Give farmers more time, say Lib Dems.

6.01.03pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd Jul 2010

Hopes that Somerset's County Farms may be saved from sell-off were dashed again after yesterday's County Council meeting.

Tenant farmers attending the meeting made pleas to Tory cabinet members for more time to decide their futures, some of them had been given a few days notice by letter from the council, telling them their homes and businesses were up for sale but they may wish to consider buy their farms.

Lib Dem leader Jill Shortland made an impassioned plea to the council's leader Ken Maddock to give the farmers stay of execution on the sell-off. Mr Maddock made no promises to respond.

Jill said "I believe local farmers deserve to be treated with respect and dignity." "If the Conservatives must sell these farms then proper consultation with tenants should have taken place." "The Conservatives have mishandled this sell-off in a quite spectacular fashion, giving these tenants a few days to decide to buy their homes and businesses, it is deplorable." "We all know how long it takes to get valuations, mortgage advice and make plans, these people were given a few days to do that and at the same time carry on running their businesses, their treatment by the Council is a disgrace!"

Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Sam Crabb had asked that the farms sell-off be discussed at the Council meeting but because of legal reasons some questions relating to the sell-off debate didn't proceed.

Farmers attending the meeting were dealt a final blow when the sell-off debate and other council business were cut short by the chairman who brought proceedings a halt so that Councillors didn't miss their lunch.