A BID to get Gloucestershire County Council to provide more mental health support for farmer and lobby against them being hit with more tax has been “kicked into the long grass”, it is claimed.

Proposals to write to the government and county MPs expressing strong opposition to tax changes were debated by Gloucestershire County Council.

Conservative county councillor and farmer Dom Morris (Fairford and Lechlade-on-Thames) put forward the motion which also asked the council leader and group chiefs to meet agricultural representatives to explore ways to better support the farming community.

This would also look at providing ways to oppose the tax implications which he believes will have a devastating impact on the rural communities.

While councillors expressed support for farmers, it was proposed that the matter be looked into by a scrutiny committee which would take months to come up with recommendations.

Cllr Morris said: “We had the wettest autumn and winter of my lifetime, we then had the driest summer of my lifetime, prices are incredibly low at the moment, arable is below cost of production, beef are having a good time, fruit and veg are having a really tough time and the prices are just incredibly low.

“At the same time costs are going up, machinery costs are doubled, labour obviously is going up and other bits and pieces around the costs of doing business, regulation in other words.

“And then there’s what I would call the 1984 state which tells us what we can grow, what we can’t grow, how we can grow, the level of state control is extraordinary and all parties are to blame for this.

He said the country could not afford to “keep breaking up family estates, family farms, because there will be no entity left, there will be no organising construct to manage and conserve our land and produce food.

Cllr Stuart Graham (Reform, Mitcheldean) proposed an amendment recognising the growing mental health challenges faced by farmers.

“We wish the council to work with NHS services, farming charities and mental health organisations to develop and promote accessible mental health support tailored to the needs of Gloucestershire’s farming community.”

Lib Dem councillor Colin Hay (All Saints and Oakley) proposed a referral to the corporate overview and scrutiny committee and report back.

“It may not be everybody’s first choice and the idea of it being kicked into the long grass which I suppose is apt in this particular case.

“We can try and this really quite quickly, although coming back to council means March,” he said.

“If it comes back in March we can actually come forward with some really positive things.”

Cllr Morris responded: “This is why the public are turning off. You really want to put this into scrutiny?”

“This is a really simple motion that says sit’s probably best not to tax farmers huge amounts of money when their businesses are making nothing.”

The council voted to refer the matter to the scrutiny committee by 27 votes to 15.