Topic: More of the same....

[LynneA]

A couple more stories for you:

A plotholder at the far end of the site was leaving his plot after picking some beans when he was challenged ON HIS PLOT by the site sec and two of his friends.  They accused him of pilfering, saying they didn't recognise him.

A woman came back from a couple of days holiday to find all her tomatoes gone.  The site sec mentioned in passing that he didn't know when she was coming back, so he'd picked them.  Told her she could have some of his.

Also, another elderly plotholder was away dealing with a family illness and subsequent bereavement.  Got a letter telling him to clear up his plot in a month or be kicked off.  Went to see his plot that week only to find it had already been given to someone else.

The site sec has the woman at the council round his little finger - she's already told someone who complained that his contract might not be renewed.

How do we deal with this and still keep our plots?

[ruffmeister]

OMG thats awful, i really dont know what to say :-(

[Robert_Brenchley]

This sort of situtation is coming to light more and more. The only real solution is probably to get people together to vote them out and put someone else in.

[Hyacinth]

Lynne,

I don't have an allotment. I know little to nothing about the running of allotments. But if your prob is a Council owned allotment, then I do know what I would do and what I would help anyone living about my area to do.

Is?

Is detail all your complaints of mis-management which can be verified and dump the whole on the desk (or the PC) of the most active local Councillor in your Council House who serves your area. Forget the Party they're affiliated to. If they're the person who is patently Getting Things Done in your area, they're the one to target.

They want your vote(s). They want to be re-elected.

This works for me to get resolution with all sorts of probs peeps come to me with regarding highways & byways, etc.

Lishka

[mc55]

OMG, I'm speechless.

Does he need to be re-elected every year as site secretary ?  How many of you are there on the site - did you get a 'contract' when you joined ?

[tabbycat]

I second what Alishka says - write everything down and get local Councillors on your side. I'd even go so far as to take a dictaphone with you & record any conversations that you have with this individual or people that have been affected by his behaviour. You would of course have to let them know that  you were recording the conversations for this evidence to be used if it comes down to a legal issue.

Phone and write to all the local Councillors & let them know what's going on and that you need their help. They will hate to think that another councillor may look better than them & they can't can't deny that they have any knowledge of this problem.  

Also tell them that you are prepared to go to the local press about it. Use the argument that allotments are getting "trendy", they are relevant "green issues", plot holders are being wrongly treated and the local council seems to be doing nothing to help. Try and pick a local paper that gives the Council a hard time, if you have a choice.

Also write to the Chief Exec and his deputy informing them of the very unhelpful & worrying attitude of their employee.

In everyone of these letters include a copy of your plot rental agreement, and any other relevant letters, so that no-one can say your plot can be re-let or that your records don't exist.

I also think that you should try and find out what went on at his old site. Try posting the location on here and other allotment forums and see if anyone knows anything. You don'y have to be libellous, just say that you are having a bit of an admin problem with him.

[tabbycat]

Forgot this - write to the PR person at the council too, stating how shockingly you have been delt with by the council allotment woman BUT don't do this until you have talked to the newspaper. Hopefully it will shake them up.

Have you got a constitution for your site? Or does the council set out the rules of the site committee. Send copies of this with your letters with relevant bits highlighted.

 This man is totally, totally out of order. How dare he be so bl**dy arrogant as to think he can treat people this way >:( >:(


Am so, so angry for you, that typing this, my jaw has started to ache from clenching it so tightly! will have to have a cup of tea to calm down

Tabby

[tabbycat]

OK - had cup of tea..

Been on Enfield Council's website. Allotment bit is part of the stuff that is being re-designed so not much help, but have found an electronic form that allows you to report a problem in a park, cemtery or allotment.

One of the problems listed on the form is "anti-social behaviour". If enough plot holders are prepared to send in electronic complaints, then you'd have more of a record of what was happening. You'd have to find out who they went to at the council to make sure the unhelpful woman didn't just delete them all but it may be of some use.

[lancelotment]

Lynne,
I'd be inclined to put your issues in writing to the council.  It's harder for them to give an off hand reply if they have to put it on paper then it is over the phone.  They are also committing it to record which you may have recourse to use as a big stick to beat them with at a later date.  Tabby is spot on about checking your allotment's constitution as well.  A resolution for this kind of problem is not going to be achieved without things getting worse before they get better.  If you are prepared to go the distance then good luck.  Lance