"More time for our farmers; less time for lunch" says Tessa

10.58.55pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd Jul 2010

Hopes that Somerset's County Farms may be saved from a mass sell-off were dashed again after Wednesday's County Council meeting.

Tenant farmers attending the public meeting pleaded with Conservative Councillors for time to decide their futures. Most had been given only a few days in which to save their farms and livelihoods from being sold off in an undignified dash by the Conservative-run Council to get their hands on the cash.

Lib Dem Leader Jill Shortland made an impassioned appeal on behalf of the tenant farmers to the Council's Leader, Ken Maddock, to give the farmers a stay of execution, but this fell on deaf ears. Mr Maddock made no promise even to respond.

Deputy Leader of the Lib Dems, Sam Crabb, had demanded a discussion about the sell-off of County Farms at the full Council meeting, but the debate was halted for "legal reasons". Then, having cut short the sell-off debate and ignoring other items of Council business, the Chairman brought proceedings to a complete halt so that the Councillors didn't miss their lunch!

Commenting on the events in County Hall this week, Wells MP Tessa Munt said "It's a disgrace. I believe local farmers deserve to be treated far better than this - they warrant our respect and merit some dignity."

"This is so unbelievably short-sighted - selling the County farms is a devastating blow to farming in Somerset and it will make it even more difficult for young farmers to come into the business."

"Where exactly does Mr Maddock think his lunch is going to come from in the future? He can't just rely on imports - we have to take responsibility for food security, lowering our 'food miles' and ensuring our food quality. That's what Somerset's farmers are known for."

"If the Conservatives want to sell off the 'County's Silver' - this farmland - then proper consultation with each and every tenant should have taken place. They've mishandled this sell-off in a quite spectacular fashion. Giving the tenants a few days to try and buy their homes and businesses is deplorable - we all know how long it takes to get valuations, mortgage advice and make plans. To be under pressure to organise all that in a few days, at the same time as running a business is appalling."

"The real irony is that these farms make good money at 5.5% per year for Somerset's taxpayers - that's £2,600,000 of income each year! Where else could you get that sort of return on your money when interest rates are at 0.5% - an all time low?"