The hunting vote crucial for rural future
National Trust members set to decide on hunting over the charity’s land
LEADING figures in the fight to keep hunting on National Trust land hope “common sense will prevail” in a vote on its future.
The charity’s AGM takes place on Saturday (21 October), at which members will vote on a motion calling for hunting to be banned on all its land.
“The motion is not supported by [the charity’s] trustees, so I am hopeful,” Master of Foxhounds Association director Tim Easby told H&H. “As one of the custodians of rural England, the National Trust quite rightly allows
a number of activities on its land, of which trail hunting is one.
“Packs have hunted on National Trust land for generations — more recently under licences — and I think it would be a sad loss to rural England if they were banned. We hope common sense will prevail.”
The Countryside Alliance (CA) is also encouraging National Trust members to use their votes.
“There were 67 packs granted licences to trail-hunt on the trust’s land last season, many of which would be unviable should there be no access to the land in the future,” said CA head of hunting Polly Portwin.
“No hunt has ever been convicted of a Hunting Act offence on National Trust land, yet the anti-hunting movement continues to make false allegations about legal trail-hunting.
“We are completely in agreement with the National Trust board’s recommendation that the members should vote against the resolution to ban trail-hunting.
“We hope common sense prevails and hunts will be able to continue to work with the National Trust to help conserve an iconic and important element of the British countryside.”
The trust had also announced changes to licences under which hunts are allowed on its land (news, 31 August). These include the requirement that hounds follow an artificial scent, and that hunts must post contacts and details of meets online.
Mr Easby and the CA both oppose these changes and have been in discussion with the trust.
“We’ll have to see what happens,” Mr Easby said. “Once we’ve got through the vote, we’ll talk to them about these and hopefully get them changed.”
A National Trust spokesman said: “Our AGM provides as much opportunity as possible for members’ questions and for a general discussion.”
He added that the charity’s governance handbook states: “Members’ resolutions are an indication of members’ views, of which the board of trustees will take account, but are not binding.”
Next week (21-28 October) is the CA’s newcomers’ week, during which a number of packs run days for those who have never hunted before. Send pictures and experiences to catherine.austen@ timeinc.com for possible inclusion in our 2 November edition.