NATIONAL Trust tenant custodians from near and far were welcomed to West Somerset for their annual meeting held this year in the Allerford and Selworthy Community Hall.

A near-capacity audience heard presentations from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), the Countryside Charity, and National Trust senior managers, with a question and answer session following each speaker.

The Tenants Association of the National Trust (TANT) is supporting the CPRE campaign for ‘Rooftop Revolution’ seeking solar energy for every new development and to remove barriers which prevent solar on existing roofs.

The National Trust provided more detail on its current nature programme and work across the whole spectrum of trust activities.

Concern was expressed by local farmers about bovine TB transmitted by wildlife and now with the possibility of widespread infection in the red deer of Exmoor.

Local tenants were concerned about repairs and maintenance to their homes, with particular emphasis on damp, mould, and heating costs.

The new tenant 24-hour repair reporting procedure was mostly working well but less so where more substantial work was required.

This was confirmed in an address by TANT chairman Peter Bate, who said the trust had carried out a tenant satisfaction survey last December.

National Trust tenants attending their association annual meeting in Allerford.
National Trust tenants attending their association annual meeting in Allerford. (TANT)

Most tenants who responded were satisfied with the trust as landlords but were concerned about energy efficiency, timescales for larger repairs, and communication.

The report confirmed the trust was investing £30 million this year in repairs and maintenance but was prioritising legal compliance and emergency repairs. 

Mr Bate said TANT wold continue to push fort he figure to be ‘significantly increased’, with improved quality of work supervised by trust staff.

The trust's annual accounts showed rent income for the year to the end of February, 2023, at £49.3 million with tenants subject to continuing increases.

TANT had dealt with many tenant problems in the past year and answered many queries.

After a long campaign by TANT, the trust now had a new complaints procedure which was much easier to follow and with two opportunities for external elements.

TANT recommended it should be used as ‘a last resort’ and it was better to go to the association for help and guidance, as it could usually find a resolution.

Mr Bate said the association had been working with the Government and the trust on the Leasehold Reform Bill currently before Parliament.

Key elements of it were the ending of Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’, a legal requirement for better housing conditions, and the possibility of the trust’s long leases being extended from 99 years to 990 years.

TANT president Andrew Turner-Cross had been working with the local community on an affordable housing project in Slindon, Sussex, with the trust providing the land at token cost.

This year's annual meeting of the Tenants Association of the National Trust was held in Allerford.
This year's annual meeting of the Tenants Association of the National Trust was held in Allerford. (TANT)

The association’s patron Michael Eavis was a strong advocate for such development and had provided land for a number of similar projects.

TANT thanked Mr Eavis for his patronage and with him will be seeking to persuade the National Trust to provide land in this way across the country.

Mr Bate said the association would continue to press on behalf of all tenants for warm, dry, affordable homes with improved security of tenure.

Mr Turner-Cross, TANT’s current appointee to the Council of the National Trust, gave a report on its operation and activities in the past 12 months.

Treasurer Peter Murphy provided audited accounts for the financial year to the end of March, 2023, with the current bank balance confirming the association was on a sound footing.

Committee appointments and amendments to the constitution were ratified and a proposal for a resolution on the need for increased funding to go directly to National Trust trustees was approved.

The following committee members were elected: Andrew Turner-Cross, Peter Bate, Bernard Johnston, Peter Murphy, Linda Baharier, Patrick Holliday, Neil Loden, Phil Bradby, Ros Farrell, and Sarah Ingamells.

A painting of Allerford Packhorse Bridge was presented to former chairman Joanna Leighton and former treasurer Mark Morris to thank them for their years of voluntary service to TANT.

Informal discussions continued during a buffet lunch with private surgeries for those who needed to raise individual concerns.

TANT thanked all the volunteers who helped during the weekend and the tenants who came locally and those who travelled from further away, the guest speakers, the committee, and patron Mr Eavis for his support.