger acreage (which he probably doesn’t) then I suppose he could still be claiming BPS. However….
1. If he is selling only a small amount of land, I don’t see how he could transfer the BPS for other land with the sale; and
2. If he is not farming (as he stated in his affidavit), then is the BPS “justified” in the firt place?
3. If he doesn’t actually still own the other land, should he still be receiving BPS for it?
As I said, I wonder whether the paperwork for his BPS subsidies would stand-up under scrutiny?
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Subsidies can be checked with the EU.
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http://cap-payments.defra.gov.uk/Details.aspx?CAPPaymentProcessed2ndId=4341411&Page=&Sort=
It seems the last recorded payment was £4592.20 in 2014. This is much less than some previous years so presumably relates to a smaller acreage.
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Not necessarily – could just be that subsidies were lower, as there was some reforms to CAP at around 2013 and we changed to the Single Area Payment Scheme which consolidated separate payments into one.
So difficult to assess whether this is reduced acreage or reduced subsidies.
Either way, payments up to and including 2015 suggest that Mr Brown was still farming when he submitted his Certificate Of Lawfulness application.
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