Allotment Strategy

[Stephen]

Several different issues in my view, I'll try and separate them for my answer.

Cost: I don't want anyone put off by the rental, but here in Berkhamsted there are plots which get very little attention but people are reluctant to hand them back. The rent needs to be balanced between properly affordable but worth holding on to the money if you realise that you will not utilise it well. None of the costs mentioned are expensive when you consider the crops we grow.

Size: I was very lucky. Here new comers are only offered a half-plot but the chap who took the adjacent plot never got started (apparently the poor chap was unwell) and I had done enough to prove myself a worthy plot holder. I think you can do little with less than a half-plot (if you are not prepared to take on that much, allotmentering is not for you)

I thoroughly disapprove of pushing people off their plots, provided they are using the plot. A manager/representative who has a long waiting list may try and cajole or persuade someone with several to part with one or a half to be obliging but no more than that.
I approve of a "use it or loose it" principle. It needs to be clear what is considered neglect (difficult and subjective but a bit of consultation could surely achieve a guideline) and a quiet chat by way of warning. There may well be good reason for temporary lack of use, but a return to the land needs to be achieved.

[Beryl]

Just to make it clear that I was not suggesting that those of us who have more than half a plot and keep it well cultivated (I have 2 and half plots) should give some of them up.

I am sure there other sites like ours that has land that could be brought back into cultivation if the council was willing to spend a little cash.
A large piece was taken from out some years back to to build an atificial badger sett. The Badgers had other ideas and took up resident elsewhere. This so called artificial badger sett could be turned into at least 4 half plots. We also have 2 so called wild life plots which have one stagnant pond and are completely overgrown and neglected. These could be used for another 3-4 plots. I am all for wild life areas if they are not suitable for culivation and can be benficial if maintained properly.

Beryl.

[snooky]

Our Council have increased our rents by 11% from £4.94 to £5.48 per perch and kept the 50% discount for those of us over 60.The downside is that we have to sign an agreement that our plots must be 25% cultivated within 3 months of taking on your plot and 100% cultivated at 12 months.
Already this has caused discussion on our site.Those with plots with a bed system of,say,6 beds in a 10-perch plot and the rest grass;those who grow their crops in containers dotted around their plots;those who have taken on a plot half covered with brambles etc.after the council promised to clear them and have used every excuse not to;others like me who have a plot given over to soft fruit in half of it and the other half top fruit,do we comply after 12 months?Going to be an interesting year on the"political"front,it might depend on the meaning of the word "cultivated"and it's interpretation on whether or not we keep our plots because that is what this new "strategy"is about,freeing up plots to reduce the waiting lists.

[glallotments]

I totally agree with everything you have said Peter.

[Westi]

Getting confused - found out today committee recommended 5 rod plots to the council. We have over 160 plots and no one was consulted - entirely their decision!

Westi

[John]

Don't just roll over and accept it Westi!
1st Memo to Westi: get yourself on the committee
2nd Memo to Westi: get enough members together to call a Special General Meeting - (check your rules its probably about ten) - and get the recommendation changed.
Note to Westi: Consent to this action will be inferred by silence from the members

John

[Stephen]

Westi
I agree with John.
Chat to other plotholders and get their opinions. Make sure that you have allies, emphasise the general good and ensure it is not seen as a selfish motive.
Maybe we here can help you create an alternative strategy, looking ahead but with implementation over a period, so plots are not removed from existing holders. To me, 5 rods is a tiny plot; as Peter said above they will change the atmosphere because you get a different sort of user. In itself, this is not a bad thing, but a single plot size just alienates those who want to grow vege and fruit, which is, after all, the principal objective of allotments. You might want to find the original wording of foundation documents. From my point of view, I would object to the prescriptive single plot size, variety is the spice of life and so several options should be available; after all with 160 plots there is plenty of space (our set has 42 plots but another in the town has more).

[Westi]

I am indeed polling the crowd down there I know who are all against it and we have drafted a standard reply to the council and photocopied it, which they are all sending to cover the appropriate sections of the Strategy.

I was on the committee but lost the will to live after a couple of meetings. I attend and lead meetings all the time in my job and they are democratic and very lively with open debate with new ideas seriously considered. (Partically in the current climate with savings having to be made in the NHS but the same output (or more) has to be met!) They are also communicated across all ranks with their input sought & valued even if they aren't in the group. The allotment meetings were as dull as dishwater with no movement forward.

Silence will not be an option! Does anyone know if we can put up posters or anything without the committee approval? We don't have a notice board on site any more.

Cheers Westi

[Stephen]

I was on the committee but lost the will to live after a couple of meetings.

I know the feeling, glacial progress is quicker!

[peter]

Nothing I can think of to stop a plotholder putting up a polite notice on their own board on the edge of their plot.

Unless your committee are vindictive power hungry control freaks.

[Shallot Man]

Westi. I agree with John, also get the local paper involved, these sort of committees don't like the glare of publicity.

[Westi]

Update!

They finally did their sums and apparently have changed their order of doing things and found some other land elsewhere to get started on houses and are going to go with the gravel quarry up the road first as that releases funds so have told us we are safe for about 8 years where we are.

They are however going to vote on multi-plots regardless of size if you are billed for 2 plots you will have to give up 1. Mine are side by side but I get 2 bills so in potential trouble again. There is a lot of talk about them not being able to do anything retrospectively around the plot - is there any creedance in this that you know of or is it just rumour?

Westi

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Westi, good news about the 8 years grace, but i'm afraid, retrospectively and creedance are not words we really use in Milton Bryan, so i'm not a lot of help there...

[Stephen]

Westi, some good news is better than none. I hope you are encouraged.
As I said previously, there should not be compulsory eviction. I would lay a small sum that none of those plots are neglected.