Council leader hopes Labour metro mayor can push for more support for rural sector

Coun Les was speaking following mounting concerns and protests over financial pressures facing the rural economy, including changes to inheritance tax on farms and the loss of the Rural Support Grant from the government, which was worth some £14m to the county and was used to cover the extra costs of providing services in areas of sparse population.

It also comes after the authority provided £150,000 towards a farm decarbonisation initiative, which will help farmers protect their farms in the face of rising energy costs and help drive forward the region’s ambitions to become carbon negative by 2040.

More than 30 farms across York and North Yorkshire have signed up to take part in the scheme, which identifies practical ways to reduce emissions, support nature and build long-term farm resilience.

There are four tests available, including a comprehensive energy audit, renewables feasibility assessment, a biodiversity net gain assessment and soil carbon testing.

On a visit to a dairy farm in the North York Moors, Mayor David Skaith met with the organisations leading the programme, including NFU Energy and Grow Yorkshire, to understand its impact and how it could be expanded in the future.

The mayor has also commissioned research in partnership with York and North Yorkshire’s farming sector to better understand the finances of farms to ensure they have a future.

He said: "With more than 70 per cent of our area used for agriculture, farming has a big part to play in our ambition to become carbon negative by 2040. But we also understand the financial pressures that farmers are facing today. So, this initiative offers cost savings with environmental benefits.”

Coun Les said he was pleased the mayor was taking an interest in the issue and was trying to set the combined authority up “to be the first, if not the only, one in the country that’s really interested in rural affairs”.

He said: “There was a fear when the mayor was elected that he would be a York-centric urban-focused mayor and he’s making sure he’s not seen as that, important as York and urban affairs are to the combined authority.

"As he is a Labour mayor working with a Labour government he might be able to bring a better understanding to the government of rural issues. We are very disappointed the rural support grant has been taken away.

"For some politicians to say there’s no evidence it costs more to deliver services in rural areas, that it was being sent to affluent areas and councils and that councils in affluent areas were putting it ito reserves could not be further from reality.

"Perhaps a Labour mayor will be able to speak more forcibly to a Labour government about those misconceptions. We know there are some farmers with large acreages who run successful businesses, but there’s also a lot of farmers where the value of the land and machinery is such that they do not make a huge return on their investment.

"Growing food is a key part of the North Yorkshire economy while what people do with that food, the millers, the bakers, ready meal producers and the sausage-makers, is also an important sector.”