Alun takes seat on CLA regional board

E3 Consulting Managing Director Alun Oliver FRICS has been elected to the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Hampshire Branch Committee, within the South East Region.

The CLA is a membership organisation for owners of land, property and businesses in rural England and Wales.

It has been safeguarding the interests of landowners, and those with an economic, social and environmental interest in rural land for more than 100 years.

Alun, who was elected at the Berkshire and Hampshire AGM at Englefield House near Reading, said: “As an active corporate member of the CLA for the past couple of years I was delighted to be elected and look forward to contributing to the branch.”

He added: “We had a delightful afternoon touring the house, grounds and wider estate. It was a fascinating insight to the diversity of activities of an estate such as Englefield.

“The estate combines arable and livestock farming with shoots, fishing rights as well as mineral extraction and commercial and residential property management.

CLA members own or manage around half the rural land in England and Wales and more than 250 different types of businesses.

The work they undertake in the best interests of the land has a positive effect on wildlife and the natural environment, and their diverse and successful businesses are the heart of rural communities.

The CLA in-house professional advisory team offers members independent and impartial advice on every aspect of their landownership, and through the experience and expertise of members and staff, it promotes members’ interests to ensure the positive development of the rural economy.

CLA professionals lobby continuously at national and regional level ensuring a visible presence and influence in the media and with government.

As the only organisation solely dedicated to landownership, the CLA is able to provide members with a range of ways to make valuable connections – with people, with information and with distinctive services.

And as they manage their land and businesses for the long term, so CLA takes a similar long-term view, demonstrating leadership in shaping policy thinking from concept through to significant, often fundamental, change.

The CLA works to ensure the tax burden on farmers and rural businesses is kept to a minimum. Whatever the size of land and property holding, owners will want to be able to pass on as many of their assets as possible to their dependants.

Alun said: “The CLA can help you to ensure your assets go to your family rather than the tax man – and that is where E3 Consulting works very closely with CLA members and rural businesses to also ensure that all available property tax savings are fully claimed and optimised.

The CLA is also working hard for members to ensure that the interests of farmers and the wider rural economy are not ignored as the UK prepares for a new era outside the of the European Union post-Brexit.

The organisation is looking at how compulsory purchase orders affect all landowners.  Roads, railways, fracking, utilities, airports – infrastructure projects can have a devastating effect on landowners and their businesses.  The CLA is fighting for a fairer system.

The CLA is also working with the Government to create the right policies and infrastructure to support vibrant, successful rural and farming businesses, as well as working to support food production and sustainable agriculture across Europe.