Archived News June 2005 Village Halls 'Under Threat' Jun 30th Village communities are finding getting to grips with new licensing laws a considerable challenge, and village halls may be at risk as a result Gnomes return to haunt villagers Jun 29th Residents in a Lincolnshire village have discovered a mysterious collection of garden gnomes - for the second time. New cycle route to link villages Jun 29th A former railway line is turned into a safe cycling route on the border of East and North Yorkshire. EU deal in rural development funding Jun 28th The Rural Development Regulation, the mechanism for delivering EU rural development funding from 2007, has been agreed unanimously by Agricultural Ministers in Luxembourg. Schoolchildren and farmers join forces Jun 27th Schoolchildren, students, farmers and local communities have mounted a rescue bid to help a farmland bird that's in trouble. Skills shortage threatens our heritage Jun 26th England's historic buildings are under threat from a shortage of skilled craftspeople, according to a recent report published by the National Heritage Training Group. Bee a friend and plant for wildlife Jun 21st A project has been launched that illustrates how planting for wildlife as well as crops can be profitable for farmers. Aristocratic new residence of homeless dormice Jun 20th Thirty dormice, born and raised as part of a captive breeding programme have been released at a secret location on the Chatsworth Estate, the Derbyshire home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Climate Change Threat to English Countryside Jun 19th Global warming could dramatically alter the landscape of south east England and irreversibly transform the plants and flowers that constitute the English country garden, say scientists CLA Warns On Domestic Animal Health Jun 18th Amid anxieties surrounding the threat to British agriculture from foreign infections such as Bird Flu, the CLA has stressed we need to worry more about Bovine TB and the like. Natural England Doubts Jun 13th Doubts have emerged about the role of Natural England, Defra's brainchild for a new rural watchdog Fly-tipping now arrestable offence Jun 12th Local authorities now have greater powers to tackle fly-tipping and litter, as the first raft of measures in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act come into force. As from Tuesday 7 June 2005 fly-tipping is an arrestable offence, with the most serious cases resulting in a maximum £50,000 fine or five years imprisonment. New review for village schools Jun 11th An action plan which could decide the future of some village schools in Powys has been approved by councillors. New guides for New Forest Jun 7th Four new codes of conduct with information about looking after the New Forest are being promoted New life for crumbling places of worship Jun 6th 83 Grade II-listed places of worship across England are set to benefit from grants Wheel deal for Dalby Forest Jun 5th The green light has been given for the creation in Dalby Forest of England’s most extensive network of purpose-built and sustainable mountain bike trails. Supermarkets Under Scrutiny Jun 4th Fresh calls are being made for the Competition Commission to investigate the way supermarkets deal with their suppliers, whose Rural Council Tax 'Unfair' Jun 2nd Rural communities in England are calling for an end to 'injustice' in the council tax system, which it says means they pay more but get less in return for their money Rare island toads invade village Jun 2nd A rare Mediterranean toad which was once thought to be extinct is causing a bit of a stir at night in the heart of leafy Bedfordshire. Traditional apples for rural community Jun 1st A community orchard containing 16 varieties of rare native apples is to blossom in the Fens New animal welfare standards agreed Jun 1st 167 countries have agreed welfare standards for the transport of animals