URL: https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1159

Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose:

Content: This Council notes that:   ·         Agriculture contributes £190m per year to the Warwickshire economy with around 4800 people employed across Warwickshire farms. ·         Warwickshire farmers and gamekeepers help maintain over 1750 miles of public rights of way and 6500 Hectares of woodland.   This Council believes that:   ·         Farmers are the backbone of Britain who work long hours year-round, in unpredictable weather, growing crops and raising animals so we can eat.  Farming is essential in assuring we have food security and integral to the Warwickshire economy. ·         Productive farmland must be protected from mass housing / industrial development and the installation of solar farms whilst ensuring farmers are more easily able to diversify; with farm shops, storage and similar on-farm development. ·         Farming and Gamekeeping apprenticeships should be promoted to encourage young people into a rural career, keeping industries going and traditions alive. ·         Shooting is an established part of the UK’s cultural heritage and community life, contributes to conservation, combats loneliness, and provides important social and cultural ties in rural areas involving all generations within communities. ·         The shooting and conservation sector is a significant employer within Warwickshire and contributes to the local economy across both rural and urban Warwickshire.   This Council resolves to:   1.     Engage with Warwickshire schools, hospitals, businesses and other publicly funded organisations to encourage them to support Warwickshire farmers, shoots and game dealers by prioritising them when sourcing produce. 2.     Support applications from the Council’s agricultural tenants to permit sustainable shooting to be undertaken, in accordance with the law, on land leased from the Council 3.     Ask Officers to consider how shooting and conservation can help towards achieving the Council’s environmental targets and schemes and to explore the role of the sector as a means of both improving opportunities for young people through education and vocational qualifications and driving sustainable economic development in rural communities 4.     Ask Officers to provide information on the impact of deer in Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) and to consider whether a Deer Management Plan would mitigate the number of RTCs across the County 5.     Write to local MPs requesting that they commit to supporting British farmers and sustainable shooting conducted according to the law, and to ask that they raise the issue in parliament and in their discussions with Government. 6.     Build on the contribution of farming and shooting, carried out in accordance with the law, to conservation by exploring its inclusion in future local nature recovery plans.  

Date of Decision: March 17, 2026