Agenda, decisions and minutes

Thee were no apologies for absence.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

No members of the public were present.

To consider the letting of these farms.

1.    That approval be given to the principle of lettingGoostrey Estate, Holding 7, Valley Farm and Ridley Estate, Holding 11 (Oak Farm) & 12 (Meadow Farm) as detailed, individually for a period of up to 15 years or age 65.

2.    That approval be given to advertising the availability of capital for investment in the Holdings for proposals that support the capacity of the individual Holdings, funded from within the approved Farms Strategy capital programme, subject to the imposition of rent charges at a rate of 7% per annum in addition to the tendered rent.

3.    The County Land Agent be authorised to determine and agree the heads of terms for the tenancies.

4.    The Director of Legal Services be authorised to prepare approve and execute all necessary documentation to give effect to the heads of terms for grant of a tenancies.

It was reported that a number of tenancies were due to end between August 2016 and March 2017 so releasing opportunities to implement the estate reorganisation management plans on Goostrey and Ridley Estates.   The three tenancies concerned would be classified as Entry Level 2 farms and accordingly would be promoted to existing tenants to encourage further tenancy movements and change prior to external advertising.

Recent experience suggested the preferred model of a fixed term farm business tenancy, typically for a period of up to 15 years or up to age 65 with 5 year break clauses, should attract appropriately qualified, good quality applicants although trading circumstances remained extremely challenging. 

The overarching farms estate strategy had been approved by the Cabinet in January 2012, supplemented by the findings of a Cabinet Review Group during 2013 and the Corporate Property Board in 2015.  The letting of the named farms was consistent with the approved management strategy for the Farms Estate as a whole and the plans for the individual estates/farms.

RESOLVED

1.    That approval be given to the principle of letting Goostrey Estate, Holding 7, Valley Farm and Ridley Estate, Holding 11 (Oak Farm) & 12 (Meadow Farm) as detailed, individually for a period of up to 15 years or age 65.

2.    That approval be given to advertising the availability of capital for investment in the Holdings for proposals that support the capacity of the individual Holdings, funded from within the approved Farms Strategy capital programme, subject to the imposition of rent charges at a rate of 7% per annum in addition to the tendered rent.

3.    The County Land Agent be authorised to determine and agree the heads of terms for the tenancies.

4.    The Director of Legal Services be authorised to prepare approve and execute all necessary documentation to give effect to the heads of terms for grant of a tenancies.