The Farms Estate (Interviewing) Committee met on Tuesday 19 May 2026 to interview prospective tenants for a farm holding. The committee resolved to offer the tenancy of Lower Chitterley Farm, Bickleigh to Mr AT and Ms IC, with Mr WC as a runner-up.

Farm Relettings: Lower Chitterley Farm, Bickleigh

The committee interviewed shortlisted applicants for the vacant holding of Lower Chitterley Farm, located in Bickleigh, Devon. Following the interviews, the committee resolved to offer the tenancy to Mr AT and Ms IC, subject to contract terms and conditions. In the event that Mr AT and Ms IC do not accept the offer, the farm will be offered to Mr WC, who was the runner-up. The decision was made during a part of the meeting where the press and public were excluded, as it involved the disclosure of exempt information relating to the identity and financial affairs of tenants. This exclusion was in line with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and Section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, where the public interest in maintaining the exemption was deemed to outweigh the public interest in disclosure. The Director of Transformation and Business Services reported on the circumstances of the reletting.

The meeting was attended by Councillor Henry Gent (Chair), Councillor Louise Wainwright (Vice-Chair), Councillor Jim Cairney, and Ms L Warner (Tenant's representative). The minutes of this meeting can be found in the Printed minutes 19th-May-2026 09.00 Farms Estate Committee.pdf. The agenda for the meeting was available in the Agenda frontsheet 19th-May-2026 09.00 Farms Estate Committee.pdf.