Problems at our plot.

[Catherine]

Yesterday our next door but one neighbour came to tell us that the plot above us across the path had his shed broken into. (The plot is empty at the moment as the holder died at Christmas and they have not let the plot yet ) We chatted to our neighbour and discussed the problems with our allotment as we do have gates now but people either open the gate and come in leaving the gate open, then leave closing and locking the gate when other people are still there. We have suggested that they pull the gate closed not lock it, it is very hit and miss with this.

Yesterday after our conversation about the break in we found a child's black puffa jacket in our compost bin which is right next to the path. The pockets had been pulled out to see if there was anything in there.

We think that nothing has been stolen from the allotment (we lock both gates on our plot and it is fenced but someone could get through the wire if they were determined enough.

I am so worried about out plot as I hate the thought that some kids are messing about and might spoil all the effot we have done this year.

In 2009 we won the best allotment and two days later all our peas were stolen and all the empty shells were left on the side of the plot. Seriously depressing and upsetting. (they were the best peas we had ever grown before or since.)

We have lots of empty plots (we have been here for 13 years) and alot of the plots were previously kept by very regular, hard working plot holders. Now (as two of them have died) nothing has been done to fill the empty plots. One chappie (who we helped when he first arrived) filled his plot with rubbish (think Mr Trebus) if you remember him on the TV. Baths, bricks etc etc. He did not come all this year he tried to build a shed but it was really rubbish. This year he has not been seen. There is supposed to be a waiting list. There are now many plots not being used and quite a few which are being used but not properly. One chap has taken on at least three to four plots only for chickens and no veggies. If any one leaves a plot two chaps strip the plot of anything that is worth using!!!!! I chatted to a women tonight who only took the plot on in May. She worked really hard (but before she got the plot the previous owner had worked very hard on and his plot was pristine) He died a year last June!! No one was given his plot till last May by then it was too late and this poor lady had too much to do. Tonight she told me that she was giving up. She has not been regularly with work committments and she said that some one had been on her plot and taken her huge blue plastic cover which she was covering the spaces that she had not dug over. Someone in charge is not doing his job to fill all the plots. Mine is hidden by an overgrown plot once on mine you cant be seen.

Sorry for the long rant but I feel really cross about all the allotments which are empty, unused or not managed properly and the stealing.

[Motherwoman]

Rant away Catherine! It just gets so frustrating.

We used to have severe problems with plot management when they were run by the local council. The people inspecting the plots didn't know what they were looking at half the time and empties didn't get filled quickly so they got overgrown. Then the council hived them off to the town parish council and things have improved but are not perfect yet. The best thing they instigated was quarterly open meetings with plot holders where problems can be raised, not always solved but at least brought to their attention! You could try you asking for a meeting with whoever controls yours.

There is now a part-time manager for all the sites in the town and he does strim empty plots etc but the allocation of plots to new people is erratic. One chap who was fairly new kept asking for extra plots and seemed to get them over and above anyone on the list. He now has three plots all of which are full of weed and he hasn't grown any meaningful crops in any of them. One of them technically is rented by his daughter (yeh, right...) but I've never seen her. Unfortunately he has the plots each side of mine!

On one side he has a plot with a greenhouse that was occupied by a lovely couple with two young children who kept a wonderfully productive plot but had to move for work reasons and in 6 months it has gone to pot. So it doesn't take long.

On the theft side there are many threads on here with frustrated allotment holders who feel powerless against it. And the locking in problem is another! Particularly if you're hidden by a weedy plot. I've taken to hanging up a jumper or body warmer on the beansticks in summer so that I can be 'seen'.

So you're knocking on an open door here but having a space to 'vent steam' helps.

MW

[Ricard with an H]

Have a huggy Catherine.

I feel so sorry for this lady and have respect for all of you allotment owners, your work is all so vulnerable to casual destructive acts and theft.

It's hard enough battling against nature, reading this with my morning coffee made me feel so very sad.

[tracie]

Is your site managed by the local council or do you have a committee that answer into the council?. How do you manage to pay the council rent if you have vacant plots?.

On ours we manage the site on behalf of the Council who come and visit once a year to make sure we are doing a good job.

We have one person who manages plot distribution and the waiting list and this works very well, adverts can be placed in surrounding shops/post offices if you have spare plots.


TW

[FelixLeiter]

Around half of my local allotments appear empty, or at least neglected to a point where they appear to be un-owned. I know there is a waiting list. I don't know why these plots have not been re-allocated. This must be very frustrating for those on the list. When I had a plot in another part of the country, the rules were stringent, and anyone not keeping their ducks in a line were soon told to vacate. I make this sound draconian, but where help was required (ill-health or similar impediment) it was freely given. Wherever your plot is, though, vandalism and thefts are a horrible fact of life. All the greenhouses around here are each protected within a stout netting cage as protection against hurled stones.

It's odd the things that don't get taken, though. There's a Mirabelle grows at the entrance to my site. No-one else seems to pick the fruits except me; they are otherwise left to rot. They are golden yellow and delicious, excellent for jam.

[Monika]

Catherine, I was going to ask the same question as Tracie, above: who runs your allotment site? Ours (which is very small, only about 12 plots in the whole village, spread over two sites) used to be dealt with by the Parish Council but earlier this year we formed an Allotment Association with a committee and three officers. The Chairman now inspects the allotments every month and if they are neglected or full of weeds , he contacts them as a "reprimand" or, if caused by ill health for instance, with offers of help.

I was rather against this association, thinking that, if the council takes our rent (£40p.a.), they should be responsible for it, but the new system works better than I expected. It also means other allotment holders can be contacted by email immediately when, say, there is a theft problem, or you have spare plants to give away or the pheasants are making a mess of the veggies .....

In your case, it may be just children getting bored in the summer holidays but I do hope it all gets sorted for you!

[Beryl]

My sympathy Catherine as you probably know we are having similar problems to you right now. If anyone can sole this problem of lack of interest by councils in re-letting plots quickly when they become vacant I would like to know. It's like banging your head against a brick wall. As for keeping gates locked, ours has just had a complete make over, can we get plot holders to keep it locked? can we ........

Theft is rife again with wheel barrows and stainless tools being targeted. The majority opinion on this one is the scrap dealers are benefiting.

Sorry I could go on as long as Catherine on this one.

Beryl.

[vegpatchmum]

Sorry to hear of the problems that you have been having.

I don't know anything about allotments or protection of the ground they're on etc but is it possible that the Council/Land owner is deliberately letting this happen so that at some point they can invoke some small print clause or other to 'legitimately' close the allotment site due to lack of use?

If you can find out who officially owns/runs/manages the site then, personally, I would suggest trying to get the other genuine, hardworking plot holders to send a letter (one with all signatures or one each) explaining the problems and concerns and asking about who is managing the site etc. KEEP A COPY. You may not get a response but at least you will all then have proof that you have been trying to get someone to resolve the difficulties.

Send them a letter every month until they sort it It's hard to deny awareness of a problem if you've been sent notification of it every month for the past year

Good luck
VPM
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