Alliance calls for five year freeze on concessionary rod licenses

[Elton]

Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Simon Hart has challenged Defra Minister Jonathan Shaw to freeze concessionary rod licenses for the next five years following huge increases since 1997, which threaten to marginalise elderly and disabled anglers.

 

More details here:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/News/alliance_...ng_licence.html

[snobber]

I cannot see the point of this freeze, what about people that will be eligable for a concessionary license in the next 5 years only to be denied them because some 2 faced scumbag of a politician wants to score browie points.

 

I have recently qualified for incapacity benefit, after struggling for the past several years of not being able to get a job because of my Arthritis!

 

I have applied for a blue badge so as to obtain a concessionary license, and be able to park nearer to the supermarket when I do my shopping. I now recieve £86 per week an extra £27 which means I can now afford heating in the winter. Up to now I have had to wrap a blanket around me and cauddle a hot water bottle for warmth, because the governement see fit to pay me less than is needed for a comfortable lifestyle.

 

The politicians are all too ready to criticise the disabled for not working, when they are the ones who place the obstacles in our way by not forcing employers to give us work. I would love to have a nice easy job that pays around £300 per week and be able to afford a holiday and go out for a nice meal in a resaurant once in a while but the reality is no employer will give me a job when he can employ a Jam Roll (Pole) at less than the minimum wage, as they do not come under British employment legistlation.

[poledark]

Like I have always said, it is simply another tax, bears no relation to the reality of fishing.

 

Should be scrapped altogether.

 

Den

[jimpy0]

@ snobber - you don't need your blue badge to get a concessionary license just take your entitlement to disability/incapacity letter or letter stating you are going to get "x" amount of pounds with you to the post office.

 

I have not worked for 4 years due to health reasons and would never even be considered by any potential employer, some days its just a chore getting up and trying to find something to fill the day.

 

Just glad i can sod off out fishing when the weathers nice to fill the void.

Edited May 22, 2008 by jimpy0

[Steve Walker]

the reality is no employer will give me a job when he can employ a Jam Roll (Pole) at less than the minimum wage, as they do not come under British employment legistlation.

 

That isn't true. Legally the minimum wage applies to migrant workers just as it does to UK nationals. That's not to say that the law isn't being broken by some employers.

 

http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/pay/nati.../page12589.html

 

National Minimum Wage Act: Summary

 

All workers in the UK are entitled to be paid at least the national minimum wage (Section 1)

 

The Secretary of State will set the rate of the minimum wage by Regulation (Sections 2, 5)

 

It will be expressed as an hourly rate (Section 1)

 

The minimum wage will apply to:

 

* all workers over school leaving age (Section 1, 54)

* overseas workers even if they are only in the UK for a short time (Section 1)

* agency workers and homeworkers who may not otherwise qualify as ‘workers’ in employment legislation (Section 34, 35)

* Crown employees (Section 36)

* staff of the House of Commons and House of Lords (Section 38, 39)

* mariners (Section 40)

* agricultural workers already covered by the agricultural minimum wage (Section 46, 47 and Schedule 2)

 

It will not apply to:

 

* the genuinely self-employed, office holders, directors (unless they have an employment contract) (Section 54 - definition of worker)

* school children below school leaving age (Section 1)

* the armed forces (Section 37 - amended in Committee)

* share fishermen (Section 43)

* voluntary workers (Section 44)

* prisoners working under prison rules (Section 45)

* A worker cannot collude with his employer to be paid below the minimum wage (Section 49)

[Dick Dastardly]

Another example of how both the government havnt got a clue what its like to be on benifits and another clear indication of the game/course divide-

 

"Licences for non-migratory trout and coarse and salmon and sea trout fishing have increased by 109 and 64 per cent respectively."

 

I can only just afford to go course fishing but have to swallow a 109% rise but if I could afford to go salmon fishing still I would only have to pay (all though still outrageous) 64% increase!!!!

 

For anyone lucky enough to be in good health and therefore able to earn a proper living who doesnt realise why I think that some on benifits through no fault of their own should get a concession on this legal requirment -

 

Its simply because we have no dosh!

 

Nothing to do with "bank acsess",amount of time we can go fishing or any of the other sh1te excuses non benifits recievers sugest.

 

If it hadnt been for the potential embarrasment it could have caused Steve this year I wouldnt have brought my two (thanks to my girlfriend and kids) and let the EA know! In fact I would have relished the (very remote chance of anyone bothering to check my rod licence as the "poll" I did on here a few years back proved) thought of being caught and taken to court as I would not have paid any fine (er what with?) and carried on fishing regardless.The publicity would hopefully have showed the system as it is.Would they have jailed me? At least I wouldnt have to worry about paying bills,where my next meal came from or sat there shivering my fat arse off all winter because I cant afford heating! No worries of if the roof came off every time the wind blew either.

 

For many years Ive dissagreed with Dens hatred of the Rod Licence (yes Ive often expressed my lack of faith in the EA and the way the revenue is used but not the basic principle of paying) but as each year goes by Im starting to think he is right.

 

Regardless of what I have or hgavnt done over the years I dont think "the world owes me a living" just a fair break.

[BoldBear]

I cannot see the point of this freeze, what about people that will be eligable for a concessionary license in the next 5 years only to be denied them because some 2 faced scumbag of a politician wants to score browie points.

They will not be denying anyone whos eligible for the concessionary licence during the 5 years from getting one.

They just want no more increases in the cost of the concessionary licence for five years, perhaps the wording is a bit vague but when they say 'freeze on concessionary rod licences' they meant 'freeze of any price increases'.

 

I hope thats what they meant anyway.

Edited May 22, 2008 by BoldBear

[Team Man]

They will not be denying anyone whos eligible for the concessionary licence during the 5 years from getting one.

They just want no more increases in the cost of the concessionary licence for five years, perhaps the wording is a bit vague but when they say 'freeze on concessionary rod licences' they meant 'freeze of any price increases'.

 

I hope thats what they meant anyway.

 

 

Thats exactly the way I read it BoldBear, I couldn't make sense of Snobbers post, I thought it was me