Cambridgeshire County Council Farms

[unlacedgecko]

Anyone with any experience they could share?

 

[Forkdriver]

They are not what they were. Get any promises in writing.

 

[Spuddler]

As far as I can see they don’t use an agent unlike round here.

 

[Suffolk Serf]

They even bought another farm recently.
Make sure that you’re not related to any councillors if you apply, they got accused of blatant nepotism recently.

 

[jerseycowsman]

They are not what they were. Get any promises in writing.

Sounds like Cornwall now too. Nothing gets done anymore

 

[Al R]

They are not what they were. Get any promises in writing.

Sounds like 90% of landlords, the bigger they are the worse!

 

[chaffcutter]

At least they are retaining their let estate, and on decent size farms too judging by their advert in FW, and not selling them off like here in Staffs.

 

[MF-ANDY]

@Flat 10

 

[Forkdriver]

As far as I can see they don’t use an agent unlike round here.

They have an in house team. I started my career with them in 1976, when we carried out all maintenance to houses and buildings, carried out drainage, road and track maintenance, and pretty much everything else. Much much later, l returned to the area and knew a number of tenants. Oh how times had changed. The estate has amalgamated a lot of holdings, sold houses and land and no longer do anything that they can get away with. The husband of one lady who worked in my team agreed to move out of a nice house to a poor one on the promise of more land, which never came.

 

[Bongodog]

They have an in house team. I started my career with them in 1976, when we carried out all maintenance to houses and buildings, carried out drainage, road and track maintenance, and pretty much everything else. Much much later, l returned to the area and knew a number of tenants. Oh how times had changed. The estate has amalgamated a lot of holdings, sold houses and land and no longer do anything that they can get away with. The husband of one lady who worked in my team agreed to move out of a nice house to a poor one on the promise of more land, which never came.

Many of the holdings were 100 ish acre arable farms, they had to amalgamate them in order for the tenants to survive, as to the dismantling of the in house maintenance team, Councils are notorious for hideously expensive maintenance costs when things are done in house and Cambs County Council is no exception to this. Strangely enough in regard to maintenance the managers have just been dragged over the coals for retrospectively agreeing to pay for improvements made by tenants

 

[Forkdriver]

Many of the holdings were 100 ish acre arable farms, they had to amalgamate them in order for the tenants to survive, as to the dismantling of the in house maintenance team, Councils are notorious for hideously expensive maintenance costs when things are done in house and Cambs County Council is no exception to this. Strangely enough in regard to maintenance the managers have just been dragged over the coals for retrospectively agreeing to pay for improvements made by tenants

In my day there were a number of starter holdings but some larger ones. The aim was that ambitious farmers could use it as a springboard, and move on to larger holdings. The smallholding committee of the council looked for a return, but recognized that the value of the estate was in part as a result of investment. I am sure that today's pressures on council budgets makes for hard decisions, but at least there are a number of holdings available, but because of the short term nature of them it takes a brave soul to take the plunge. My impression is that farmers sons stand a better chance because of family backup.
Not sure if AlR is angry with me or the council.

 

[Al R]

In my day there were a number of starter holdings but some larger ones. The aim was that ambitious farmers could use it as a springboard, and move on to larger holdings. The smallholding committee of the council looked for a return, but recognized that the value of the estate was in part as a result of investment. I am sure that today's pressures on council budgets makes for hard decisions, but at least there are a number of holdings available, but because of the short term nature of them it takes a brave soul to take the plunge. My impression is that farmers sons stand a better chance because of family backup.
Not sure if AlR is angry with me or the council.

“The husband of one lady who worked in my team agreed to move out of a nice house to a poor one on the promise of more land, which never came.”
That’s what I was angry about....

 

[Adeptandy]

I am a tenant of CCC, as said, not what it was, but I wouldn't be farming without them.
This years going to be a tough one with rent review and upward pressure as the management team have been given a target to produce a return on value of the estate. Every couple of years the estate gets valued, so the spectre of it being sold of is always there.
Just lately every election brings a change in policy, makes it a tad unsettling when forward planning a business.
Try not to be to clever with them and once trust is earned its not to bad to get things done, but its easier if you are prepared to put some effort and funds into the job.

 

[Forkdriver]

“The husband of one lady who worked in my team agreed to move out of a nice house to a poor one on the promise of more land, which never came.”
That’s what I was angry about....

Yes, it was shabby. Thanks for clarifying, as I don't like upsetting people, unless I mean to

 

[Forkdriver]

I am a tenant of CCC, as said, not what it was, but I wouldn't be farming without them.
This years going to be a tough one with rent review and upward pressure as the management team have been given a target to produce a return on value of the estate. Every couple of years the estate gets valued, so the spectre of it being sold of is always there.
Just lately every election brings a change in policy, makes it a tad unsettling when forward planning a business.
Try not to be to clever with them and once trust is earned its not to bad to get things done, but its easier if you are prepared to put some effort and funds into the job.

Good for you. There are some great examples of farmers who built a business after the start they got. My concern is that by milking the tenants there isn't enough left to expand and grow. Sometimes this is in contracting, or machinery dealing, sometimes in specialist growing.
We were lucky to have a land agent in Alan Ashpole who commanded and deserved respect with councillors and tenants. I think he was the best and hardest boss l ever had.

 

[Adeptandy]

Good for you. There are some great examples of farmers who built a business after the start they got. My concern is that by milking the tenants there isn't enough left to expand and grow. Sometimes this is in contracting, or machinery dealing, sometimes in specialist growing.
We were lucky to have a land agent in Alan Ashpole who commanded and deserved respect with councillors and tenants. I think he was the best and hardest boss l ever had.

I will agree, it hard to expand and grow on the estate nowadays. I will confess the rents are slightly lower than open market, but virtually all repairs in the later FBT's fall to the tenant. Sheds are of poor standard, for example I haven't got one I can either get the drill in or the sprayer in. Tipping the grain trailer stops at the first stage of a 3 stage ram. Basically all they look after now is the roofs and electrics. If your boiler dies, that's down to you, windows need replacing the same. Diversify the business, they'll want a % of the profits. You can't sublet for high value cropping, well you can, but its an aditional £50/acre on the rent, which then defeats the object of doing it.

 

[Forkdriver]

I was probably responsible for the building of at least 6 sheds that were minimal standard even then, and about the same number of bungalows and houses. We had a fixed spec. to work to. Subletting was a no no even then, and we could demand evidence of expenditure to prove it.

 

[smallholder99]

what sort of rent would 20 acre make as a starter farm , average grazing with a 4 bay stock shed on a 5 yr term

 

[Formatted]

Does it have a house?

 

[Forkdriver]

Work out how much profit you can make, apportion 40% as rental then decide if it's worth the hassle.