I HAVE always been impressed by Minette Batters who, as president of the NFU for six years, spoke plainly and clearly to the media, spelling out the problems which UK farmers are facing, particularly since Brexit.

Now Baroness Batters, appointed by Defra secretary Steve Reed, she has concluded a comprehensive review, making recommendations to the government aimed at boosting farmers' profits. Central to her work she engaged directly with farmers, ensuring that voices from across all regions and sectors of agriculture were heard. I hope the recommendations are implemented, we all need food, and farmers manage our countryside.

Cornwall has a good mix of tenant farmers and owner occupiers, but the budget didn’t provide any good news for owner occupiers, or tenants or landlords of farm estates, with no relief from the Inheritance Tax.

A farming colleague took time off to attend the demonstration on Budget Day, with over 500 tractors driven into Whitehall. He told me it was a good-natured event, with nobody blocking roads, although the police seized a handful of tractors which were released within days. He added that it’s a pity that a handful of billionaires have bought land as a way to avoid Inheritance Tax, messing things up for family farmers who want to hand on their land to the next generation.

I bought my car second hand over 12 years ago, but it’s getting to the end of its life, especially as I am now doing an extra 5,000 miles per year for my councillor duties.

Driving over 12,000 miles per year now, it has made me think about getting an electric car, however the budget news that I will be paying £360 per year as an electric vehicle mileage tax makes me rethink. I bought my present car based on emissions, not performance or comfort, and it’s still doing 60 miles per gallon.

However, I am now holding up the traffic on hills as it’s losing performance. I know someone has to pay for highway maintenance when we are all driving electric cars, or other non-fossil- based fuels, but I am not the only person who will have to rethink.

Liberal Democrats on Cornwall Council have strongly resisted attempts to impose a mayoral system based across Devon and Cornwall, as Cornwall needs to maintain its strong identity and integrity.

Ben Maguire, MP for North Cornwall, who has campaigned for a bespoke devolution deal, welcomed the announcement of a deal for Cornwall as an “important first step” towards genuine local self-government and self-determination.

The announcement guarantees Cornwall a stand-alone devolution arrangement, without needing to merge with Devon, and an indication that the Duchy will likely not need a mayor.

It’s a milestone for Cornwall and certainly a positive first step, which we now must build on. Cornwall deserves the same powers over housing, transport and economic development as Scotland, Wales and London. True devolution means giving Cornish people real control over their future, via a fully-elected Cornish Assembly – not just token powers from Whitehall.