Topic: Allotment Waiting lists

[pumkinlover]

Can the Allotment Secretaries out there on council sites give me any ideas how your waiting lists are maintained?

At present every secretary maintains their own list for each site.
However a lot of people put themselves on several lists in the hope of getting an allotment quicker.
This means more work for the secretaries as no-one EVER lets them know they have got an allotment elsewhere and makes it impossible to know exactly how many people are waiting for a plot.
I am sure that the secretary's will want to still be responsible for maintaining the list for thier site and setting new people on.

But i just wondered what methods of keeping the waiting list up to date are out there.
I was thinking of something like a form which everyone had to complete which stated which site they want to go on (say maximum of 3) this could be downloaded off the council website and a copy goes to the secretaries of the sites. They can then update the other  2 secretaries as they set someone on.
Any ideas? We have no dedicated staff at the council so would not be labour intensive.

[gixer]

On our site, people on the waiting list are asked to re register every year, this way any one who has changed their mind or has a plot on another site are filtered out.
It seems an easier way, putting the onus on the would be member, if they are keen they make an effort!!!

[pumkinlover]

Hmm that's a good one. Thankyou.

[elvis2003]

Re registering is an interesting idea,although as we now have 75 on our list,I really dont want to be bothered having to reply 75 times every year,got enough to do.

[goodlife]

On our site secretary will get in touch with the person on top of the list..he tries up to 3 times to take contact if needed, which one is note through letter box...and if there is  no response within couple of weeks..name is crossed out and next one contacted. If they do get in touch but are not able to take it that time..we do maintain their name on list and give them another chance bit later on...but we don't wait forever. 
That's it..no frills over here. We take name, address and telephone number when they put their name on list..
That system has worked fine for us for 'donkeys years' and we are not seeing any need for changing it...the odd few allotments that do come available each year is not lot of work for having a need for chance... ::)
 

[Mr Smith]

Our allotment sites are run by the council and they know how many people are on the waiting list and how many allotments available, on our site we have four allotments available and a waiting list in the town of eighty people, but because we have a department that can't be bothered to do owt the allotments are not re let, I have a suspicion that we might in the near future have our allotments put to some other use, its been mentioned that our borough have to build a thousand houses on the North side of town and 'Bingo' that is where our allotments are, :)

[goodlife]

Hmm..my previous post wasn't strictly truthfull.. :-X We have chanced our system last year.
Our list was written of scrap piece of paper that was hanging on the wall...pushed through rusty old nail. Now we have set of draws in our shed for some 'paper work'..and the rusty old nail is redundant.. ;D ;D
So little bit of 'frills' after all... ;)

[Trevor_D]

I keep a card index. When someone contacts me I take name, address, telephone numbers and email. I also make a note on the back of the card when (and how) they inquired, plus other useful bits of information, like previous experience.

I keep in touch via email - virtually everyone has it these days. We have a newsletter five times a year - four during the growing season, plus one at Christmas which goes out with the bills - so I email them a PDF version, give them a quick update about progress on plot lettings, and ask them to get back to me to confirm, or otherwise, that they are still interested. (I have a group called "Waiting List" and send it blind copy, so only one email!) It seems to work, as most do get back.

When they actually get a plot, the card is transferred to the main body of the card index and their email details are transferred to the group called "Members".

[elvis2003]

Nice if you can Trevor,but I cant get email addresses for 75% of current plotholders...let alone waiting list folk,even in this day and age! Plus,I just dont have the time to do all that...although I propmptly reply to any emails I get asking where people currently sit on the list.

[pumkinlover]

So up to now everyone has a similar system to my own.
Any ideas how to overcome the problem of people being on more than one waiting list?
There are issues as we need to be able to see how many people are in reality waiting for a plot as it means that councils have to take this into account if they either - want to use allotment land for houses or actually want to provide more allotments. (Optimist at heart ;D)
Apparently it is soemthing which people do ask the council at times, so they like to have a more accurate idea.

[kt.]

Our secretary does not run our waiting list.  It is done by myself and I answer directly to the town council and our system is as follows:

1.  Prospective tenant submits application then is added to the bottom of the waiting list.
2.  They are contacted and offered a plot when they reach the top of the list.
3.  If they do not reply to phonecalls and messages, the plot is allcoated to next on the list 2 weeks later.
4.  A letter is sent to the address stating they have not replied to any messages left by the allotment supervisor and must reply within 2 weeks if they still want an allotment.
5.  If they do, they are contacted when the next one becomes available, if no reply then they are removed from the waiting list.

Some prospective tenants have been on our waiting list for so long, they have moved outside our catchment area so no longer qualify,  or they have changed their mind and decide they no longer want an allotment.  About 40% of new plot holders surrender their plot during or at the end of the 3 month probation period stating it is not for them.  My predecessor was lucky to be seen twice annually but I have been more proactive since taking over 3 years ago.  Our waiting list is now down from 5 years to around 18 months, but the fact we now only allocate half plots has contributed to this time reduction. 

[Sparkly]

As secretary I keep our list. I record the details and the date they applied. When they reach the top of the list I contact them and show them around; including the plot that is avaliable. They are given a welcome booklet and all the ins and outs are explained. I then ask the prospective tennant to let me know within 3 or 4 days as to whether they want the plot by returning completed membership forms to myself. Every few months I go over the list and contact people by phone to see if they still want to remain. If the contact number is incorrect I send out a standard letter saying they must contact me within 28 days to update details if they still wish to stay on the waiting list. Our waiting lists are never that long; up to 20 or so. At the moment it is just about at zero! I wouldn't like to rely on the council as it would probably never happen! We are totally self-managed. I think if you have a very large list then asking people to re-apply annually would be a good idea. The order can still stay the same, but if people can't be bothered to do that they are not that keen anyway!

[elvis2003]

Im missing the point of re registering peeps..Im all for making things as easy as possible but fail to see the benefit of this (been thinking about it today) Its just more communication and more for me to do,when i would rather spend any sec time much more productively ie  fund raising etc

[pumkinlover]

Thanks for replies.
do any of you have a form to fill in when people apply? It looks like that might be the way forward, at least that way I might get some better information. If the other secretaries agree to implement something like that we could at least have an idea how many duplicate "waiters" there are.
You are giving me some good ideas too. There are so many people who go on the waiting list and then change their mind. I do ring round about every year, but I think I will have to do it more often.

[kt.]

do any of you have a form to fill in when people apply?......

I do ring round about every year, but I think I will have to do it more often.

All our applicants complete an application form. 

Why phone round annually to see if they still want a plot?  This is creating unnecessary additional work.  Just phone them when a plot is available as and when they reach the top of the list.  If they have changed their mind then remove them from the list then.  It is also unnecessary expense that has to be recovered; be it by rent rises or other means.

[pumkinlover]

I sort of do not mind doing it. Firstly it keeps the list something llike managable- was 45 waiters for 30 plots!
So gets rid of some and means when a plot becomes free I have a "feel" for the next person on the list.
I do it when its raining, and do not charge the association for the calls- doesn't make any difference to the bill anyway.

[Mr Smith]

I have had a reply from my local councillor after I had tried to get a reply from the Council on allocating Allotments which they are not doing and also not showing any interest in general on our site, she tells me that the chap that was in charge is no longer employed by the council and a new chap is now in the hot seat and will be contacting me shortly about my concerns, joy at last, :)

[elvis2003]

I was chatting to my pal,sec at another site in Lverpool,about this...he recently contacted all his waiting list...2-3 people a week,asking them to visit the site to fill in a form,and only a fraction bothered,reducing the waiting list there from 60 odd to 10,as the rest couldnt be bothered...think I may employ this when I get an email or call to go on the list,ask them to make a visit and if they dont..well thats that!

[Squash64]

I was chatting to my pal,sec at another site in Lverpool,about this...he recently contacted all his waiting list...2-3 people a week,asking them to visit the site to fill in a form,and only a fraction bothered,reducing the waiting list there from 60 odd to 10,as the rest couldnt be bothered...think I may employ this when I get an email or call to go on the list,ask them to make a visit and if they dont..well thats that!

When people phone or email me about a plot I always ask them to come and visit us before I put their name on the waiting list.  Most people are happy to come and the ones that aren't don't get on the list.

[elvis2003]

Wish i had thought of it before Betty  :P which just goes to show this is one job you certainly learn as you go along!