allotments and rent the allotments act's

[x1sjwebster]

Hi All
I have been searching for a specific part of one of the allotments acts that refers to the fact that allotment rents collected should be spent on allotments, not on whatever else the local council thinks it should spend it on, i have read it before here on the internet but am unable to find it again if anyone has any clues at to where i might find it or any of the relavant allotments acts let me know as i have embarrasingly quoted this section to my local council and they have asked for a copy whoops!!!!
I am however pretty positive that i am right and that money both from rent collected and land sold should be spent first and foremost on allotment's and allotment improvement
any information greatly appreciated
x1sjwebster

[Belinda]

This snippet is from a document published by the Allotments Regeneration Initiative, perhaps they would be able to supply a copy of the 1908 Act.

'The work has been paid for under section 32 of the 1908 Allotment Act, whereby Capital from disposal of statutory allotments must be reinvested in allotments.'

http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari/

[x1sjwebster]

Thanks Belinda,
After a little bit of research and a call to the allotments and gardens society i found copies available from http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/bookstore.asp these are the official publisher for HM stationary office good value at £6 each and well worth having for any allotment holder.

[djbrenton]

Land sale is one thing but rents are another. The rents collected even in a medium size city are only a token amount. For example, here in Nottingham there are around 3500 plots, of which probably 1500 are Association and therefore don't really add to the council coffers. Of the remaining 2000, probably only about 1700 are let with a total rent payable of about £30,000. We have an allotment officer with a clerical assistant so even without spending a penny on the sites themselves the department runs at a loss. If all the plots were direct let it would still only give the council £65,000 a year to administer something like 150 acres of allotments. When you consider the land would be valued at £42 million for development, we don't get a bad deal.

[triffid]

The free booklet "Allotments: A Plot Holders' Guide (from Communities and Local Government Publications) is also well worth having to hand.
For info on getting copies go to:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1503017

[SJMedlock]

Sounds like your allotments are managed very well D.J and as an allotment inspector myself I just wish i had a budget of £30,000 to go at what is the price and size of your average plots?

[cornykev]

Have you an allotment  s j or are you checking out the opposition.

[djbrenton]

Plots in Nottingham cost 5p a sq yd per year with the majority of plots being either 300sq yds or 600 sq yds.

25% discount if receiving pension/unemployment/disability.

[ktlawson]

Dont know about the act, but I do know that all money raised from goods we sell in our shop are put back into the allotment site. We do aslo get grants from the council even though they are small. All is appreciated.

Rents for us is a little different as the land is owned by a man with a title - he is a  "Lord". Same person owns half the shops and pubs in the town too. He must earn a fortune in rents alone.

[SJMedlock]

I have an allotment myself cornykev but sadly vast numbers of allotments in my rural town are going to waste i am doing my best to promote and revamp them but it is an uphill struggle especially as there is no financial support which is why i was interested in this thread.
average prices around here about £30 for a rood around quarter of an acre.

[Barnowl]

SJM - Which part of the country are you in? Perhaps A4A people could spread the word to people in your area.

[Robert_Brenchley]

average prices around here about £30 for a rood around quarter of an acre.

That's twice the size of my plot, and not many people actually cultivate the whole lot. Would smaller plots be more popular?

[cornykev]

A lot of the plots where I am are being halved to cut down the waiting list, and also they take on a big plot and don't realise the hard work it involves so it gets left and they can't rent it until the next year.   

[manicscousers]

our council has a brighter borough fund, sj, they've funded two projects for us so far, is there nothing like that in your area ?   

[SJMedlock]

We do have some smaller plots but the majority are full or half roods cutting them down in size would probably be a good idea as most tenants tend to get discouraged in the first year because of the sheer size of the plot.

[sawfish]

Is there any advantage or disadvantage if your allotment is private instead of council run as the one I am in is private?

[manicscousers]

ours is a private site, there are advantages, we can do some things council run ones can't, trees etc 

[okra]

Our council has also been very clever and made all sites self managing - we pay for our water and the Council does nothing for us.

[sawfish]

I just wonder if its easier or more dufficult to get it bought over for houses etc

[saddad]

That would depend on the landlord or the council Stan. In England most allotment land is "statuatory" which nominally gives it greater protection. We actually own our own site but that is most unusual!