TENANT farmers in North Yorkshire are considering a legal challenge against the county council's decision to sell more than 11,000 acres of its farmland.

The Tenants Farmers' Association (TFA) announced its move after councillors voted 57 to five yesterday in favour of the sell-off.

TFA northern region secretary David Campbell said: "I am absolutely appalled at the decision and we will not let it rest here.

"I think councillors have been totally misled. They do not realise the farmers' position as part of the rural community. They are the backbone in certain areas of the county."

The sell-off could realise more than £60 million to be spent on services hit by budget cuts, a full meeting of the council was told.

Under the plan, the county's 126 tenant farmers will stay on their farms until their lease expires and will be given priority to buy their farms.

Sons and daughters will be given a further ten-year lease.

Councillor John Coulson opposed the scheme. "We must keep the land as an asset. We have been entrusted with this by previous councils," he said.

"As far as tenants being able to buy, they just don't have the capital at this time."

Coun George Sigsworth questioned predictions over the amount of money that could be raised through the sell-off.

"The agriculture industry is standing on the brink of the biggest depression since the 1930s.

"The price of land will plummet and there will be plenty of land on the market," he said. "I hope that does not come about, but there is every indication it will do so."

Labour group leader Coun Roy Wilson supported the sell-off, saying money raised would help to pay off debt. He said professional advice would ensure farms were sold "at the right time and at the right price".

Before the meeting, a delegation of 12 farmers handed a 1,000-name petition to Coun John Marshall, chairman of the county council, objecting to the scheme.

* North Yorkshire County Council also agreed its budget for the next financial year at the meeting. Spending for 1998-99 was set at £360 million. The average council tax bill will rise by 13.4 per cent - £64 more for a band D property.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.