The Leader of Braintree District Council is calling on the government to urgently review the changes around inheritance tax on farmers.
This also includes seeking a reversal of the policy, which he claims will be “devastating for the next generation of farmers and the industry”.
Councillor Graham Butland has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, to help preserve family farms, farmland, and the environment.
The letter states the council wishes to “support our farming community in their opposition to the imposition of an inheritance tax and other financial penalties on their farms and businesses”, highlighting the “Braintree District is a rural district and farming and businesses supporting agriculture contribute significantly to the wellbeing and prosperity of our area.”
It follows a motion passed at a meeting of the Full Council on 9 December 2024, put forward by Councillor Peter Schwier, Lead Member for Rural Issues and ward member for Gosfield & Greenstead Green.
Councillor Graham Butland, Leader of Braintree District Council, emphasised the importance of this motion: "Our farming community contributes enormously to our local economy and the wellbeing of our residents. It is our duty to protect their interests and ensure a sustainable future for the next generation of farmers. This is why we’ve written to the government to request an urgent review of the inheritance tax, and a reverse of the policy set out in their 2024 Autumn Budget, to help preserve family farms and protect both farmland and the environment.”