GridLine Newsletter for National Grid Company grantors Autumn 2003 Minister starts tree tag drive ATURE Conservation Minister Ben N Bradshaw has launched a National Grid Transco/Tree Council campaign to protect hedge trees. The aim is to ensure there is no net loss of hedgerow trees in the UK, helping to meet one of the National Biodiversity Action Plan targets. Tagging saplings is the first stage of the campaign — making them more visible so that anyone cutting hedges knows to avoid them. The modern practice of flailing hedges every year with mechanical cutters means that saplings normally get trimmed back, along with the hedge, giving them no chance to grow into trees. And National Grid grantors are being encouraged to help. “Anyone who wants to get involved simply has to get in touch with our wayleaves team, who will supply the brightly-coloured tags,” said NGT community relations manager Sean Regan. “Safety is the company’s highest priority and an important part of our maintenance programme is to manage the growth of trees near high-voltage overhead lines, helping to protect the public and the network by maintaining Tagging an ash tree… Nature Conservation Minister Ben Bradshaw, centre, with Tree Council statutory safety clearance,” said Sean. chairman Caroline Davies and Gareth Llewellyn, group head of safety, environment and “That, along with our environmental corporate responsibility for National Grid Transco commitment, is why we are delighted to The leaflet emphasises the importance is then up to the farmers and landowners support the hedge tree campaign.” of seeking permission from farmers and to make sure the hedge-cutter operators Tags, and a tagging tips leaflet, are landowners before any tree tagging. leave tagged saplings to grow into also available from The Tree Council. “We want volunteers to get in touch mature trees.” The scheme was launched at an with farmers and landowners and offer to To obtain free hedge tags (while stocks Oxfordshire farm. Mr Bradshaw said: “The help them by tagging hedge tree saplings last) contact our wayleaves team (address tagging of hedgerow trees is another for them,” said Jon Stokes, the Tree on the back page) or The Tree Council, practical way for farmers and landowners Council’s director of community projects. 51 Catherine Place, London SW1E 6DY. to show their growing concern for the “The success of this campaign depends E-mail: English countryside. This initiative is a way on volunteers gaining permission and [email protected]. of helping them to do this.” then tagging safely and responsibly — it Website: www.treecouncil.org.uk 2 NEWS NEWS 3 One-stop ‘shop’ to handle all wayleaves issues ATIONAL Grid Transco has with all rights, access and hope this will ensure that the some of our wayleave officers incorporates all field wayleave because of the heavy is concerned with exploring deals with the acquisition of Nestablished a new policy issues over land used for highest possible standards are are leaving and others have officers, wayleave wardens workload. best practice across the planning permission and department to unite the energy transmission and maintained. Merging the three moved on to new roles. Our and administration assistants. This team is headed by field country. Former wayleave consents for new electricity previous gas and electricity distribution, and with the groups so that all operational grantors are key stakeholders They deal both with gas and wayleaves manager Alan warden Lucy Hunter (née transmission lines, new gas wayleaves departments grantors who have land issues fall under one in the company and we hope electricity wayleaves, and Naylor. Wilson Holmes, Alan Williams) has joined this team. pipelines and valuation and the former National Grid transmission assets on their umbrella, will also offer that they too will benefit from cover 11 “patches” around Whitmore and Simon Gronow G Consents and issues. Planning and Environment land. opportunities to improve the the changes.” the country, with one wayleave have been promoted to senior Acquisitions is headed by G The Wayleaves and Group. “This rationalisation gives us quality and consistency of The 70-strong Land and officer and one wayleave field wayleaves officers. Paul Roberts, and his senior Easements Enquiry Team is The Land and Development an opportunity to identify and service. Development Group is split into warden in each patch, apart G Land and Development specialists are Trevor Beeston, managed by Richard Walsh, Group — headed by manager share best practice across the “For our grantors, however, four teams: from the North East where Policy is managed by Charles Waite and Steve and it offers the 0800 389 Hector Pearson — now deals country,” said Hector. “We it’s business as usual, although G Field Wayleaves there are two wayleave officers Catherine Lowe, and this team Knight-Gregson. This team 5113 helpline. We say farewell to… Meeting the Queen one of the highlights of a colourful career AS PART of the reorganisational changes, National Grid Transco has or is about to WHEN red tape thwarted Percy Claridge’s the South of England Show as National bid farewell to a number of wayleave staff. plans to follow a career in the United Grid’s representative, and meeting “Together, they represent more than 100 years of experience and service in the States, he became a wayleave officer as a Prince Charles twice in the same world of wayleaves,” said Hector Pearson. “Some have served not only National Grid “temporary” measure. capacity. and National Grid Transco, but also the former Central Electricity Generating Board. “I needed to find a job quickly and “Not so good memories include getting “All have worked towards setting the highest of standards and have done much when I saw the job advertised in the lost on a cold and wet February day in to build constructive and successful relationships with our grantors. We wish them Farmers Weekly and the East Anglian 1983 on Graveney Marshes, pre-mobile all the very best for the future.” Daily Times, I thought that would do phone and radio days. It took me until We spoke to some of the leavers… nicely until I got some money together,” 8.30pm to find a way out!” he said. he said. Percy says he always enjoyed the As it turned out, Percy’s “temporary” challenge of seeing a job to completion, Off to a new life Down Under job lasted for almost three decades — with harmony and minimal interference and after joining Central Electricity damage to grantors’ land. “I shall miss the DAVID Warner, formerly wayleaves head Generating Board’s wayleave team grantors,” he said. “It is really important for (South), has also left… but he has jetted off during the scorching summer of 1976, a wayleave officer to get to know his Down Under to carve out a new future with he stayed on for over 27 years, finally grantors, and, of course, to be known by his wife Cindy in Christchurch, New Zealand. retiring during this year’s scorching them. You need to be the face of National Cindy is nursing at the main hospital in summer. Grid Transco. Grantors always want to Christchurch, while David, 38, pursues Percy’s early years were spent in know who to contact if they have a query plans to buy a livestock farm and set up a Sussex before his family moved in 1946, or a problem. land management consultancy. immediately after the war, to what was “It’s always worked for me. Over the “We had visited New Zealand a couple of then British North Borneo — now last 21 years I have done all the times and really liked it,” he said. “When we known as Sabah — where his father wayleaves for eight or nine major line decided we wanted to buy a farm, we felt worked for the country’s post-war Civil refurbishment schemes or other major New Zealand was the place to do it because Service. projects and I am sure that knowing so of the outdoor lifestyle there. The adventure Three years later, the family was living in many of the grantors involved, and having and challenge involved also appealed.” Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Percy grew a lifelong involvement in agriculture, David — formerly Gloucester-based as helped smooth the way.” David Warner up there — his father farming at times, Transco’s Western area wayleaves officer either growing tobacco or rearing poultry. In retirement, Percy and Joanna, a — joined National Grid in 2000 as group course in estate management at the Royal When he left school, Percy worked on the company secretary, hope to spend more head for the South West Area. He was Agricultural College in Cirencester in 1989 land before spending two years at time at their holiday home in Beauchamp brought up in Cirencester with a strong and moved to Transco after working in agricultural college. After graduating, he in France’s Poitou-Charentes region and farming background — generations before private practice for four years. got a job with the Ministry of Agriculture they are looking forward to visiting him had farmed in Gloucestershire. After “I thoroughly enjoyed my time with as an agricultural adviser to African Canada next year for their son’s leaving school, he joined the Royal National Grid, they were interesting years farmers that were mainly irrigation wedding. Percy bought a tractor over 10 Engineers on a three-year short service and I learned a great deal,” said David. settlements. years ago to restore — he’s hoping that commission, serving in the Middle East “Ultimately, Cindy and I would like to set up “I had a lot to do with seed growing Flashback… National Grid wayleave officer Percy Claridge, right, meeting the Queen at the now it will get some attention for the first and Africa as well as the UK.