FARMING IS NOT DEAD (03/01/06)

Somerset County Council will review the way it decides the fate of its farms following a meeting in which the Leader of the Council was confronted again by those who accuse her of saying “Farming is dead”.

In response to pressure from the Conservative Group and concerned local people, the Administration will look at the way it decides the future of many of its farms.

The Council owns 8500 acres of farmland which it rents to suitable people that believe they can make a success of their own farming business. The farms act as a stepping-stone for people that would otherwise not have such an opportunity. The Liberal Democrats have decided to concentrate on retaining two core farm estates, which total less than half (3460 acres) of the land owned. Farms are assessed when the tenancies expire to determine what happens to them. This is known as the “sieve” process and may result in land being put to a different use, or sold off.

But the system was called into question when the very successful Balham Hill farm in Chiselborough was threatened with being sold off despite fierce local opposition. As recently reported on the BBC Radio 4 show Farming Today, the Leader of the Council, Cathy Bakewell, is alleged to have dismissed the criticism by asserting “Farming is dead” at a meeting of the local parish council.

Mrs Bakewell has since ducked the issue, instead ordering a member of her team to face the anger felt by many at her remarks.

But there was no escape as members of Chiselborough Parish Council attended a meeting at County Hall to request that the Council change its policy. Despite protests from the ruling Liberal Democrats, who insist that the current policy is working, the Conservatives have formally announced that they require a review of it.

Anthony Trollope-Bellew, who leads on the Committee that will examine this, said “We believe that the current policy needs to be more flexible in order to take account of small farms, such as Balham Hill, that have demonstrated that innovation and hard work can deliver excellent results. We should not be shutting these farms down; we should be promoting them as examples from which other farms can learn. Farming practices are evolving quickly. Markets are opening up for quality local produce and niche goods. Our local economy and local communities can benefit from this and the current policy does not seem to take account of such opportunities. We want to change that.”

Ends

Notes for Editors:

1. The episode of Farming Today referred to in the Press Release was broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 18 November 2005

2. For further information or comment, please contact Anthony Trollope-Bellew, Chair of Environment Scrutiny Sub-Committee, Somerset County Council, 01984 618254