Agenda item

The Agriculture Bill

(To receive a report by Vanessa Strange, Accessibility and Growth Manager, which provides the Committee with an update on the position of the Agriculture Bill as it progresses through parliament)

Minutes:

It was reported that in October 2018 the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee considered a paper that provided an overview of the Agriculture Bill.  Members subsequently requested that a further report be brought back to scrutiny to create an action plan, identifying positive actions that the county council could undertake to support the food and farming sectors through a period of dramatic change. 

 

The report for consideration provided an update on the position of the Agriculture Bill as it progressed through parliament, and highlighted the major issues being raised by the sector nationally and locally in the short and medium term.  Members also received a presentation which provided an overview of the council's responsibility for County Farms, as the Committee had previously requested further information on the authority's role as a landlord.

 

The presentation provided members with further information in relation to the following areas:

·       The Background

·       The Policy

·       Strategy

·       Day to day management

·       Budgets

·       Example of a capital scheme

·       Succession

·       Development sites

·       Agriculture Bill

 

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and presentation and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·       It was queried whether if 4% of the county council owned land was of a low grade whether environmental schemes should be looked at and it was acknowledged that these suggestions would need to be considered.

·       It was highlighted that the County Farms were established as a way of creating jobs for men coming back from war after the First World War, 100 years ago.  Part of this Act was also that the tenancies would be protected for three generations.

·       The value of land was less with a sitting tenant, and when the land was vacated there would be a view on whether to sell it.  A lot of holdings were 50 – 100 acres and were no longer a viable unit.

·       It was noted that the County Council managed its county farms portfolio more cost effectively than other areas.  It was also reported that it was working well at the moment.

·       It was queried whether the authority tried to keep some of the smaller areas.

·       In terms of consolidating land, it was noted that there would be some people who wanted a small acreage and it was hoped that there would always be a place for people who required 50 acres, for example, for a specialist crop or niche product.  Members were advised that this was included within the policy and was encouraged.

·       Members were impressed that the spend on the entire estate was so little at £300,000.  It was noted that capital money had been helpful in keeping the spend low.  It was noted that the revenue budget was well managed.

·       It was queried whether the authority would buy land, and members were advised that this would definitely be considered.  Savills, who managed the portfolio, were very good at keeping the authority informed of what was available.

·       It was commented that a small holding of 300 acres was possibly the worst amount of land to manage in terms of financial viability.  It was acknowledged that 500 acres was probably the ideal amount of land. 

·       It was also considered important to factor in that if the land was eventually sold on, it would not be sold to one of the large farming companies.

·       Concerns were raised regarding the amalgamating of lands as the farmhouses were being sold off, and a lot of the land in some parts of the county did not have any housing attached to it and this could deter some people who wanted to enter the farming industry.  It was important that new people came into farming.  Members were advised that the aim was to have a house with each holding.

·       It was noted that tenants were getting older, and it was queried what was being done about re-renting this land, and if they were not farming the land themselves should amalgamating it be considered.  It was noted that the authority had a housing obligation to these tenants and on some occasions would allow them stay in their home and extra year or so while the land was sub-let until they were able to collect their pensions.

·       Members commented that they would like to see new housing being built in order to encourage young people into the industry.  If it was determined that there was a need for new housing, this was something that the authority would look at.

·       It was queried whether there had been any influence on land prices from the bigger companies buying up land.  It was noted that in terms of tenancies nothing specific had been identified, but land prices were increasing, and the authority would struggle to meet some of the rates that were being paid.

·       In relation to the new barns which had been built and paid for by the Council, it was noted that it would be up to the tenants to decide how they would be used or fitted out with particular equipment at the tenant's expense.  It was also noted that a higher rent would be expected to reflect the improvements which had been made.  The tenants would also need to be able to make a business case for the improvement.

 

Members were guided through the report and were advised that the Agriculture Bill had completed the committee stage in November 2018, and timescales for the third reading were now awaited.  It was expected that there would be a transition phase until 2027.  Environmental schemes coming forward would still be able to access funding. 

 

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·       It was commented that one of the most worrying things was that there were many things produced in this region which could not be produced in other parts of the country, and the sustainability of these products was something which needed to be considered, as well as the potential impacts on the food chain.

·       Micro farms were something that the authority needed to support and actively promote in the future.

·       In terms of smaller farms and those that produce more niche products, it was highlighted that these were something that the authority could see a role for.

·       It was noted that there was now more of a move towards healthy eating and reducing food miles.  It was queried whether there was an opportunity for a Lincolnshire market for local food.

·       It was noted that there was a Lincolnshire Farmers Conference taking place shortly which was organised by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, and it was suggested that Vanessa Strange, Accessibility and Growth Manager should attend and report back to the Committee.

·       Members were asked to consider whether there was enough support for farmers and if there was something more that the Council could do.  It was suggested that specific grants for specific activities/products could be helpful, for those products which can only be produced in Lincolnshire, as this may help their production to be retained.

·       It was queried whether any support was offered to the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network.  It was not known whether this was happening, but it was suggested that the Community Engagement Team may have had some involvement with them. 

·       It was commented that mental health issues amongst farmers were increasing and it was suggested that there should be something on the website signposting to available help.  There was a need to help farmers thinking about leaving the industry to make these decisions earlier on, as there was a concern that there were a lot who would keep on going longer than was beneficial for their health.

 

RESOLVED

 

          That the Committee note the progress with the action plan and would continue to monitor the document.

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

 
 
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