Conflicts of Interest

Hatherleigh Moor Management Committee

When the agricultural rights were handed back to the Potboilers in 1951, the constitution that decreed this stated that a committee should be formed to keep the land in good grazing condition (link to original constitution)

This committee was originally formed and the Cleverdon family have been at the helm since its inception. In fact, Mr Geoffrey Cleverdon, the current Secretary & Treasurer, has been a member of the committee for over 65 years and is the last remaining Founder member. As was the way many years ago, original members were known to attract relations and close friends & business allies to join them on the committee.

The 1951 constitution states that graziers should pay a voluntary amount per animal – this currently translates to 10p a week for a sheep and 2 lambs or 75p a week per cattle.

From 2015 grants have been paid from Defra, which have been held in the Potboilers account. The yearly amount of government grant gained is currently. £41,949.12. 6 Graziers were paid a total of £18,509.11 in 2018/2019.

In October 2016, a motion was put to HMMC that graziers should receive half of the yearly government grant. A concerned committee member states that”named graziers voted in favour of the motion without declaring a conflict of interest and no member left the room during the vote” When asked about this HMMC tried to justify their actions by producing a Defra instruction. However this gives no clear statement that only graziers are entitled to receive grants. In fact the BPs Active Farmer Test received from Savills clearly shows that even farmers with NO STOCK can claim the grants. This has been confirmed by Stags.

HMMC, acting for the Potboiler community, is the Active Farmer link here.