Questions have been asked about the future of farmland under the ownership of Wrexham Council.
Grosvenor Cllr Marc Jones (Plaid) has tabled a topic for the authority’s Customers, Performance and Governance scrutiny committee this week, calling on the council to use farmland in its ownership but not in use to be sold, or used to produce food or renewable energy.
His submission to the committee states: “The Council owns a number of farms and farmland.
“A substantial amount of these have lain empty and fallow for many years. The current policy which was approved by the Executive Board on 8 July 2014, is to sell off land and assets surplus to requirements but his has not happened in recent years.”
The submission adds: “The Council is currently losing income from having assets lying empty, having to spend money on maintenance and security and, in some cases, Council Tax.
“The estimated cost to the taxpayer over the past five years is between £50,000-£100,000 with no indication of a review of policy in light of changing circumstances.
“The Council could opt to sell assets and land for a one-off capital value or develop a policy that increased local food production or renewable energy. At the very least it should be ensuring land isn’t laying fallow when it could be grazed or harvested.”
The papers to be looked at by the committee contain a joint reply to Cllr Jones’ submission, from the Chief Officer for Housing Julie Francis and Lead Member for Finance and Performance, Council leader Mark Pritchard (Ind).
It states that the council’s three vacant farm properties are currently being prepared for sale.
“Upon re-organisation in 1996, Wrexham C.B.C inherited 29 tenanted agricultural properties from the former Clwyd County Council”, it says.
“Councillors have supported the disposal of smallholdings to sitting tenants and sales of vacated property over the intervening time period, such that only six tenanted smallholdings remain, with three vacated properties actively being prepared for sale.
“The market value of agricultural land and residential dwellings has risen significantly in recent years, which far outweighs the opportunity cost of still holding the properties currently awaiting disposal.”
Considering the possibility of using land for renewable energy production in the wake of rising energy costs, they state: “In 2019 the Council declared a Climate Emergency.
“The Climate Change/Carbon Reduction team have been reviewing all surplus land for possible projects. All the Council’s farmland has been assessed for potential renewable energy and tree planting.
“Any identified Council carbon reduction project would have priority over disposal.”
READ MORE; Flintshire farm highlighted by Cllr for progressive methods
On the potential for using land for local food production, they add: “With regards to locally sourced food and assisting with Free School Meals, unless the Council was actively in control of a farming business, there would be no guarantee that food grown on any farm would be utilised or sold locally.
“But if the Council were in active control of farms, there would need to be extensive organisation to meet school meal procurement needs as well as a means of funding the project if the food was intended to assist with free school meals.
“Such specialised projects would fall outside the client department’s remit.”
Members of the scrutiny committee will decide on whether to look at the topic going forward.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here