Picture posting is enabled for all :)
Jools,you do not say what your rent currently is ... and for what size of plot.Rents vary quite widely across the country.However, there have been periodic private surveys conducted by A4Aers and indeed by people on other forums. The common finding in recent years seems to be that the average rent is between £4 and £5 per pole.In the current financial climate it looks as if many councils are looking hard at costs, including the costs of running allotments. There are indications that there is a trend towards removing any subsidies which plot holders have previously enjoyed which could result in significant increases in rent. This of course will beg the question of whether councils will offer value for money.
We all pay the same price, regardless. What with the retired, unemployed and disabled, only a handful would be paying the full whack!
I would ask the Council for a justification of why the rents need to rise by so much.For instance, 4 skips a year for a medium size site isn't very much. We have about 40 plots and 20 skips a year :o :o :o so our rent has to rise by quite a bit to even cover that. Water bill aren't generally as much as you might think (compared to a domestic bill) because you only pay for the water in, not the drainage and disposal costs.Must admit, I would challenge it Jools. It's a big increase.