THE boss of a national tenant farmers group has called for Herefordshire Council's new administration to make the right decisions when it comes to the county's tenant farms.

George Dunn, the chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association, says it is "a great sadness" that the council's 5,000 acres of farm land which are owned by the local authority are "largely hidden from public view".

Currently, about 50 farming families are waiting to hear the council's decision on tenant farms.

A decision, as part of the Herefordshire County Smallholdings Review, was moved back until after the elections with the NFU saying it has been busy speaking with its members and lobbying the council.

"Not only do county farms provide the only real source of hope for new entrants wishing to get a foot on and progress along the farming ladder, if managed properly, they are also major income earning assets for the county council and a reservoir for wider economic, social and environmental benefits," said Mr Dunn.

"The Tenant Farmers Association argues that the county farms estate should be given the freedom to manage its own affairs under a long-term, strategic plan set by the local authority.

"It is right that county councillors should exercise their non-executive authority to set objectives for the estate but, within a framework of ensuring proper accountability to council tax payers, they should leave operational control in the hands of competent estate managers who know what they are doing."

"Clearly the county council finances are under considerable strain, but managed well its county farms estate can provide significant economic, environmental and social benefits whilst at the same time maintaining a crucial point of entry and a route for progression for the farming industry."