Topic: Tory Government Consultation - Threat to Allotments

[redimp]

I got emailed this:

Immediate response required before 25/4/2011

Calling all members, this will affect you and future allotment sites, you need to act now!

Communities and Local Government website states “Local authorities are bound by statute. Their functions are set out in numerous Acts of Parliament and many of these functions have associated legal duties.

The duties on local authorities have accumulated over the years with successive pieces of legislation. While some duties remain vital, others may no longer be needed or may create unnecessary burdens or restrictions on local authorities. To address this, the Government is carrying out a wide ranging review to establish for the first time, a full picture of the duties placed on local authorities by central government. Your views are invited on which duties are essential and should remain, and which are no longer needed and could be removed. The aim is to give local authorities freedom to operate in a way that meets local needs and priorities”.

As we all know, allotments are a major community resource and we need to keep the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 Section 23 in place....

Duty of certain councils to provide allotments.

· (1) If the council of any borough, urban district, or parish are of opinion that there is a demand for allotments . . . in the borough, urban district, or parish, . . . the council shall provide a sufficient number of allotments, and shall let such allotments to persons . . . resident in the borough, district, or parish, and desiring to take the same.

· (2) On a representation in writing to the council of any borough, urban district, or parish, by any six registered parliamentary electors or persons who are liable to pay an amount in respect of council tax resident in the borough, urban district, or parish, that the circumstances of the borough, urban district, or parish are such that it is the duty of the council to take proceedings under this Part of this Act therein, the council shall take such representation into consideration.

This piece of legislation is intended to ensure that Local Authorities provide sufficient number of allotments for those in their area that want one.

DCLG website is:

www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/decentralisation/tacklingburdens/reviewstatutoryduties.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, click on 'Related downloads' and it will open up an excel spreadsheet. Look at the bottom tab and click on 'DCLG statutory duties'. Scroll down to number 137 where it outlines a councils duty, it states that there is no statutory guidance; surely that's what the legislation is! Go on www.surveymonkey.com/s/GP7BKKT to enter your views on the 'statutory webform' where you can register your views on the removal of the above.

Or if you wish to contact DCLG, then you can write to them at:

Review of Statutory Burdens Team
Department for Communities and Local Government
3/H6 Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU

Email your comments to mailto: burdens@communities.gsi.gov.uk. This informal consultation exercise will remain open for six weeks, closing 25 April 2011

Please do not delay in responding, as we said....this will affect you

[jennym]

I too got this email, and have filled in the survey.
It's easier if you copy and paste Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 Section 23 into the box on the www.surveymonkey.com/s/GP7BKKT link after that it's really just a matter of commenting.

The more folk that do comment, the better I think.

[tomatoada]

I nearly missed this.   Many thanks.

[pumkinlover]

I've just filled it in- must admit I did not find it easy but please have a look and don't put it off.
by the way I think the number is 136 -not 137.
I have also sent to everyone on our allotment mailing list.

I feel that this "consultation excercise" has been very well publicised to ensure that  the maximum number of people get to know about it- or maybe not :-X

[electric landlady]

Thanks very much for this - have added my 2pworth! I wonder if this survey will make any difference?  ::)

By the way the Act itself isn't statutory guidance - it's statute (legislation). Statutory guidance is guidance that goes along with statute, to help councils, government departments etc understand how the statute should be applied (cos they don't always).

[nolandyet/nowwedo]

Survey done thanks for telling everyone, Tonybloke also posted details in another section.
Rich...

[pumkinlover]

I hope no one minds but this is too important to miss- so "bump"

[BillyButternut]

http://www.nsalg.org.uk/index.php

and again Bump....

[BillyButternut]

In the spreadsheet column J is hidden it has this text in it

"Given very high and increasing local demand for allotments - latest reports are of 100,000 on waiting lists for 300,000 allotment plots (not including data in respect of Parish and Town Councils, which is not available) DCLG and relevant stakeholders, including ODGs, have taken the view to date that legislation to support the provision of allotment sites and meet local demand is robust and should remain in tact - so on this basis we deem this is 'Essential to keep' at the current time"