LAWS SLAMS CONSERVATIVE PLANS TO SELL OFF SOMERSET COUNTY FARMS ESTATE: “RURAL VANDALISM”
David Laws, MP for Yeovil Constituency, has today attacked Conservative plans to sell off the County Farms estate in Somerset. Under the previous Liberal Democrat administration in Somerset, the “core” county farm estate in areas such as Donyatt and the Quantocks was protected and could not be sold off. But in a meeting in Somerset on 21st June the Conservative Cabinet of Somerset County Council decided to trigger a farm by farm review designed to sell off the entire estate of farms.
Three tenants on the core estate have already been served a “notice to quit”.
This action not only risks the livelihoods of existing local farmers, but it would shut off one of the few opportunities for new entrants to come into the farming sector. Without this opportunity, there is a real risk of failing to bring new blood into the sector, and undermining one of the great businesses of the County of Somerset.
David Laws MP said:
“This is an act of rural vandalism from the Conservative controlled county council in Somerset. They should not even be thinking of selling off our core estate of county farms.
“The present county farm estate produces a good return for Somerset, and it allows new farmers to come into the industry in Somerset – without this first step on the ladder, it would be almost impossible for new entrants to come into the farming sector, given the huge size and cost of farms today.
“The Conservatives seem determined to flog these farms off for short term advantage, ignoring the long term asset which they represent for Somerset. It looks as if the County Council plans to sell some of the land for re-development, in spite of the fact that most of it is in prime rural countryside.
“The county farm estate offers tenancies to many people who want to farm, but who simply don’t have the money to fork out for their own estates of hundreds of acres. These new entrants are desperately needed, but for many farming will soon become an impossible dream, if these plans are passed.
“I know that there will be huge numbers of people in Somerset from all parties who will be very angry about these plans, and I hope that there will now be a strong campaign to force the County Council to change its mind.”
ENDS.
Category: MP Press Releases