Topic: MORE Allotments ... Lobby your MP

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Had a letter from Margaret Beckett today with a copy of a reply she received from Eric Pickles about availability of land for allotments.Here is a couple of paragraphs from it.

In recent years, one of the biggest issues for those with an interest in allotments has been the very significant increase in demand for allotment plots and, consequently, increased pressure on local authorities to meet the demand. Government recognises that allotments are valuable green spaces and community assets.

A recent initiative to support local authorities in meeting demand for allotments has been the publication and dissemination of A Place To Grow (March 2010). This guidance is aimed at helping local authorities minimise the length of time an individual has to wait before getting an allotment plot. A copy of this publication can be down loaded  from the LGA website at www.lga.gov.uk or by contacting LGconnect at 0207 664 3131.

The next paragraph he starts to woffle on about short term leases on empty shops.When someone round here tries to grow something in a shop,the police raid it and take the plants away ;D ;D

[saddad]

It's almost worth planting some achocha as a decoy...  ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

What we need in a repeal of the Inclosure Acts when the land was taken away in the first place. 

Dead right, it was the first great privatisation.

[froglets]

Hi All,

Had a reply from Fiona Bruce ( by letter - waste of my money - what's wrong with an e-mail?).  I added a bit of justification to my request

"As a Sandbach resident, I discovered that there are no allotment sites in Sandbach, and the nearest options for me are a car journey away.  This denies those on low income access to a source of home grown, healthy vegetables and fruit.  I was able to obtain a plot on a site in Crewe, but this is a long way short of convenient, and also denies a Crewe resident access to a plot close to their home."

 
She says

"Thank you for your e-mail regarding EDM687 which I am pleased to confirm I have signed ( yipee!).

My grandparents, parents and in turn myself, particularly when my children were young, have all grown our own vegetables and I am extremely pleased to note that there is such an enthusiastic degree of support for this within Sandbach and that the Town Council is looking into how this can be tangibly encouraged by the release of land for allotment sites in the local area.

I do hope that their work proves fruitful!

Think I need to figure out who my parish councillor is and add my support to local allotments.

Cheers