Topic: 23% increase in allotment charge

[TelSteph]

The London Borough of Enfield are going to increase our allotment charge by 23%.
2011 charge = £69.00
2012 charge = £85.00

I think people have had enough now. It's time to stand up to the council.

[jules2]

Ours went up 600% for new tenants yet the council have no idea what it costs to run the allotments.

Have you got a association?

[Unwashed]

When did you get notice of the increase?  Can you post the notice and your tenancy agreement please.

[Borlotti]

Must be to pay for all the new fencing we are getting.  I haven't heard anything about an increase, but would not be surprised.  Whereabouts are you in Enfield.  Think it is cheaper for Enfield residents and people over a certain age.  Still good value for money I think.  Cheaper than a gym, tennis club or golf club and think of all the friends you make and all the produce.

[Fork]

From reading various threads and posts I get the impression that quite a few councils are making alot of money for not much in return......Im sooooo glad we run our own site and only pay £10 this year...actually gone down from the £20 we paid last year!

[Unwashed]

The London Borough of Enfield are going to increase our allotment charge by 23%.
2011 charge = £69.00
2012 charge = £85.00

I think people have had enough now. It's time to stand up to the council.

Hi TelSteph

Sorry, bit more - when exactly is the new rate effective - 1st January?

[TelSteph]

Thanks all for your interest.

Haven't got an association, just a bully of a secretary that we can't get rid of.

Got notification of the increase this week and the new rate starts April 2012.

Hi Borlotti, good to know there's someone else in L.B.E.
We're on the A10/Church Street, where are you ?

[Borlotti]

Yes I know that site.  I'm on Enfield Playing Fields, the allotments overlook the playing fields.  Haven't got any notification of any increase.  Do you get Council compost delivered?  Our new fences must have cost the Council a bit but they do look good.  I am pleased with Enfield Council (for once), they cut the grass on the communal paths, trimmed some big trees.  Think we get good treatment as our Site Sec. is very pro-active and up at the site most days.  We also get wood chip and horse manure (but that is not from the Council), and got loads of scaffold boards and Site Sec made 10 benches out of some of them to put around the site.  Also told Council workers about rubbish dumped down the side alley of my house and they were back to take it away within hours and took photographs of it (I was impressed).  Also they have spent money on Bush Hill Park on new play area to make it a bit more attractive, and skate board ramps which is very popular.  Not sure about the new path in the park as I didn't mind walking on the grass, seems they have money to spend.

[cornykev]

Spending all this money but laying off loads of their staff :(
Sorry Telsteph, welcome to the madhouse  :P
The prices were put up on our noticeboard for 2012 but I can't remember what they were
Before you stand up to the council I would be dealing with the bully first
We are of the Durants Park site
We have council compost delivered
Promise of new fencing in April  ???
Promise of fir tree's cutting down
They never come on site and cut back bushes and trees and never mow any grassy area's.
If you have any local chat Telsteph there's an Enfield posting on Locations and sites

[Unwashed]

Thanks all for your interest.

Haven't got an association, just a bully of a secretary that we can't get rid of.

Got notification of the increase this week and the new rate starts April 2012.

Hi Borlotti, good to know there's someone else in L.B.E.
We're on the A10/Church Street, where are you ?

Thanks TelSteph.  Can you post the tenancy agreement?  It might give some clue about how to challenge a rent increase.

[kt.]

We are self run therefore rent is only £24 per year.  Rent only goes up if we overspend.  Our £2 increase last year was due to the increased water fees.  Everything else we budget carefully.  Saves a fortune if you can do it yourselves instead of the council.  other neighbouring sites run by different councils charge more than double comapred to us. 

[Unwashed]

We are self run therefore rent is only £24 per year.  Rent only goes up if we overspend.  Our £2 increase last year was due to the increased water fees.  Everything else we budget carefully.  Saves a fortune if you can do it yourselves instead of the council.  other neighbouring sites run by different councils charge more than double comapred to us. 

A ten pole plot from Newbury Town Council is £69.40, and just to cover their direct administration costs it'd need to be £250.  But will they allow us to self-manage?  Will they 'eckers like!  Allotments for them are a pretext to spend our council tax.  Let 'em charge £250 I say, then perhaps enough allotmenteers will demand self-management and we can run a decent service.