Senior Ceredigion councillors have again backed a behind-closed doors purchase of a new “strategic asset” for the county following last year’s £1.85m purchase of a farm which is being transformed into an agricultural and horticultural college.

In a report before the June meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet, members were asked to approve “the acquisition of a new strategic asset for Ceredigion County Council, that aligns with Ceredigion County Council’s Corporate Strategy Goals”.

A report for members said: “The purchase of the asset, if approved, would be through grant funding already held for service improvement.

“As the details of the sale, including the asset and its market value are currently commercially sensitive, the details of the asset and the agreed sale price are included in an exempt report.”

The asset “would form part of a wider development and service improvement opportunity”, documents said.

Nothing is currently publicly known about the ‘asset’.

Of the asset itself, it only said: “An additional asset will be purchased, which may require development work, and will require on-going maintenance.”

Members agreed to go into private session to discuss the proposed acquisition, later returning to public session to authorise the purchase of the as-yet-unknown asset, details of which were included in an exempt report for members.

Members also agreed to “receive a further report following completion of the legal agreement to purchase the asset, to provide the public with more detail around this acquisition,” a report expected at a future meeting.

Last year, members backed a similar behind-closed-doors purchase of a strategic asset, later revealed to be the £1.85m purchase of a farm next to Lampeter’s university campus, Llettytwppa Farm, which is now being transformed into an educational site for pupils who wish to follow courses related to the agricultural and horticultural sectors.