Statement from Interim Chair of KBPG

Statement from Interim Chair of KBPG

As read out at the EGM on 18th January 2024

I would like to remind everyone why we are here tonight.

On 16th November, at the KBPG General meeting, without warning or appropriate notice, the Chair and Vice Chair of the group gave immediate notice. This is contrary the clear guidelines of the Charities Commission and not in the best interests of the group of for protecting our badgers. The Chair also resigned her role as Trustee and Secretary, again with immediate effect.
The Treasurer had already given notice some weeks earlier, allowing her to be replaced. Unfortunately the new Treasurer resigned with immediate effect a few lays later, along with the Membership Secretary.

All of this left the remaining two committee members in a quandary as to how we could legally proceed. We agreed to meet the following week along with a small number of other concerned members to decide what the next appropriate steps were. It was agreed that a temporary committee would be formed purely to get the group in a more stable position. An interim committee was made up of a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary and assisted by others.
An attempt at reconciliation was made with the former Chair but she was adamant that she would not be returning to the group. Subsequently, she and some other members and former members of KBPG have been establishing a breakaway group, apparently to be called the Huddersfield and District Badger Society.

The committee had only met 3 times in the previous 3 years, and there was no routine of discussing and resolving financial questions. Rather than implement a better system of financial control, the former Chair saw a discussion on this subject as a pretext for her resignation.

The immediate consequences of the resignations and subsequent lack of cooperation with the remaining group included:

  • The former Chair was (and remains) a signatory on the Group’s bank account. As she has refused to sign any payments, we are unable to pay invoices in a timely way, or provide funds for significant work such as sett protections, and would be unable to discharge any future debt.
  • We have needed to take action to ensure, as we are legally required to do, that Members’ contact data are protected from theft or misuse or unauthorised use. Membership data has been duly handed back to KBPG, but we have not received assurances that the data are not held in duplicate form or that they will not be used by unauthorised persons in future.
  • Much of KBPG’s stock of equipment for events remains in the possession of the breakaway group and requests to make it available (eg for the successful coffee morning in Meltham on 9 January) have been ignored.

I was elected to the committee on the night of the resignations. This left only two people in a formal position on the group. We both felt we should help the group move forward and duly co-opted the rest of the members at the meeting on to the committee for their support. However, we both resigned our committee positions last night, in order to give a future committee a fresh start and an opportunity to work with anyone who is prepared to cooperate with KBPG in future.

We still have three trustees currently, they and the remainder of the co-opted committee have agreed that they will support the trustees and the group in coming to whatever conclusion that might be. I include myself in that group.

I apologise for the length of this statement but felt it was important to get all of the above on record.

I would like to say a huge thanks to all of you for your actions and support.

Our aims

The Kirklees Badger Protection Group was formed in 1988, now over 30 years later, the aims of the group remain the same:

• To encourage the understanding and study of badgers.
• To promote measures which will enhance their welfare.
• To encourage tolerance, appreciation and respect for all wildlife and their habitat.

We are members of the Badger Trust, which represents us at national level and is a central organisation for information and research.

Young Badgers
Badger

Why do badgers need protecting in Kirklees?

The main threats to badgers in our area are:

• Road traffic accidents
• Loss of habitat caused by development
• Badger diggers and baiters

To make us as effective as possible in counteracting these threats, Kirklees Badger Protection Group works closely with several organisations and individuals including:

• the police and the RSPCA with whom we work in cases of suspected illegal activity
• Natural England, who give licences to work on or near a badger sett in order to protect it
• Kirklees Metropolitan Council, with whom we have close links in connection with planning and forestry work.

Additionally, we have a good working relationship with landowners in the area. Local quarry owners have in particular benefited from our advice and expertise.

What we do

What is a badger survey?

Most badger surveys consist of two elements: a walkover survey to search for evidence of badgers on site, and a survey to monitor any setts for signs of activity.

When can badger surveys be carried out?

Badger surveys can be carried out all year round, though a better understanding of how badgers use an area can be more accurately obtained between Autumn and Spring when vegetation is sparse enough to easily locate setts and other signs.

The group carry out structured badger sett surveys on behalf of developers and interested parties

• From the centre of the development site
• 1 km radius cost £80
• 2 km radius cost £180

Our most important work involves protecting existing setts and building artificial setts where necessary (for example, in order to relocate badgers from residential developments).

Our AreaWe record the location of, and monitor, as many setts as possible. Monitors visit a particular sett regularly and records the findings. These records may be used by the police in the event of a prosecution for interfering with the sett or harming badgers.

We are available to assist in the event of an injured badger being discovered, though sadly few animals survive a road traffic accident. We try to pick up fatally injured badgers from roadsides, and keep records of those discovered. Rescued live badgers are taken to the nearest available rescue centre for rehabilitation and hopefully release back into the wild.

Alongside the practical aspects of our work, we publicise the threats to the badger, both local and national and inform the general public about badgers.

How you can help

We are always in need of funds to help us in our work, so any donation is gratefully received you can also raise money for us indirectly through your online shopping activities. We also need members from which we can draw our volunteers and the small amount we ask for membership also goes to support our work.

How to help financially

EXPLORE OUR SITE