Graham Stuart MP expresses delight at Beverley Pasture Masters progress
Posted by Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, at 12:32, Tue 11 September 2007:
Local MP, Graham Stuart, has expressed his delight at the support given by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Cabinet to the use of a Local Bill in the continuation of the Beverley Freemen.
Efforts have been made by MPs and Members of the House of Lords for six years to change the law so that groups like the Beverley Pasture Masters do not die out for lack of members. Currently, under the 1836 Pasture Act, Pasture Masters are elected annually from the Freemen of Beverley. However, Freemen must be born in the town and be male.
Following a meeting in Parliament with Graham, Government Minister, Angela Smith suggested that the East Riding Council should pursue the use of a Local Bill. A Local Bill involves a resolution at a Full Council meeting, which requires the support of a majority of all councillors, whether present at the meeting or not, and has to be publicised 30 days prior to the meeting by advertisement. If the vote is successful, an application is then made to Parliament by the end of the current year and the procedure then takes approximately one further year.
On July 17th, the East Riding Council Cabinet agreed in principle to the use of a Local Bill. It was agreed that the Legal and Democratic Services department would contact Sally Fraser, Clerk to the Pasture Masters, to seek assurances that the Pasture Masters would fund the Local Bill process. Once this has been done, the process can then begin.
Graham said, “This is excellent news. It seems that after many years of waiting, we have now started a process which will lead to the continuation of the Pasture Masters. It will take a year or two, but it now seems likely that this ancient tradition, almost unique to Beverley, will continue to thrive.”
If you would like to contact Graham, please email him at graham@grahamstuart.com or call 01482 679687 to find out when he is next holding a Street Surgery in your area
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