The Farmers Mart Feb-Mar 2020 - Issue 67 | Page 24

24 FARM NEWS
FEB/MAR 2020 • farmers-mart.co.uk
LINCOLNSHIRE SHOWGROUND
CHALLENGES COUNCIL’S CASE TO
PURSUE CHARITABLE RATE RELIEF CUT
THE Lincolnshire Agricultural Society (LAS)
is challenging West Lindsey District Council’s
decision to remove its charitable rate relief.
THE LAS, which operates from Lincolnshire
Showground, is a non-profit making charita-
ble organisation, set up in 1869 with the
aim of educating people across the county
about food, farming and a sustainable
environment.
Because of the work it does for the
Lincolnshire community in terms of edu-
cation on food and farming with schools,
colleges and charitable organisations, the
LAS has had an 80% charitable rate relief for
decades, but this has now been called into
question by the council – which has taken
the matter to court.
The LAS is fighting the action saying that
without the rate relief, some of its events
could be scaled back – including the size
and scale of the Lincolnshire Show, causing
a “domino effect” on local businesses.
With an additional burden on finances
imposed by West Lindsey, entry prices
could rise at the Lincolnshire Show and we
may have to charge entry to some of the
other educational events we host, which
are currently free of charge, says Jane Hiles,
LAS chairman.
She said: “This has been a really difficult
time for us. All of the work that the LAS
carries out is for the good of the county –
and its people and therefore, we strongly
believe we should receive a charitable rate
relief.
“Without the charitable rate relief, the LAS
could be faced with an annual increased
cost of almost £70,000 per year – money
that is currently earmarked in delivering our
educational work.”
The LAS, which has had a permanent
home at the Lincolnshire Showground
for more than 60 years and celebrated its
150th anniversary last year, gift aids 100% of
surplus funds from non-charity bookings
into maintaining the showground and
delivering its educational work.
As a non-profit making organisation,
the LAS does not make money from its
events or endeavours, says Jane – and this
includes the Lincolnshire Show.
“We do not make a profit on the
Lincolnshire Show. It is a showcase
event held every year for the good of
the community, businesses and the
farming network. It may seem that we
are securely funded, but in fact our
margins are extremely tight and we
have to constantly review costs,” added
Jane.
“The wet show in 2019 and the
burden of the legal costs we incurred
in the action with West Lindsey District
Council, resulted in a trading loss
of more than £100,000 in the year
2018/19.”
It could be a landmark case if the
showground is forced to relinquish
its charitable rate relief, said Jayne
Southall, CEO of the Lincolnshire
Showground.
“The showground operates in the
same way as around 20 other major
agricultural showgrounds across the UK.
The UK agricultural industry relies on
its county showgrounds to be centres
which host conferences, meetings and
major events,” she said.
“We believe the showground plays
a pivotal role in allowing the LAS to
achieve its charitable objective and that,
as such, the venue should qualify for the
charitable rate relief that it has always
historically received.
“The Lincolnshire Show requires
year-round planning and organisation to
ensure high standards of safety, quality
and educational value and not only do
we fulfil our charitable objectives with
the show and the showground, but we
also make a huge difference to the local
economy, supporting local businesses
and providing lots of temporary jobs.”
Employing more than 20 staff, the
charity team works all year-round to
meet the aims and objectives of the
organisation as defined by the Charity
Commission and in addition to the
annual show also provides satellite edu-
cational events and activities throughout
Jayne Southall, CEO of the
Lincolnshire Showground
the year, benefitting thousands of local
children, farmers and their families.
Jayne added: “Hosting such a large
event as the Lincolnshire Show and
maintaining the showground’s 243-acre
site, including its additional buildings
and infrastructure, costs money and the
only way we can uphold such important
charitable work is by generating income
outside of charity events.
“We fully intend to challenge the
decision taken by West Lindsey District
Council to remove charitable rate relief
for the showground so that we can
ensure the future of our much-loved
show, charitable work and the viability
of other businesses and organisations
that rely on our events and venue for
income.”
NFU East Midlands regional director
Gordon Corner said: “Lincolnshire
Agricultural Society plays an absolutely
crucial role as an educational charity,
teaching young people about the vital
part farming plays in the county and the
country.
“The innovative and exciting activities
LAS puts on demonstrate not only how
‘ The Lincolnshire
Show requires year-
round planning and
organisation to ensure
high standards of
safety, quality and
educational value
’
much work the society does but also
how important it is that this progress
continues.
“The Tractors into Schools project is
always hugely popular and I took agri-
culture minister Robert Goodwill around
the Schools’ Challenge at the Lincolnshire
Show which involved dozens of schools
and hundreds of children. We were both
amazed by the experience; it was utterly
inspirational.
“People today have never been more
removed from how their food is pro-
duced, despite a massive surge in interest
into the subject and, on that basis, the
charitable and educational work LAS