Cornwall leads town hall fightback against family farm tax with other councils set to follow

Cornwall Council has passed a landmark motion opposing the controversial family farm tax proposed in the government’s Autumn Budget. The Countryside Alliance is now urging other councils to follow Cornwall’s lead.

The motion, led by Nick Craker, Conservative councillor for Liskeard, won overwhelming cross-party support at a council meeting in Truro on Tuesday (26 November), with 55 votes in favour, three against, and three abstentions.

Prior to the meeting, the Countryside Alliance issued a statement of support, carried by the local media.

The motion calls for the council’s leader to express its dismay to Defra secretary, Steve Reed, and Cornwall’s six MPs, urging the government to reconsider restricting agricultural property relief (APR) on inheritance tax (IHT).

The North Northamptonshire unitary authority has confirmed it is due to debate a similar motion next week.

Prior to the meeting in Cornwall, supportive councillors joined a demonstration wearing wellies before taking part in a passionate debate in the council chamber.

Councillors from across different parties voiced their support for local farmers.

Mebyon Kernow member, Michael Bunney, said the government had "got it wrong" and hoped the policy would be "re-jigged".

Non-aligned councillor, John Conway, described the tax as an "attack on Cornwall and on the Cornish way of life".

Councillor Colin Martin, for the Liberal Democrats, urged the government to look at other ways of raising funds without harming farmers.

Two Independent councillors and one Green Party councillor voted against the motion, with three Labour councillors abstaining.

In North Northamptonshire, newly elected councillor, Alex Evelyn, has tabled a motion which, if successful, will see the local authority "stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the farmers of North Northamptonshire" and "fight to protect their legacy, their livelihoods, and the future of our rural communities".

Should it pass, council officers will be required to produce data on what impact the controversial changes will have on famers across North Northamptonshire, enabling the authority to assess what support they can offer.

The motion is due to be debated next Thursday, 5 December 2024.

Cornwall Council has a history of voting in support of pro-farming motions. In May 2023, it became the first local authority to back the Countryside Alliance’s counter campaign to the compulsory plant-based movement. It voted to back local farmers by proactively sourcing local, seasonal produce- explicitly including meat and dairy- at council events, while encouraging residents to ‘shop locally’ and urging them to take advantage of ‘home-grown, affordable, nutritious food’, irrespective of dietary preference.

The move came in the face of several motions passed at other councils across the country, which encourage residents to buy ‘plant-based’ produce in a move away from meat and dairy, while also committing to only source vegan options for councillors at events. Since then, 10 other councils have followed Cornwall’s lead.