© Devon County Council, 2002.
APPENDIX 4
"Openness and a desire to get at the facts, revealing the realities rather than the perceptions of the impact of the Foot and Mouth outbreak in Devon, have been at the core of Devon County Council's Inquiry into Foot and Mouth Disease.
"In just over two months since the Inquiry was announced at the end of July, Devon County Council has shown not just a willingness but also a determination to do something for which there seems to be little or no political appetite in Westminster - that is to hold a public inquiry into the effects of the worst human and animal health disaster to have affected Britain in decades."
Carol Trewin, Former Farming Editor,
Western Morning News
First FMD case reported in Devon. Devon County Council's Trading Standards Service duty animal health officer receives report of suspected outbreak at Highhampton from MAFF duty vet. Head of Trading Standards attends briefing at MAFF's regional HQ. Trading Standards officers despatched to the Highampton area that night and work into the early hours in driving snow serving restriction orders and erecting warning signs. Trading Standards alerts duty Media and PR officer who liaises with MAFF Press Office.
First news conference at MAFF regional HQ. Plans are made to commit the whole of the Trading Standards Service staff Ñ around 45 officers Ñ to provide an outbreak response team working in shifts seven days a week. Trading Standards Operations Centre and farmers' helpline set up. County Council issues emergency advice to the public and staff on minimising risk.
MAFF announces scheme allowing animals from farms outside the Infected Areas to be moved to slaughter under licences to be issued by local authorities. County Council introduces 12 point risk reduction plan including suspension of routine highway maintenance in the Infected Areas, cancellation of non-essential visits, and advice to the public on avoiding contact with farm animals and not using footpaths. All non-emergency Trading Standards work suspended, neighbouring authorities and other advice agencies warned. A County Council public information helpline is set up.
County Council sets up special Foot and Mouth advice and information website. Links to other useful sites are added as the outbreak progresses. Council urges farmers to check animal movement records to speed up tracking process and also warns farmers to halt livestock transport. MAFF publishes Order allowing local authorities to close footpaths and bridleways.
All public rights of way in rural areas of Devon Ñ nearly 3,500 miles Ñ are closed by the County Council, as are Country Parks. Council distributes information and closure notices to parish councils and landowners. Details and notices are also published on the Internet. Civic amenity sites are closed in Infected Areas.
County Council convenes first of a series of regular briefing meetings between senior Councillors, officers and NFU officials. Council issues the first of a series of Chief Executive's briefings to parish councils and public.
MAFF implements new licensing scheme. County Council drafts in additional staff from other units to assist Trading Standards in handling hundreds of licence applications.
County Council's Executive Committee commissions Exeter University's Agricultural Economics Unit to investigate the economic impact of Foot and Mouth. NFU Regional Director presents Executive Committee with an update. Short-term funding for agencies providing advice services to farmers is authorised. Report by Chief Executive recommends Government reconsiders the cost-effectiveness of vaccination as an alternative to slaughter.
Limited re-introduction of non-Foot and Mouth work by Trading Standards to provide some kind of service to the wider public.
Council welcomes setting up of Rural Task Force. County Leader of the Council invites Prime Minister to Devon to see impact and calls for better cross-departmental co-ordination by Government, improved communications between MAFF, local government and the farming community, and logistical expertise to speed up the disposal of slaughtered livestock.
Government introduces Order giving the power to lift public rights of way restrictions by a declaration, made either by a Minister or a local authority.
County Council calls for postponement of May elections.
County Council publicises its Holiday Line call centre and tourism website as key sources of information about what visitors can see and do in Devon despite the outbreak.
County Council's Executive Committee publishes initial findings of the Exeter University study which, based on the position at March 19, estimates up to 1,200 jobs in farming and related industries, and 8,700 jobs in the tourist industry could be lost. It also estimates a total loss of £280 million to the county's economy (equivalent to 3.5% of total Gross Domestic Product). Executive Committee instructs officers to commence work on a Devon recovery programme.
Leader of the County Council flying into London from Budapest, receives call from Chief Executive alerting him to a request for a meeting with the Prime Minister for a briefing on Foot and Mouth in Devon the following day.
Downing Street meeting. Leader briefs Prime Minister on the County Council's plans for a phased re-opening of footpaths in consultation with MAFF, NFU and landowners. He welcomes decision to postpone elections to June 7, but warns Mr Blair of the scale of the economic impact on Devon and urges him to appoint a local Task Force to co-ordinate a recovery programme.
County Council hosts the first of a series of consultation meetings with key stakeholders - NFU, CLA, MAFF, National Trust, National Parks and other landowners - on proposals for phased re-openings of the county's public rights of way network. A major consultation of local landowners is also launched. Senior Councillor Sir Simon Day calls for European aid at Committee of the Regions meeting in Brussels.
County Council launches tourism promotion campaign aimed at key audience in the Midlands. In anticipation of footpath re-openings for Easter, full page ads are taken in the Sunday Mercury, the largest regional Sunday paper, with the message "Rediscover the delights of Devon". The advert promotes the fact that 90 per cent of the county's attractions are open for visitors to enjoy.
Launch of "Green for Go" campaign re-opening 140 public rights of way including 25% of the coastal network in time for the Easter holiday. County Council issues guidance to the public on walking in the countryside and circulates information to tourism information centres, libraries and parishes. Advice from MAFF and the Police leads to disinfectant matting laid down by District Council being removed from roads in Mid Devon.
County Council's mobile library service is reintroduced for communities on A and B roads. Moorland routes and stops near farms remain suspended.
County Council urges Government to relax animal movement restrictions to help ease the serious livestock welfare problems.
County Council announces its Operations Centre will be open throughout Easter.
County Council holds first all-party Rural Task Group meeting with tourism and agriculture representatives to plan a recovery programme for the Devon economy. Council agrees to a series of measures including developing a draft recovery plan, leading a major tourism promotion campaign, and providing co-ordinated information on sources of benefits, grants and business advice.
County Council's Trading Standards inform farmers that new licensing arrangements mean some farms within the Infected Areas can move livestock direct to slaughter.
County Council Chief Executive joins Chief Executive of South West Tourism to brief House of Commons Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee about the impact on the tourism industry.
Ahead of the May Bank Holiday, County Council re-opens 80 public rights of way in second phase of "Green for Go" campaign. 45 per cent of the coastal footpath network is now open.
County Council launches countywide consultation on its draft £180 million Devon Recovery Plan. Followed up with detailed briefings of MEPs, Government Office South West, the Regional Development Agency, European Commission officials and local representatives on the national Foot and Mouth Rural Task Force.
In partnership with Devon's district councils, County Council tackles the concern that Foot and Mouth will lead to low turn-outs for the rescheduled elections on June 7 by launching a campaign to encourage people to take up their right to a postal vote.
County Council's Executive Committee authorises setting up a special Foot and Mouth Recovery Unit dedicated to developing and co-ordinating the recovery programme working in partnership with other agencies.
County Council calls for public inquiry into the handling of the Foot and Mouth crisis.
Following consultation with landowners and stakeholders, 1,440 footpaths and bridleways are re-opened - representing 90 per cent of the footpath network outside the Infected Areas.
Footpaths and bridleways across South Dartmoor are re-opened. Renewed guidance issued to the public on walking in the countryside.
County Council scales down footpath re-openings in Mid and East Devon in response to Foot and Mouth outbreak on the Somerset border.
Last confirmed case of Foot and Mouth reported in Devon. Total number of cases in the County reaches 173. 4,500 Devon farms are under MAFF "Form D" livestock movement restrictions.
County Hall hosts Devon Recovery Plan conference attended by 150 organisations and key opinion formers, including MEPs, Government Office for the South West, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, South West Regional Development Agency, South West Tourism, the NFU and many others. Conference endorses all-party support for the £180 million Plan.
North Devon coastal footpath re-opens. News welcomed by South West Tourism. Over half the county's footpath network is now open.
County Council's Executive Chairman and Chief Executive, supported by District Council, Tourism and NFU representatives, give presentation on the Devon Recovery Plan to the Government's Rural Task Force. Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael commends the County Council's quick action in pulling together a Recovery Plan and authorises detailed discussions with civil servants.
Updated research by Exeter University's Agricultural Economics Unit estimates the epidemic may cost the county £316 million in lost income (2.86 per cent of GDP) and puts total potential job losses over 12 months at 7,805.
Devon is one of just six authorities to be given a temporary exemption from the Government's decision to lift the blanket closure of footpaths. The decision recognises that the County Council's measured programme of re-opening footpaths in phases is aiding the county's economic recovery whilst following veterinary guidance on prudent Foot and Mouth precautions. Some 63 per cent - over 4,000 footpaths - of the county network is now open. At the request of the NFU, County Council re-issues guidance to dog walkers about walking in the countryside.
Public rights of way re-open across Exmoor National Park.
County Council's Executive gives all-party backing to holding a Devon Foot and Mouth Inquiry with an instruction that its findings be passed on to the Government and any national inquiry into the crisis. 75 per cent of Devon's footpath network is now open.
County Council issues on average 1,100 animal movement licences a week.
Infected Area status lifted in Devon.
County Council launches "Pledge For Devon" scheme at the Devon County Show (postponed from May) to encourage staff and public to pledge an action or series of actions in support of Devon's hard-hit food producers, tourist industry and the countryside in general. Council joins forces with RDA, Countryside Agency and National Parks to present the "Devon Forward" exhibition at the Show, highlighting what the county has to offer and promoting local produce. County Council gives cautious welcome to Government's announcement of three national inquiries.
Council re-opens footpaths in North and West Devon, previously the worst Foot and Mouth affected areas. 95 per cent of the network now open.
County Council launches consultation with farmers on the potential for scaling back the 7-day Licensing helpline.
Council announces Devon Foot and Mouth Inquiry with all party and District Council support. Terms of reference are published and written submissions invited. Special website and call centre is set up to handle public interest in the Inquiry.
Lord Haskins, the Government's rural recovery co-ordinator, visits Devon on a fact-finding mission. He says the Devon Inquiry will help the national investigations and commends the county's Foot and Mouth recovery partnership.
County Council's licensing helpline scaled back to six days a week (half day Saturday).
Number of licences issued by County Council on any one day peaks at 360.
Government introduces "Autumn Movement" scheme for cattle and pigs.
Closing date for Devon FMD Inquiry submissions. Some 380 submissions are received with evidence from a wide range of organisations and people from all walks of life including farmers, vets, hoteliers, holiday attraction owners, business people, MPs, MEPs, clergy, headteachers, lecturers and local councillors.
Government introduces "Autumn Movement" scheme for sheep. County Council's Trading Standards sets up new licensing centre with additional temporary staff to cope with extra workload.
The Devon Foot and Mouth Inquiry hearings in public are held at County Hall in Exeter and broadcast live via the Internet in collaboration with Eclipse and BBC Online. Fifty witnesses, including RDA, Environment Agency, NFU, Police and Countryside Agency, give evidence. Internet service receives 60,000 "hits". Widespread national and regional media coverage.
Lord Haskins publishes "Rural Recovery after Foot and Mouth Disease" coinciding with publication of the Rural Task Force's report Ñ both documents support the aims of the Devon Recovery Plan.
County Council publishes new report, "Impact of Foot and Mouth", which says Foot and Mouth has halved the income of small firms in the worst affected areas of the county, cites research suggesting the epidemic has largely led to the loss of 3,000 jobs, and warns that small firms have not achieved the income required to sustain them through the coming winter.
DEFRA's written response to the Devon FMD Inquiry's questions is received by County Council.
Inquiry's preliminary findings are sent to Sir Don Curry's Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food.
Devon FMD Inquiry publishes its preliminary findings.
Devon County Council's response to FMD is the subject of a presentation at the County Councils' Network meeting in Scarborough.
Government declares Devon FMD 'free' by removing its 'At Risk' status. 96% of public rights of way now open.
County Council's Development Control Committee gives DEFRA a four month deadline to close the Ash Moor Burial Pit site.
County Council presents review of impact of FMD on public rights of way network to the annual meeting of the Devon Parish Paths Partnership (P3).
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© Devon County Council, 2002.