James Evans MS has questioned the Welsh Government on just what they are doing to address the staff capacity issues at Natural Resources Wales.
In the Senedd yesterday (19/06), James quizzed the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies MS on just what impact the staffing capacity issues might be having on land management agreements and how this could affect our farmers.
Natural Resources Wales have said they are currently looking at options for managing their remaining pressures and this includes their staffing structure.
Speaking in the Senedd, James Evans MS said:
“I’ve had a number of meetings and correspondence from landowners who all say the delays by Natural Resources Wales Staff in signing land management agreements are causing pressure on their businesses while they are waiting for these agreements to be renewed.
“Landowners are being told by NRW staff that they do not have the legal capacity or expertise to do this any longer.
“These management agreements are an essential tool for farmers and NRW to actively manage SSSI’s or land adjacent to them.
“The Welsh Government must mitigate this pressure to ensure our farmers are not being put at a disadvantage. They cannot keep simply giving NRW more and more to do when their funding is being cut.”
