Purpose

Draft
strategy for Cabinet consideration and approval following development and
appraisal by the Farm Advisory Panel.

Content

That the Farms Estate Strategy be adopted for a ten-year
period, enabling the Council to deliver a structured, sustainable, and future-focused
approach to the management of its agricultural holdings.

 

Reason for the decision

 

The previous strategy expired in 2021, and the need for a
new framework had been crystallised by changes in national agricultural policy
and the Council’s adoption of the Strategic Asset Management Plan. The new
strategy provided clarity of purpose, aligned with statutory obligations under
the Agriculture Act 1970, and supported the Council’s wider ambitions for
economic growth, environmental stewardship, and community development.