Mid Tier Stewardship - Anyone been paid yet?

[bankrupt]

they are doing there best.

Quite so, parker.

NE is just as much a victim of the RPA as the RPA is a victim of the GDS.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/04/28/gds_hr_consultancy_report_exclusive/

 

[New Puritan]

Has anyone on here been offered a mid-tier agreement starting this year? I applied in Autumn 2016, have had a few emails from NE checking details but have not been given any further information. I did contact them the week before last, but all they could say was that they were waiting for guidance from their Head Office in respect of some "technical problems". The guy I have emailed has been as helpful as he can, but it seems they too are being kept in the dark about things for some reason.

 

[carpenter1]

I have got mine, it arrived last week. All checked by land agent today, signed and back in the post to them

 

[T Hectares]

Mine was approved 3 weeks ago.
I've started getting a few areas ready that we can, the rest will have to wait until after harvest now due to the late start.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

Had an email end last week querying yet more aspects of our application and stating as of the 4th April they will start getting rid of any incomplete applications etc to then put forward the ones they want.
He then proceeded to send me another email with someone else's information on And then another email saying I shouldn't have received that-no sh1t Sherlock
That's the third time we've been sent other peoples information,either by email or through the post....
To say I've lost faith in their ability to administer this scheme is an understatement.

I'm out

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Yep- not the most professional. I had a few versions of our agreement before they got it right(ish). First they missed off a couple of options, then when they amended that they managed to lose a 12ha field.

 

[Flasheart]

Not received an offer yet, no idea why.

Will not be signing up if we do get one now .

 

[Red Fred]

I'm wondering where to go with the new schemes as my HLS runs out at the end of the year. Originally, because we are largely SSSI, they mentioned that we should be able to carry straight on with the new scheme when the old one expires, but this week they have said that I can only apply in spring 2018, leaving a lengthy gap.At a meeting last week, they said that the management (non capital project) payments will be about 1/3 of the HLS payments so it doesn't really seem worth the bother, which is a shame after all these years of abiding by the rules and giving it our best shot.
It does make you wonder what is going on behind the scenes as they say that uptake has been chronically low.

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Bank statement came through today; still nothing.

 

[Farmer T]

That's interesting @Farmer T . Could you let us know if your payment comes in next week as promised? Then I'll chase it up! Thanks.

Got the 2016 CSS payment today after phoning them up last week.

However it's only half the annual amount. Are they paying every 6 months in arrears like the ELS?!

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Got the 2016 CSS payment today after phoning them up last week.

However it's only half the annual amount. Are they paying every 6 months in arrears like the ELS?!

Well they have finally paid our mid tier scheme.
But like yours it's only half what was expected. I remember nothing about them paying it 6-monthly and suspect there was nothing about that when we were drawing up plans and signing up.
Flipping cheek; even with 6 monthly instalments we should be due the second about now. If I was starting again from scratch I'd be so put off.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

Had an email end last week querying yet more aspects of our application and stating as of the 4th April they will start getting rid of any incomplete applications etc to then put forward the ones they want.
He then proceeded to send me another email with someone else's information on And then another email saying I shouldn't have received that-no sh1t Sherlock
That's the third time we've been sent other peoples information,either by email or through the post....
To say I've lost faith in their ability to administer this scheme is an understatement.

I'm out

Well they must be keen.

Deadline extended till 2nd May to get back to them with amendments etc according to the email I received yesterday.
( I have told them we are no longer taking part )

 

[Farmer T]

Well they have finally paid our mid tier scheme.
But like yours it's only half what was expected. I remember nothing about them paying it 6-monthly and suspect there was nothing about that when we were drawing up plans and signing up.
Flipping cheek; even with 6 monthly instalments we should be due the second about now. If I was starting again from scratch I'd be so put off.

Good to hear.

You're right about the 6 monthly payments. I asked them when the second half of 2016 will be paid...... they said May- but worryingly didn't get a year! [emoji23]

 

[gallowaygirl]

We received our offer letter yesterday after 7 months of silence - apparently it has to be returned in two weeks - it includes a 4 page "control and verification checklist" which looks pretty horrendous for just grazing and hedging options on a 100ac livestock farm - 15 maps, 19 photograph items, 5 adviser report requests, 4 consent requests, 3 specialist consent requests, 9 justifications required....is this for real !

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Wow- I don't remember any of that stuff. Maybe the bloke I got to apply on my behalf hid it otherwise I may not have bothered applying. As for the photos, I haven't taken any and will only do so if specifically requested to do so. This really is a "shifting sands" scheme.

 

[Feldspar]

We received our offer letter yesterday after 7 months of silence - apparently it has to be returned in two weeks - it includes a 4 page "control and verification checklist" which looks pretty horrendous for just grazing and hedging options on a 100ac livestock farm - 15 maps, 19 photograph items, 5 adviser report requests, 4 consent requests, 3 specialist consent requests, 9 justifications required....is this for real !

That sounds way more than I've had. You must have picked some wicked options. Both our offer letters were just sign and return -- nothing more.

 

[gallowaygirl]

We received our offer letter yesterday after 7 months of silence - apparently it has to be returned in two weeks - it includes a 4 page "control and verification checklist" which looks pretty horrendous for just grazing and hedging options on a 100ac livestock farm - 15 maps, 19 photograph items, 5 adviser report requests, 4 consent requests, 3 specialist consent requests, 9 justifications required....is this for real !

 

[gallowaygirl]

There were only 5 options available to us and we have run with 4 GS17 Lenient Grazing supplement, GS2 Low input grazing, SW11 Riperian management strips and BE3 Hedgerow management......resulting in 4 pages and 54 items of evidence requested. I guess I will ring them on Tuesday to try and find out if this is all really required and if so just abandon the whole deal.
My agent wanted £1k to do the application, so I decided to attend one of the NE workshops and do myself - it wasn't too bad but alot more work than the old ELS, and frustrating if this is the outcome.

 

[Wids]

Heard nothing about an agreement for this years mid tier, applied before the deadline. So frustrating not knowing either way to plan ahead.

Anyone else hearing anything recently?

 

[gallowaygirl]

Heard nothing about an agreement for this years mid tier, applied before the deadline. So frustrating not knowing either way to plan ahead.

Anyone else hearing anything recently?

Ring them - we were the same eventually came a couple of weeks ago the deadline to apply for this years payent was last monday - presumably they will waive this for you - can't see them not making an offer as it is undersubscribed - and even once offers are made it seems like people aren't taking them up as they are so onerous on paperwork - good luck !