A village without allotments - we need advice

[Jeff]

Hi all - another newbie - only found you this morning.

I live in a pleasant Cambridgeshire village, but we have no allotments and there is a growing list of householders who are seeking to rent an allotment (council of private) if we can find them.

I'm a councillor on the Parish Council and know that the Parish has no spare land.  Most of the District Council only seem to believe that towns and cities 'deserve' allotments, and allotments are provided.  They believe that allotments in parishes are the total responsibility of the Parish and none of their business.

I'd appreciate advice from any source about -

1.  what we can do to acquire allotments
2.  what responsibility does the District and County Councils have to make provision, and
3.  can we get grants (once we can find an allotment area) to help establish viable allotments e.g. water, sheds etc

The Parish Council supports (at least in principle) this initiative.

Jeff

[Robert_Brenchley]

Doesn't the Allotment Act specify that if so many people ask for allotments, they have to be provided? I don't know who would be responsible, but you could at least use it to bring pressure to bear.

[Jeff]

Thanks for the comeback Robert, but the question is -

who (which authority (parish/District/County)) has the responsibility for the provision of allotments under the Act.

Parish Councils havn't got the cash (or resources) to become Allotment Authorities, thus would the responsibility move to the District?

If I'm going to challenge the 'authorities' I need to know WHO that authority should be.

Come back.

Regards

Jeff

[Ceratonia]

Which village is it Jeff?

I know a couple of people who've had discussions with South Cambs DC and got the same kind of answers you've posted and not really got anywhere.

[supersprout]

It's a growing problem Jeff, you're not alone - Prescott houses are springing up all over Norfolk without thought to allotment provision as has traditionally been embedded in planning in cities. This is causing concern to some District Councillors too, and some are certainly lying low and hoping they don't get approached by allotment lobbies. Like you say, you can start to lobby when you know - for sure - where the 'authority' lies. It may be fudged. Allotments are covered by a number of different Acts - listed in one place here -  http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/allotments/advocacy1.PDF.
I don't envy you the homework

Short cut? Formally ask your MP to clarify who is responsible for provision of allotments to voters in your area?

[lancelotment]

Jeff,

I seem to recall reading in one of Caroline Foley's books (The Allotment Handbook  I think it was) that if a number of residents in a parish all sign up together then the Parish Council are obliged to do something under the terms of the Allotment Act.  I'm at work at the moment so can't give you chapter and verse but will try to get back to you tomorrow with the details from her book.  Better still try the National Society of Allotment Growers.  They must deal with issues like yours every day.  Good luck! Lance

[powerspade]

I have just gone through the allotment act as with regards to the provision of allotments, Firstly it is the responsibility of the local district council and not the parish council, secondly the local council has the legal responsibility of setting up a site for a allotment if requested by 6 people who are on the electoral register. If they tell you that they have not land available then sorry that tough on them they GOT to make land available to within walking distance of the town or village where the demand is. So there are no excuses, exercise your rights and nag them until they do comply with the act

[supersprout]

According to my chum in Norfolk, Parish councillors 'have the power to provide allotments and should aim to do so if there is demand and appropriate land is available within the parish boundary'. More than one way to go, depending on circumstances?

[ugly gourd]

Alot of the villages around me have allotment tucked in the top of farmers fields so why not approach some local farmers see how the land lies for doing this then when you approach the council you can say this farmer has said he is willing to rent you some land farmers are all looking for different ways to make a living from their land one down point though if its a crop field you may want to be organic and the farmer is not and so sprays may stray onto your plot