Core Purpose & Management Policy
The core purpose of Cheshire Farms Service is to provide
opportunities for suitably qualified persons to start farming on
their own account. In addition, the service coordinates and shares
advic
e upon best practice and provides examples of how good
Estate Management and practical farming are not mutually exclusive
to good environmental practice, benefiting to the public more
widely e.g.by opening up access and encouraging take up of
stewardship schemes.
The Estate is run on a commercial basis,
producing an annual operational surplus and capital receipts when
property is sold. The structure of the Estate is currently being
reorganised with an ambition of increasing the number of larger
farms by amalgamation, improving the standard and level of fixed
equipment thereby improving the viability of opportunities that are
offered and leading to a more sustainable service.
External partnerships can and have been forged
with both the public and private sector bringing in funding to
assist in meeting these aims. Of particular note are two
initiatives. One with the Environment Agency and involving the
Farming & Wildlife Advisory
Group which provided information about the environmental
condition of individual farms, advised farmers on best practice and
offered assistance in submitting applications for Stewardship
schemes where appropriate. The second under the banner of the
Farmsmart Initiative through the Farm Energy centre at Stoneleigh
providing energy audits and advice on best practice.
Farmsmart Newsletter Examples
Management Policy
Management policy aims to improve standards of Estate
Management, maintenance and husbandry and within the context of
providing opportunities to suitably qualified persons to enter
agriculture to commence farming on their own account.
- To retain an Estate of approximately 10,000 acres and provide a
varied structure of farm types and sizes.
- To improve standards of Estate Management, maintenance,
husbandry and stewardship of the land and endeavour to provide an
example of how good estate management and best practice in farming
are not mutually exclusive to:
- Good environmental practice, and
- The wider benefit of the general public.
To achieve this, both Cheshire West & Chester Borough
Council (CWACBC) and Cheshire East Borough Councils (CECBC) the
Councils are carrying out strategic reviews of the portfolios to
assist develop management policy whilst continuing to:
a) Restructure the Estate, leading to a reduction in the number
of starter farms (40 - 60 acres), an increase in medium (60 - 95
acres) and promotion sized farms (95 - 200 acres), to improve the
standard of opportunities offered and promote movement through and
off the Estate.
b) Reinvest capital. In CEBC, a proportion of Capital Receipts
achieved from the sale of properties identified as surplus to
requirements in the restructuring process to facilitate
amalgamations has been made available and in CWABC, a programme,
independent of receipts, has also been established.
c) Continue to run the Estate on a commercial basis and produce
an annual operational surplus.
d) Explore potential sources of external funding.
e) Provide whole farm environmental audits for all new tenants
to assist in the preparation of farm management plans.
f) In the re-letting process, consult with the Public Rights Of
Way Service to explore the potential for improving and expanding
public access across the estate.
g) Implement the Governments Asset Management Planning
initiative.
h) Implement actions identified in the "Best Value
Review" of the County Farms Service in 2002 / 03 to achieve
continuous improvements to service delivery.
Further information about Management
Policy and our medium term strategy