Farming rent arrears to council rises to £400k

Devon County Council is owed more than £400,000 in rent arrears from farms it owns, the latest figures show.

The £415,000 figure is an increase of almost a third from the £317,000 of outstanding rent due three months ago, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The latest figure includes a new farm that is in rent arrears - and has contributed to the spike.

Devon County Council's farms estate committee has heard overdue rent includes arrears from tenants who had left one farm, tenants with arrears over six months, and end of tenancy charges.

Officers told the committee payment plans had been agreed with some tenants who owed rent, and some farmers had been investing heavily in improving their farms' infrastructure, which benefited the estate and meant rent payments might be slower.

Conservative councillor Richard Chesterton, who represents Tiverton West, asked whether the council was taking legal action in any cases.

Officers said they had tried to liaise with land agents, who acted as intermediaries between tenants and the council.

The committee heard solicitors had been instructed to pursue one debt.

Elsewhere, the committee approved the sale of a listed farmhouse and 10 acres (4.04 hectares) of land at East Fingle Farm, in Drewsteignton, while agreeing the remaining 56 acres (23 hectares) be amalgamated with neighbouring Higher Fingle Farm.

The committee also heard Devon County Council would be marketing New Gulliford Farm in Dawlish to find new tenants for the 90-acre (36-hectare) property - after the existing tenant requested to leave early.

The council will also see if any of its existing tenants wish to take on Tarrants Farm in Payhembury, a dairy farm where the current tenant intends to retire.

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