Council Farms Service
The Council Farms Service manages the council farms estate and provides advice to the Council on agricultural matters.
The Council first acquired agricultural property in 1908 to create smallholdings. Today the Council owns just under 4370.60 hectares (10,800 acres) used for the present Council Farms Service made up of 87 holdings.
The Estate
The holdings are let as equipped farms, which in this context means that the tenancy includes land, farm buildings and dwelling house. Buildings are generally suitable for the farming of the holding, although tenants may add to these with their own investment subject to prior Landlord approval. The tenant provides the livestock, machinery and other fixtures and fittings necessary to run the farm.
Holdings prior to 1995 were let on a mixture of lifetime and working life tenancies. All holdings let since 1995 are let on fixed term farm business tenancies.
The Council Farms
The farms on the estate are split into several categories. The main distinctions are between stock and dairy farms. Typically stock rearing farms will be in the region of 70 to 120 acres and in the current climate are not expected to be the tenant's sole or main source of income. Larger stock rearing farms are usually in excess of 150 acres.
Smaller dairy farms are let with a target of 80 acres of land, while the larger dairy farms have over 100 acres. Dairy farming is still the predominant business activity on the estate, accounting for 41% of the holdings.
In addition to traditional stock and dairy farms the estate has a small number of holdings of about 20 acres which are let for diversified rural business opportunities such as equestrian, horticulture and mixed social enterprises.
History of Council Farms
Following the introduction of the Smallholdings and Allotments Act 1908, the Council purchased 3,000 acres by 1914. By 1926 the Council had purchased 11,000 acres.
Agriculture Act 1947
- Retain rural workforce
- Create the farming ladder
Agriculture Act 1970
- Reorganise and modernise
- A gateway into farming
Into the future
At its meeting in December 2019, the Council's Cabinet adopted a new 20 year vision and strategy for the Estate which included a ten year business plan.
The key strategic ambitions for the Estate are:
- Farming Futures
- Environmental Growth
- Sustainable Estate
- Vibrant Communities
A copy of the strategy and business plan is available at the link below:
Download the Farms Estate Strategy 2019-2039
Progress
Whilst Cabinet approved the strategy, it delegated authority to the Council's Neighbourhoods Overview and Scrutiny Committee the role to monitor progress of the delivery of the strategy in an annual report. The most recent report was considered at the committee's July 2022 meeting.
