HEREFORDSHIRE farmers who are battling water shortages have won unanimous support from the local authority after it made a decision to make building reservoirs easier.

Cllr O’Driscoll who recently met with local farmers and representatives from the National Farmers' Union, put forward the motion on agricultural water security following recent discussions with all concerned.

This resulted in cross-party support requesting that the council’s Executive look at ways of supporting new on-farm infrastructure, helping businesses adapt to climate change, manage water and protect food security.

Cllr O’Driscoll said the motion’s aim was to tackle the significant costs, delays and bureaucracy facing farmers investing in storage and added: “This motion commits the Council to taking forward several practical measures, including establishing an Agricultural Water Security Roundtable, bringing farmers, the NFU, regulators and local authority officers together to identify practical solutions.

“Exploring a clearer, simpler planning pathway for farm reservoirs, helping farmers navigate the process and identifying opportunities to reduce unnecessary costs and delays.

“It also seeks to ensure agricultural water security is considered in Herefordshire’s emerging Local Plan.”

Cllr O’Driscoll said he was grateful to the NFU for its strong support and to colleagues from across the Council for backing this important initiative and added that he’ll be working with officers to ensure the recommendations are progressed as quickly as possible and added: “Our farmers put food on our tables. We need to do everything we reasonably can to help them secure the water they need to keep doing so.”

In September the NFU held a series of on-farm events where councillors saw the barriers to growth at first hand. The motion asks the Executive to convene a roundtable meeting that brings together the county’s farmers, the NFU, the Country Land and Business Association, Herefordshire Rural Hub, the Environment Agency, water companies and relevant council services.

Herefordshire Council has been tasked with exploring a clearly signposted farm-reservoir planning pathway and establish solutions to cut financial barriers faced by the farming community including the ability to receive planning advice at the outset.

Catherine Hinds, the NFU’s Herefordshire county adviser said growers were pleased to see cross-party support and added: “Water remains vital for us all and for food production – this is a positive step.

“We look forward to the council’s findings and further discussion that will make a difference on our farms.”

NFU Herefordshire chairman Will Watkins said: “Water availability is becoming a binding constraint on our farmers and growers.

“While public water supply benefits from strategic planning, agriculture does not. But with the right strategic support from both national and local government, the farming industry can build new infrastructure, adapt to changing climate, and effectively manage finite water resources.”

The local authority’s findings and recommendations are set to go to be discussed by the full council by March 5, 2027.

Additionally, the NFU is also calling for the formal recognition of the Herefordshire Water Abstraction Group; a joined-up catchment policy aligning flood mitigation, farm resilience and nature recovery; a reduction in the financial burden for famers seeking to make changes through the planning process and that Herefordshire Council commits to faster handling of any reservoir applications.