John Powell POLICY SEMINAR The Future of the Commons Co-organized by IFPRI, the International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM)

1. Securing the commons:
The UK Commons Act 2006
John Powell, President
International Association for the Study of Commons (IASC)
International
Association for the
Study of Commons
IFPRI Policy Seminar: The Future of the Commons
International Food Policy Research Institute
Washington DC
4th October, 2018

2. The need for new commons legislation in 2006…
• Weak legislation
• Inadequate
ecological protection
• Valued agricultural
asset but…
• …inability to make
management rules
• Insecurity of rights
• Severance of rights
from land

3. • Common land
• 4% England
• 7% Wales
• > 8,000 commons
• (80% privately owned)
• Upland commons
• Commercially important
• Lowland commons
• High landscape and
recreational value
• High ecological
value
Background context: physical

4. 1965-2010
Commons
Commissioners
Background context: Legal
1955 - 58 Royal Commission on common land
2000
CRoW Act
Access rights
1965 Commons
Registration Act
Land and rights registers
• Statute of Merton
• Statute of Westminster
• Manorial courts
• No clear title to
common rights
16th – 19th Cent.
Enclosure
• First Laws to protect commons
• Decline of Manorial courts
Earliest laws
Pre-20th Century
Late 19th Century
2006 Commons Act
Rule making powers
1965 Act
Repealed

5. Background context: Political
• Window of opportunity
o 50 years of waiting
• Meeting EU obligations
o Ecological targets
• Legislative time
available
• No opposition permitted

6. Commons Act 2006 – Securing the future
3 Objectives:
• Protect security of rights through
registration
• Enable effective management
• Enhance environmental
protection
Landowner
Rights
holders
General
public
Ecological
value
Other interests
(horseriding, water,
utilities, off-road vehicles;
shooting)
The
common
The central problem…
Balancing rights to enable the
use of state power to enforce
rules

7. • Stakeholder support
essential
• Every common
unique
• 40 years of previous
attempts
• Stakeholder
workshops to agree
objectives
• Working with lawyers
• Parliamentary
process
A participatory process

8. Implementation: securing rights
Registration
• Obligations on local
authorities:
o Maintain a register
of rights
o Record events
(create and/or vary
rights of common)
o Apportion/attach/
sever/transfer/
extinguish rights of
common

9. Commons Councils
• Standard constitutions
• Government creates
through establishment
orders
o Brendon Commons
Council 2014
o Cumbria – a multi-
commons Council
Autumn 2018
Implementation: securing management powers

10. The future beckons…

11. Resources
• Registration
o https://www.gov.uk/guidance/commons-
registration-authorities-process-new-event-
applications
• Commons Councils
o Standard constitutions available
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2010/978
0111492567/contents
o Brendon commons Council 2014
http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/living-
and-working/brendon-common-council
o Federation of Cumbria Commoners leading
development of a multi-commons council
(possible Establishment Order Autumn 2018)
http://www.cumbriacommoners.org.uk/categor
y/cumbria-commons-council-consultation

12. Solving the central problem – practical reality
Commons
Council
Landowner
Other
interests
Rights holders
(graziers)
Constitution
Central
Government
Judicial
Court
Rule-breaker
Commons management
Power to
enforce rules
(Bye-laws)
Balance of
interests
Agree
rules
Operational rules
Constitutional rules
Creates the
framework