Topic: Cheltenham gardener evicted from his allotment

[Uncle Joshua]

Whoever takes it on? he'll never leave!!

I contacted our local council two years ago regarding the same matter two years ago and nothing happened so just sent them this....




leelee.yu@kirklees.gov.ukCc: kirkleesgp@btconnect.comHi Leelee
 
I contacted you regarding an allotment inside Liversedge cemetery (plot 7) since I contacted you nothing has changed, Mr Barton still only visits his plot 4 days per year and still has such a large portion of the half plot next door that nobody can use what he has left of it!!
 
Here are a few pictures of Phil's plot....
 
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/mickwall/?action=view&current=pt2.jpg
 
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/mickwall/?action=view&current=19052009344.jpg
 
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a85/mickwall/?action=view&current=19052009343.jpg
 
Out of all the allotments on our site four are used in a normal manner, four are taken by a father and son team,  four inc the one used by the secretary are unused and a half plot has been rendered unusable due to the actions of Barton, the secretary of our site while a very nice man is unwilling to take any form of action to resolve the situation and has let his own allotment fall into a state of disrepair and all this when we have a huge waiting list.
 
I can only see this as unfair on the people that want allotments and would work them as they should be worked, please don't let another two years pass by without any form of action being taken to rectify this situation, I as I'm sure others would, would be happy to take the roll of site secretary to ensure or site was run as it should be.
 
Mick Wall.

[elvis2003]

good luck mick,i do feel for you ! would any other plotholders write a similar letter?

[Uncle Joshua]

good luck mick,i do feel for you

Thats a good question, two fellow plot holders are members of A4A so will read what I have said here first!!

[Ninnyscrops.]

Our local parish council run ours. A good friend had to leave his plot last autumn, it was taken over within weeks and it's now a thriving weed plot.  The occupiers have had warnings, a final letter and a last inspection this weekend, and as far as I know, they will be off if nothing has been done to show it's being cultivated.

If you have the time, and let's admit it time is precious, go and stand in front of someone at your council offices until you have satisfaction either by way of a letter that something is going to be done, or even better take a dictaphone in with you, that'll goad them into some action!

Linda

[Robert_Brenchley]

Don't forget to inform the local press about what you're doing in time to get a photographer there!

[xlynettex]

what a waste of a lovely size plot >:(

[Sparkly]

Good luck with it Mic

Re: the evicted old fella

Fair enough as he isn't cultivating the plot.

We have a similar situation on our site with an older bloke, who whilst he is lovely and very friendly, doesn't cultivate his plot. He does patches with beds, but large areas are filled with couch grass and brambles. He has been asked to drop to half a plot, but he refuses. In reality he actually uses much less than half a plot anyway. His plot is at the boundary of the site and, due to all the brambles, you could not get down the site of the fence for the whole of his site (there should be a 3ft path here). The committee went in and cut down all the brambles on this path much to his complaints. I personally, and others, have offered help in terms of digging over his plot for him, helping him cover areas and edging it properly. He doesn't want help. Very sad because, in reality, he is likely to loose his plot.

[Old bird]

Mick - good luck with your neighbouring allotment problem.  I would go to whoever runs the site and hope that you can stir them up to take action!

Is there a waiting list for your plots?  If there is try and find someone on it who will also kick up stink as they want what your neighbour is not looking after and will give the council or whoever more leverage against the old guy!

I feel sorry for some of the people who are likely to lose their plots as - maybe it is their - "Space" - but it really isn't and they must know that they are holding others back!

Generally if you don't have a committee or site representatives - I think it quite in order for a few of you - to form one and help cajole individual lottie holders into getting help to cultivate if there is a chance that they will be able to carry on once clear - or give up half for someone else.

I think it is a mightly shame that anyone has to put up with a weed strewn patch of brambles and nettles which will spread seed to your plot.

Good luck all who try to get some action this way!

O B
 ;D

[1066]

Mikc, don't know if you've got local elections coming up or not but contacting your councillor can be a good scheme too, particularly given the popularity of allotments and all the press on about growing your own
1066

[Unwashed]

The council did the right thing here.  But as allotmenteers I don't think we should worry about anyone's plot but our own.

[Sparkly]

The council did the right thing here.  But as allotmenteers I don't think we should worry about anyone's plot but our own.

But, the neighbouring plots will be worrying about their own. I would not be happy with all those weed seeds.

[Uncle Joshua]

The head honcho from the council is coming to see me next week so we may get something done.  :)

[1066]

They are doing this on Radio 4 at the moment - You and Yours - you should all be able to have a listen on listen again thingy.......

[saddad]

Good Luck with the meeting Mick...  :)

[Borlotti]

I didn't think one person could have two allotments.  I did think about putting one in my partners name but find one more than enough for me, and as I get older may have to reduce to half a plot.  Spoke to the Council man yesterday and he said that due to the high demand for allotments they would be inspected more regularly and notices sent out if people weren't cultivated their plots, which I think is reasonable.  Hopefully we do not all have to have uniform pristine plots, but really overgrown ones and people to keep their plots and only turn up a few times a year is a bit selfish, I think.

[Mrs Soup]

I feel for the chap who got evicted. It's difficult to find a balance between the established tenants, the newbies and the demand for plots.

However,  allotments are for growing vegetables not a rural retreat, so he had to go.

Our committee have worked hard to get a full site of worked plots and it now seems to police itself.  If a plot starts to look a bit neglected the tenant gets a phone call to check everything is ok. If nothing (or very little) happens this is followed by a warning letter  then eviction notice. Depending on circumstances this can take a few months, but all new tenants are warned of the "use it or lose it" policy when they sign up.

[Uncle Joshua]

The chap from the council came to see me today, it turned out that the guy that came to see me is a green party counciler so I'm hoping he'll take action very soon and not wait until I get fed up and contact them again.

[1066]

Hi Mick, it might be worth doing a follow up email to remind him of your meeting, how good it was to meet him, how you appreciate his interest  etc, mind you being a green councillor you'd hope he wouldn't need reminding   ;)

[shirlton]

Good Luck Mick