£100 per pole

[shirlton]

Oh No!!!!! Not another one

[jules2]

In my first post I mentioned NALC Community engagement strategy which you can find on their website but this link indicates all three major parties support it.

http://www.nalc.gov.uk/


I'm thinking of writing to the local associations of all three parties and light the blue touchpaper asking for their support

[cornykev]

Best of luck Jules
Keep the faith.
 

[Digeroo]

Wecome to A4A Jules.  It looks like 'vexatious complainants' is spreading.  Unwashed has been suffering from this affliction for some time and there appears to be no known cure.

I googled this expression and found that many local authorities have a policy about it.     I think it may become a convenient way to try and ignore awkward questions.    I think that you should ask for written details of why you have been given this title. 

Do not let them grind you down.

[Andy H]

yeah keep on and on at them!

My plot is 20ft x 40ft? dont know how many poles that is?

We pay £18 a year which we think is great value but I think the council realises that it is a good thing that people grow their own and reduces road miles a lot and promotes healthy past-times and community spirit.

The waiting list has grown by an amazing amount over 7 years but we have an awards thing each year.

We normallty only get about 1 or 2 skips a year and could do with 2 or 3 really but although most of the stuff that goes in it are rubbish that has been used but worn out, some stuff is compostable which annoys me.

OK if it is the nasty weeds but the a brown bin at home would do for that, I use mums as we dont have one.  Need more plots in the gatwick area as the demand is growing fast!

If rent was £500/year then the effort would hardly be worth the effort as you can only grow so much!

It should be to encourage healthy eating and sociability and fresh air and excercise.
low road miles and veg that actually contains some goodness rather than the mass produced stuff.

I thought the councils HAD to provide plots with certain demand in an area?

[saddad]

I thought the councils HAD to provide plots with certain demand in an area?

They do.... but they don't... 

[jules2]

Wecome to A4A Jules.  It looks like 'vexatious complainants' is spreading.  Unwashed has been suffering from this affliction for some time and there appears to be no known cure.

I googled this expression and found that many local authorities have a policy about it.     I think it may become a convenient way to try and ignore awkward questions.    I think that you should ask for written details of why you have been given this title. 

Do not let them grind you down.

The point is there is no such thing, it was exactly because of this type of obstructive behaviour from publically  funded bodies that the FOI Act was brought in

The precis of the FOI I posted was not sent as I decided that I wasn't going to train them about FOI in my own time, instead I actually replied "thank you for your letter the time limit under the FOI expires on the 26th October" and guess what he replied.

A person can only be vexatious if they ask for the same thing over and over again.

If I ever meet the person who drafted the Act I will buy them a drink as they anticipated exactly how organisations would try to blanket ban people asking inconvenient questions

I wish I could UTube the Estates Meeting held on Monday, when I spoke a councillor complained that I should have written in first so they had time to consider the points I was raising.

She was sitting next to the Chairman who had complained about me writing in all the while and said the staff had been instructed to ignore all but lawful requests from me But he didn't say a word.

Previously the Clerk got a letter from me in advance of a meeting and said " I'll tell him his letter doesn't merit a response" not realising I was sitting there.

The Chairman said so far it had cost £351.78 to reply to me but oddly they have 110 plots and have no idea what they cost to run as they keep no records.

I was tempted to ask for a breakdown of the cost under the FOI but I don't want to score cheap points I just want myself and my fellow allotment holders to be treated with respect.

But the FOI does not really help if the council refuse to meet us or allow us to have any involvement at all in the running of our allotments.

But Big Society and the NALC Community Engagement will.