Are Bees livestock?

[Martin H]

The allotment act decrees that allotments cannot be used for the keeping of any livestock other than chicken and rabbits.

Does the term livestock include Bees? If so, where is it written in law.

In anticipation of your help, thank you.

Regards
Martin H

[ChrisR]

Having done a bit of Googling it seems that the Allotment Act (1950) specifies that hens & rabbits are to be allowed but omits mentioning anything else. This allows local councils some discretion on what they will allow - ie. they can allow bees if they want to but they can't prevent the keeping of hens & rabbits because it is laid out in law.

See: Huddersfield Examiner - News - Local West Yorkshire News - Kirklees Council orders bees off Huddersfield allotment...because they’re livestock

Also: http://www.harlow.gov.uk/pdf/Policy%20for%20Keeping%20Livestock.pdf

There are lots of other examples if you Google for them. I would just contact the local authority that runs your allotments and ask for clarification.

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Martin H

The allotment act decrees that allotments cannot be used for the keeping of any livestock other than chicken and rabbits.

Does the term livestock include Bees? If so, where is it written in law.

In anticipation of your help, thank you.

Regards
Martin H

With regard to being classed as livestock, yes bees are and subject to many arigculture laws via DEFRA, as for your council, usually allotments are under the control of a parish or town council, not generally a district council so i would enquire with them just what local laws apply in your area, here, people can keep bees on allotments as far as I know, maybe our parish council just turned a blind eye.

The problem with allotments is the fact that usually there are only wire fences separating them, or in some cases only grass strips which, should a colony be sited in the centre of the patch, the flightpath of the bees could cause severe problems to neighbouring allotment holders by way of stings.

Ian