TORFAEN council has revealed plans to dispose of a farm following concerns about the welfare of animals and management issues.

The county borough council's cabinet has been requested to negotiate terms of partial or full surrender of the current tenancies with the tenant farmer of Fir Tree Farm in the New Inn area when it meets on Tuesday.

Cabinet will also be requested to approve that the surrendered land be deemed surplus and authorise officers to market the council’s freehold interest for the land.

It is also requested that if no surrender can be agreed, officers will be authorised to market the whole farm with the tenancies in place.

The farm buildings and land, comprising 73 acres off Sluvad Road, are described in a council report as being in "poor condition", with repairing responsibilities being split between the council (as landlord) and the tenant.

The report prepared ahead of next week's meeting says there have been ongoing issues over "the tenant failing to comply with the obligations contained in the tenancies and various concerns raised regarding the land and animal husbandry" since the tenancy was granted in 1979.

It adds: "Lately there have been recurrent concerns from neighbours and members of the public regarding the condition of the farm and welfare of animals.

"At the beginning of 2018 the public profile of the situation increased as a result of discussions on social media."

The report says that considerable time is being taken up with the management of the farm.

As the level of rent is not adequate to cover the cost of the council's repairing obligations, the council is also operating at a loss.

It is proposed that disposal of part or all of the farm takes place as soon as possible.

If the tenant farmer agrees, both tenancies could be surrendered for a financial settlement funded from the sale.

Alternatively, the farmer could surrender part of the tenancy and remain in occupation of the farm house.

A "final resort" could be that a new owner would become the farmer’s landlord under the terms of the existing tenancies, if the other options are not considered agreeable.