By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
There are concerns the plight of farmers is not being taken seriously after a bid for Shire Hall to provide more mental health support and lobby against more taxation has been “kicked into the long grass”.
Proposals to write to the Secretary of State and local MPs expressing strong opposition to tax changes which are hurting farmers were debated by Gloucestershire County Council last week.
Cotswold farmer and Conservative County Councillor Dom Morris (Fairford and Lechlade-on-Thames) put forward the motion on November 12 which also asked the council leader and group chiefs to meet agricultural representatives to explore ways they could better support the farming community.
This would also look at providing ways to oppose the tax implications which he believes will have a devastating impact on the rural communities.
However, during the debate, while councillors across the chamber spoke in favour of farmers and agreed they face many hardships, it was proposed that the matter be looked into by a scrutiny committee which would take months to come up with recommendations.
Councillor Morris, in presenting the motion, explained the reasons why farmers were struggling at the moment.
“We had the wettest autumn and winter of my lifetime, we then had the driest summer of my lifetime, prices are incredibly low at the moment, arable is below cost of production, beef are having a good time, fruit and veg are having a really tough time and the prices are just incredibly low.
“At the same time costs are going up, machinery costs are doubled, labour obviously is going up and other bits and pieces around the costs of doing business, regulation in other words.
“And then there’s what I would call the 1984 state which tells us what we can grow, what we can’t grow, how we can grow, the level of state control is extraordinary and all parties are to blame for this.
“We are now managed by the state to 0.001 of a hectare. I don’t know any other profession that is managed to that extent.”
He said the country could not afford to “keep breaking up family estates, family farms, because there will be no entity left, there will be no organising construct to manage and conserve our land and produce food.
Councillor Stuart Graham (R, Mitcheldean) proposed a friendly amendment to recognise the growing mental health challenges faced by farmers due to financial pressures, regulatory uncertainty, isolation, inheritance tax issues and tenant farmer lease concerns.
“We wish the council to work with NHS services, farming charities and mental health organisations to develop and promote accessible mental health support tailored to the needs of Gloucestershire’s farming community,” he said.
After a Green Party amendment was not accepted by Cllr Morris, Councillor Colin Hay (LD, All Saints and Oakley) proposed a motion without notice and the subject be referred to the corporate overview and scrutiny committee to establish a working group to report back to this council.
This was seconded by Council leader Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney).
“It may not be everybody’s first choice and the idea of it being kicked into the long grass which I suppose is apt in this particular case,” he said.
“I know that people wanted this put forward before the Budget but it seems to me I really don’t think what the chamber says is going to make much difference to the Budget.”
He said it was a complicated issue and a similar motion was put before Cotswold District Council and their scrutiny committee looked into it at some depth.
“We deserve to do that for our farmers.”
He said the way Labour implemented the farm tax was wrong but how council could help farmers would be best looked at by a working group.
“We can try and do this really quite quickly, although coming back to council means March,” he said.
“Which isn’t that quick, I suppose. But if it comes back in March we can come thena ctually come forward with some really positive things we can do and lobby.”
Cllr Morris said he did not accept that motion either.
“This is why the public are turning off, team. You really want to put this into scrutiny?”
“This is a really simple motion that says on top of everything else that is going on, it’s probably best not to tax farmers huge amounts of money when their businesses are making nothing.
“The Greens have used an amendment to bring in back door environmental stuff that puts food production as priority number three.
“And the Lib Dems are now going to kick this four months by their own admission and it’s going to be longer.
“Basically, the Lib Dems are split on this, the metropolitan members want to take me and my farming colleagues back to the dark ages using a scythe, no fertiliser.
“Your rural members like your leader will lose the next vote if you don’t stand up for the farming community.
“This is a bureaucratic joke. This is absolute nonsense.
“The motion was about tax and farmers and taking the foot off the throat.
“If you use this it’s just a bureaucratic kick into the long grass. And it will be long grass because farmers won’t be there to cut it.”
The council voted to refer the matter to the corporate overview and scrutiny committee by 27 votes to 15.