United Utilities - please challenge shoot leases decision

[Conor O'Gorman]

Can you link where they have published this decision?

It was a verbal announcement at their AGM. Media reporting since then has included a quote from the United Utilities CEO along lines of "We made a commitment that we would no longer renew any existing shooting leases on a long-term basis and that has guided our approach over the last couple of years. I can now also confirm that we will not issue any new shooting leases as United Utilities as we go forward.”

Some regional press articles as follows:

United Utilities moves to end grouse shooting on its Lancashire moorlands

United Utilities has made a historic move to end grouse shooting on its Lancashire moorlands.

www.lep.co.uk

United Utilities to end grouse shooting on its moorlands

Leases will not be renewed or issued in 'restoration' move

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

The real story is perhaps this:

Water firm to pay shareholders £300m despite anger over leaks and pollution

United Utilities accused of ‘making mockery’ by raising dividend in face of sewage spills and continuing leakages

www.theguardian.com

The decision by United Utilities to hand more than £300m to shareholders has prompted fresh anger over water companies’ multimillion-pound payouts, at a time when the industry is under pressure to spend more on tackling leaks and stopping sewage pollution.

The company, which supplies more than 3m homes and 200,000 businesses across the north-west of England, from Carlisle to Crewe, had the unenviable title of England’s most polluting water company last year, according to Environment Agency data.

 

[potshotpat]

United Utilities. Priorities. To the public
1 Clean water for the masses
2 Sewerage removed not into rivers,streams or into the swimming waters on our rivers and coasts.
3 Leaks repaired
4 Keep customers bills down.
United utilities. Priorities to the share holders
5 Maximum dividend to our share holders friends
6 as above.
7 as above
8 as above
9 as above
10 share holders interest. Is as in below
11 united utilities share holders don't give a monkeys about field sports
12 get real.
Oh and the suns going to shine all day.

 

[Dave Lakes]

It was a verbal announcement at their AGM. Media reporting since then has included a quote from the United Utilities CEO along lines of "We made a commitment that we would no longer renew any existing shooting leases on a long-term basis and that has guided our approach over the last couple of years. I can now also confirm that we will not issue any new shooting leases as United Utilities as we go forward.”

Some regional press articles as follows:

United Utilities moves to end grouse shooting on its Lancashire moorlands

United Utilities has made a historic move to end grouse shooting on its Lancashire moorlands.

www.lep.co.uk

United Utilities to end grouse shooting on its moorlands

Leases will not be renewed or issued in 'restoration' move

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

The real story is perhaps this:

Water firm to pay shareholders £300m despite anger over leaks and pollution

United Utilities accused of ‘making mockery’ by raising dividend in face of sewage spills and continuing leakages

www.theguardian.com

The decision by United Utilities to hand more than £300m to shareholders has prompted fresh anger over water companies’ multimillion-pound payouts, at a time when the industry is under pressure to spend more on tackling leaks and stopping sewage pollution.

The company, which supplies more than 3m homes and 200,000 businesses across the north-west of England, from Carlisle to Crewe, had the unenviable title of England’s most polluting water company last year, according to Environment Agency data.

Thanks Conor

 

[Scotty99]

I’ve had this response to my letter from UU…….looks like they are forging ahead…..no need for discussion or consultation with any organisation that might have a differing viewpoint……they are clearly anti shooting as they admit many of the current land manage techniques will continue to be used. So only shooting and shooters suffer.

Hello,
Thank you for contacting us to raise your concerns about the United Utilities’ updated land strategy. Building on decades of successful habitat restoration, we recently reviewed the way we manage our land to ensure we are fully focused on using our catchments to manage water quality, quantity and mitigate flooding, which are of strategic importance to us as we respond to the challenges of climate change.
Addressing these challenges requires a step change in our approach to help ensure a fully resilient ecosystem in which wet moorlands and biodiverse woodlands can improve catchment resilience by slowing the flow of water and improving water quality and retention – this is the primary reason we own this catchment land.
Following that review and to ensure we can focus on those areas, we will not be renewing shooting leases where we own the rights. This follows a decision made some time ago not to issue any such leases on a long-term basis. Stepping away from leasing our shooting rights, as those leases come to their natural expiry date over the next few years, provides an opportunity to work with stakeholders to change the land management approach and support the delivery of this long-term objective for increased catchment resilience.
We remain committed to working with others, to accelerate the restoration and rewetting of our peatlands and the biodiversity of our woodlands. We believe this will help unlock other opportunities to deliver a richer and more diverse approach to habitat management, conserving and improving biodiversity, including protected species, while also developing skills and jobs. We see this as an extension of our catchment management work which has been so successful in other parts of our region.
Our updated land strategy affects 24 licences where we have shooting rights within specific catchments. We are working through this transition with those who are affected by this change as the leases come to their natural end and we remain committed to working with others to help address climate change risks such as wildfires and droughts whilst improving biodiversity. Many current land management techniques will continue and these will form part of new plans, developed and delivered with stakeholders and partners, providing new jobs and economic benefits for those who work in our catchment communities.

​

 

[Conor O'Gorman]

I’ve had this response to my letter from UU…….looks like they are forging ahead…..no need for discussion or consultation with any organisation that might have a differing viewpoint……they are clearly anti shooting as they admit many of the current land manage techniques will continue to be used. So only shooting and shooters suffer.

Hello,
Thank you for contacting us to raise your concerns about the United Utilities’ updated land strategy. Building on decades of successful habitat restoration, we recently reviewed the way we manage our land to ensure we are fully focused on using our catchments to manage water quality, quantity and mitigate flooding, which are of strategic importance to us as we respond to the challenges of climate change.
Addressing these challenges requires a step change in our approach to help ensure a fully resilient ecosystem in which wet moorlands and biodiverse woodlands can improve catchment resilience by slowing the flow of water and improving water quality and retention – this is the primary reason we own this catchment land.
Following that review and to ensure we can focus on those areas, we will not be renewing shooting leases where we own the rights. This follows a decision made some time ago not to issue any such leases on a long-term basis. Stepping away from leasing our shooting rights, as those leases come to their natural expiry date over the next few years, provides an opportunity to work with stakeholders to change the land management approach and support the delivery of this long-term objective for increased catchment resilience.
We remain committed to working with others, to accelerate the restoration and rewetting of our peatlands and the biodiversity of our woodlands. We believe this will help unlock other opportunities to deliver a richer and more diverse approach to habitat management, conserving and improving biodiversity, including protected species, while also developing skills and jobs. We see this as an extension of our catchment management work which has been so successful in other parts of our region.
Our updated land strategy affects 24 licences where we have shooting rights within specific catchments. We are working through this transition with those who are affected by this change as the leases come to their natural end and we remain committed to working with others to help address climate change risks such as wildfires and droughts whilst improving biodiversity. Many current land management techniques will continue and these will form part of new plans, developed and delivered with stakeholders and partners, providing new jobs and economic benefits for those who work in our catchment communities.

​

A stock answer to the (mostly) stock emails they are getting. Suggest we each email again in response with our own questions as we each see best arising from that stock answer. Email the chief executive of United Utilities, Louise Beardmore at Louise.Beardmore@uuplc.co.uk with your questions.

It's some years ago but when thousands of us rallied together against WHSmith age restrictions on buying shooting magazines they backed down. A 16-year old ran that campaign BTW. He did not accept the first round of stock answers, nor the second or third. We all kept going and they backed down.

 

[Northern_George]

I hope I am wrong but it doesn’t matter how much protesting is done etc they have already made their mind up and by the sounds of it are sticking with it dispite the loss of jobs.
Will be interesting too see if they offer the new jobs made by managing these catchmeant to the people who will be losing there jobs through it.

 

[Cumbrian 1]

I’ve shot many times with the chief executive of UU Steve Mogford, can’t wait to bump into him this season.

 

[stubear]

This was the canned response I got from them…

Thank you for contacting us to raise your concerns about the United Utilities’ updated land strategy. Building on decades of successful habitat restoration, we recently reviewed the way we manage our land to ensure we are fully focused on using our catchments to manage water quality, quantity and mitigate flooding, which are of strategic importance to us as we respond to the challenges of climate change.
Addressing these challenges requires a step change in our approach to help ensure a fully resilient ecosystem in which wet moorlands and biodiverse woodlands can improve catchment resilience by slowing the flow of water and improving water quality and retention – this is the primary reason we own this catchment land.
Following that review and to ensure we can focus on those areas, we will not be renewing shooting leases where we own the rights. This follows a decision made some time ago not to issue any such leases on a long-term basis. Stepping away from leasing our shooting rights, as those leases come to their natural expiry date over the next few years, provides an opportunity to work with stakeholders to change the land management approach and support the delivery of this long-term objective for increased catchment resilience.
We remain committed to working with others, to accelerate the restoration and rewetting of our peatlands and the biodiversity of our woodlands. We believe this will help unlock other opportunities to deliver a richer and more diverse approach to habitat management, conserving and improving biodiversity, including protected species, while also developing skills and jobs. We see this as an extension of our catchment management work which has been so successful in other parts of our region.
Our updated land strategy affects 24 licences where we have shooting rights within specific catchments. We are working through this transition with those who are affected by this change as the leases come to their natural end and we remain committed to working with others to help address climate change risks such as wildfires and droughts whilst improving biodiversity. Many current land management techniques will continue and these will form part of new plans, developed and delivered with stakeholders and partners, providing new jobs and economic benefits for those who work in our catchment communities.

​

 

[GeoffWood]

I have heard this man has been working on UU to get this done

12 Dec - Luke Steele, Horrible Criminal and Moorland Monitors Founder

They say you can judge an organisation or an individual by the company they keep. That is certainly true of the RSPB and a number of other wildlife organisations that continue to associate themselves so prominently with the most criminally minded and repellent of all the anti-grouse shooting...

www.c4pmc.co.uk

Also, the pheasant shooting on UU land is being stopped.

 

[Cragman]

I’ve shot many times with the chief executive of UU Steve Mogford, can’t wait to bump into him this season.

Don’t know if you’ve heard but he’s gone now. Louise Beardsmore is the new CEO.

 

[jall55]

I’ve shot many times with the chief executive of UU Steve Mogford, can’t wait to bump into him this season.

As above Steve has retired

I have done as mentioned above - thanks for your response etc etc but i wrote a specific letter - with specific points and expected a response to that - not just a statement.
I also copied in my MPs

I also wrote a letter to the lady Kathy Mccarthy - The labour minister who tweeted the ban was a positive

May i suggest as many of us as feel we can - actually do write

 

[finnbear270]

Had two identical replies, usual sh**e, they have made their decisions and it seems final.

 

[jall55]

Had two identical replies, usual sh**e, they have made their decisions and it seems final.

Write back Finn - stating you do not expect and indeed accept a generic response as you did not send in a generic letter

 

[GeoffWood]

I would not be surprised if this is only phase 1
I heard that a local farmer won't be getting his Moor grazing lease renewed.
Makes me wonder if UU are phasing out farming on their land.

 

[Northern_George]

Maybe UU customer could just leave and find any other supplier then they would loose £££.
The whole country is in a sorry state of affairs currently.

 

[GeoffWood]

Maybe UU customer could just leave and find any other supplier then they would loose £££.
The whole country is in a sorry state of affairs currently.

When the utility companies were privatised, it was supposed to improve efficiency and competition.
In the case of water, it created monopolies.
I am stuck with UU as the only option

 

[John Doe]

Realistically, UU must have hundreds of thousands of customers, a tiny percentage of which probably support shooting. I’m surprised it lasted this long to be honest.

 

[JTO]

I don't suppose UU's customers can get their water from another company.
I won't use the Co-Op since they banned hunting on their farms.
I won't use Sainsburys because of their association with the Labour Party.

 

[jimmy milnes]

I wonder what actual management plan these companies who are buying up all this land to tick a carbon box have, or if they think that large mass areas like this just look after themselves...
Jimmy

 

[Cragman]

They’ll be getting subsidies and letting the ARSEPB manage it