Nasty nasty Swanley Town Council

[Old bird]

Well done Ian - presumably the council are being asked for no more than the allotments cost to other allotmenteers?

And yes - really good news if new allotments do become available!

I think that we can all get bogged down in the mire called politics! I for one don't anymore.  I don't listen to it  and I don't read political bits in papers - bores me to tears!  I used to and used to get uptight and steamed up - now - if you don't know about it - you tend to find life is much easier -  more chilled.

Easy to say if you aren't affected though - I do understand!

Old Bird

 

Old Bird

[Ian Rashbrook]

Latest and hopefully final update.

The two allotment holders from Hextable have retained their plots with Hextable Parish Council having finally accepted Swanley Town Council's offer.

And all the Swanley residents currently on the waiting list for a plot will shortly get their allotment as works are underway to expand Swanley Council's Kettlewell Court site. The number of additional plots slightly exceeds the current waiting list to cater for anyone else who may want a site.

Cllr Ian Rashbrook

[Deb P]

The two allotment holders from Hextable have retained their plots with Hextable Parish Council having finally accepted Swanley Town Council's offer.

And all the Swanley residents currently on the waiting list for a plot will shortly get their allotment

Well that is sensible and good news!

I'm sure more allotments 4 all is a positive step for all local residents, whichever town they reside in.......

[cornykev]

Well said Debs, is the local election coming up Ian.         

[Ian Rashbrook]

Kev,

There's always an election coming up. Next Swanley Town Council elections are in May 2011. Kent County Council and European Parliament elections are in June this year.

Ian

[cornykev]

Sorry Ian but I knew you'd bite.                 

[betula]

Good news then

[Moonbeam65]

You may find that a few councils have the same clause but in the past have never had to use it but now that allotments have become more sought after with lots of them having waiting lists they will always try to remove the plot holders who do not stay in there area.
our own allotment do have a couple of plot holders from outside the area but the council do not know as we do not give out names or addresses to any third parties whatsoever.

[Ian Rashbrook]

Sorry Ian but I knew you'd bite.                 

Kev,

What kind of a council would you prefer. One which does things like Swanley, enlarging the allotments to meet demand,  in doing so attracting the cynical comment that there's an election coming up? Or would you prefer one like Hextable which makes zero provision for people wanting an allotment, and attracts no criticism from people like you whatsoever?

There, I've bitten again.

[betula]

I think it is great news.

You never know Ian,you may wish to have a plot of your own one day

[Ian Rashbrook]

I'd love to have the time to look after an allotment. But not easy when I spend 20-30 hours a week on council business on top of a full time job.

Allotment situation in Swanley is that all the new plots are taken and we still have a waiting list as more people have applied. I'm now looking at other sites where we might expand.

[Robert_Brenchley]

At least you're looking! It's more than most coucils are doing.

[cornykev]

Maybe Ian,   people like me     have an axe to grind with councils at this moment in time , fair play if your doing your bit at the moment but I never met a council bod thats not in it for their own gain, maybe your different    lets hope so.       

[Ian Rashbrook]

I had a meeting with our Town Clerk yesterday and discovered that the waiting list for allotments is as large as it was before we expanded the Kettlewell Court allotment site. News of the additional plots prompted more people to sign up.

We're now talking to a non-council allotment group in the southern part of Swanley which has some vacant plots to put them in touch with people on the waiting list who live nearby. In addition, in the St Mary's area of Swanley, where there are no allotments, we're approaching Kent County Council to see if they will transfer part of the former school playing fields site to Swanley Town Council for use as public open space. If this can be secured part of the site would be ideal to provide allotments for people in that area of Swanley.

Ian Rashbrook
Labour councillor for St Mary's ward, Swanley

[betula]

Good news............nice to see a council trying to give people what they want.

[cornykev]

Its onwards and upwards then Ian. 

[I want an allotment]

Some people will start reading this again as reference has been made to it in the recent Swanley News Shopper. I would like an allotment in Hextable when they become available. I would just like to correct one thing in the letter from the Lizzie Thornton Kentish Times (14th March 2008) Councillor Robert Woodbridge IS NOT a Conservative Councillor He is the Labour Leader of Swanley Town Council. The Conservative Councillors voted for Mrs Ford to keep her Allotment.

[betula]

What is happening now re Swanley.??

[emmy1978]

How fabulous-I love you lot!! You are fierce! 
Thank you firstly for stalling the inevitable ironing with this thread. It's so great to know that allotments have such support in the face of councils wanting to put blocks of flats on every piece of ground. I wonder if this lady ever knew she had support here and people willing to get on a bus and defend her right to her plot-I'd have been on it Jeannine!
Power to the People (especially allotmenteers!)

[Ian Rashbrook]

Betula asked for Swanley News. There's good and bad.

Swanley Town Council completed our allotment expansion and all plots were immediately snapped up. And, inevitably, news of the new plots attracted more people to ask for allotments so we once again have a waiting list.

Of the four wards that make up Swanley only one (St Mary's) does not have an allotment site. we have identified land that is suitable but it's not in our ownership. It belongs to Kent County Council and we are negotiating the transfer of this land to Swanley Town Council so we can bring it back into public use, including allotments. It was formerly school playing fields.

To my knowledge, two local schools are creating allotment type areas for use by their school children.

The two Hextable residents who had plots in Swanley were able to keep their plots under an agreement between Swanley Town Council and the newly formed Hextable Parish Council. One has decided not to renew. Amazingly, when you look at the comments of Hextable councillors at the start of this saga - Independent councillor Dee Morris said "it's outrageous the council could do this to the poor woman.  She's been here for 11 years!" - Hextable Parish Council has just given the other allotmentholder notice to quit. And yes, Cllr Morris is one of the councillors who took that decision.

Councillor Ian Rashbrook
Deputy Leader, Swanley Town Council