Following the presentation of the Annual Property Report 2023, the Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent group at Suffolk County Council has questioned the commitment of the council to its County Farms policy.
Suffolk County Council owns 4,960 hectares across the county which it lets to 127 farming and rural businesses. The income from the estate raises over £1m for council services provided to residents.
Having declared a climate emergency in 2019, the council’s policies for its County Farms estate in the report declares how it ‘could’ contribute to Net Zero, however, the GLI group feel that it ‘should’ be the aim of the county estates, prioritising tenants who focus on local food production (to reduce food miles) and those favouring biodiversity, or growing biofuels.
As the report makes mention of farming tenants who have created alternative uses for the land and opened an equestrian facility and a dog park, the administration was asked if they were happy to encourage such diversification projects, which take farmland out of food production.
Deputy Leader and group spokesperson on Economy and Property, Green Party Councillor Annette Dunning, said:
“Whilst we understand the council’s need to make money from the County Farms estate, my group are concerned that financial expectations of income are being prioritised over environmental sustainability, especially given the recent Scrutiny report that we are unlikely to meet our Net Zero targets by 2030.
"It is disappointing that instead of prioritising local food production, driving production of biofuels or supporting businesses that go above and beyond to help mitigate the UK’s biodiversity crisis, choices are being made instead to sponsor businesses that are not fully serving the council’s environmental ambitions.
"The council has committed to a 30% increase in biodiversity on County Farms and other council properties; it needs to think and decide if this is likely to be achieved with equestrian facilities and dog parks."