Topic: Do all councils have to, by law, provide allotments?

[whatsthemarrow]

Anyone know anything on this or a website that tells me more.

It was said at last months meet that the council have to provide more allotment space if there is a need for it.

(ie) if the list of people that want is bigger than the list of plots not in use.

My point is, I was asked to find out as much as possible for next month but i'm at a lost end.

There are 11 people waiting on the list for my site and about 35 more over the other 4 sites so we have lots of people that want a plot but no plots.

HELP! if you can.

Thanks.

whatthemarrow...

[manicscousers]

hiya and welcome to the site..here in wigan, we have very long waiting lists and few allotment sites, I suspect there is a 'get out' clause to help out the councils..maybe the national society for allotments and leisure gardeners i.e.  nsalg, may be able to help..if you google it, you should find the website, hope that helps  :)

[OllieC]

Yes, welcome to the site! AFAIK the get out is that no timeframe is specified. So they must provide allotments, but maybe not for, say 100 years.

A couple of people on here have managed to get new allotments though, so it shows it can be done!

Good luck!  :)

[silverbirch]

This may add a bit of power to your elbow when you contact them

http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/allotments/approach.htm

[Uncle Joshua]

As far as I know councils do have to find space for allotments if need is great enough, someone on here will know the ins and outs to do with law.

I'm in a battle with our local council to try get them to give up more space for allotments, I found the land but they said it didn't have the needed parking space, I found ample parking space, now they claim that the land is owned by another department, other than that I found them very evasive.

I'll never stop fighting for more people to have land and neither should you.

Nice link silverbirch.

[arphamoe]

Nice to have you 'aboard'!
If it helps, I've always found that you get further in enquiries of this nature if you get to know your local borough or town councillor who represents you in your area and make it an issue for him/her to deal with. They should be able to tell you what the local policy is on the issue and whether any other approaches have been made.
The local authority should have someone directly responsible in the heirarchy, and it could just be that no-one has asked the question before - if that's the case, the jobs half-done. If not, you can get a reason and then decide on your next course of action depending on the advice.
If there is more than one site represented by different councillors, get someone from each site to do the same  - there is more likelihood of a response if there's a united approach.
NSALG are very good with advice, and the general advice in the Govt website is very sound.
Good luck, you'll need it but don't be deterred

[kenkew]

I can't remember all the things I got involved with a long time back, but it worked.....from memory, the council does have an obligation to 'Cater for the Community'...this certainly includes allotments. First step is to go to the Town Hall and find out what land your council owns in the area you're talking about. Visit all those areas and suss out the best site for your needs. (Forget parking, that's not an issue, local people have legs) build up a case, supported by the community, as to why you should have that bit rather than the local housing group or developers!
 It can, and has, been done. Get your local MP on your side. With the political termoil at the moment they're all out to catch the public eye.
 Be prepared for a struggle, but don't back off. Get to all the local rags with your 'battle' with the council, the newspapers love to have a go at 'Big Bro'.....media and local support is a winning formula.

[dazdread]

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmenvtra/560/56007.htm

But then I found this:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1993/Ukpga_19930050_en_1.htm

Which has repealled large chunks of allotment law. Not sure of the repercussions as there is a lot of reading there but all of the acts can be searched for.

My councillor informed me the other day that councils are under great pressure to dispose of assets as all of the proceeds go back to the treasury, selling the crown jewels to bail out the bankrupt government was the term he used... he is of course conservative :D

[arphamoe]

Yet another avenue - www.farmgarden.org.uk which is a site for the Allotment Regeneration Initiative!
They have a new publication, reissued in July 2007 which you can download - its the new 'Plotholders Guide' which has oodles of good information.
Good Luck with the endeavour.