Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Family Farm Tax
To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Hall and Taylor;
“This Council notes that:
The recent 2024 Autumn Budget change to Inheritance Tax relief announced by the Labour Government will introduce a Family Farm Tax and will have a detrimental impact on Family Farms and farmers’ ability to pass on their farms to the next generation of farmers.
This Council believes that:
- The Labour Government have committed a shameful betrayal and let down farmers by breaking their promise to not introduce a Family Farm Tax.
- The Family Farm Tax will damage the ability of farmers to pass on their farms to their children.
- Labour’s Family Farm Tax will threaten food security by forcing the sale of family farms.
- The Labour Government’s Family Farm Tax will make British food production harder.
- That the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed and Keir Starmer promised not to introduce a tax like this.
- Numerous rural and farming organisations such as the National Farmers Union and Country Land and Business Association have warned that countless farms will be harmed, threatening food security and rural areas.
- The comments made by Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed that already struggling farmers will have to ‘do more with less’.
- At a time when many farmers across Kirklees are struggling with soaring costs and energy prices, this sudden tax rise will damage the future of their farms.
This Council resolves:
- To request that the Leader of the Council writes to the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to outline the Council’s dismay at this decision and calls on the Government to stop the Family Farm Tax.
- That the Leader of the Council engages with local farmers and community representatives on what the Council can do to support them.
- That the Council seeks to support local farmers by using local produce, produced in Kirklees wherever possible.”
Decision:
RESOLVED – Motion approved.