Topic: Eastleigh Rent Increase Unlawful

[Unwashed]

The Southampton County Court has just ruled on the case brought by Alex Mullins, chairman of Eastleigh and District Allotments Association.  Very well done Sir, good on you for standing up for your members, and good news for the movement nationally I would suggest.

See the article here.

[pumkinlover]

Link not working

[Flighty]

Good news!  Your link didn't work but I found it here -
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9539190.Victory_in__unfair__allotment_rents_battle/

[ACE]

Can't get the link to work, but I caught it on the southern news tonight. Good for them.

[grawrc]

Well done Alex Mullins!

[Unwashed]

Link not working

Thanks, sorted.

[elvis2003]

well done that man  ;D

[manicscousers]

Brilliant  ;D

[Mikeakabigman]

Excellent, a great example for others in a similar situation.

Some of the comments from the public made my blood boil though  :(

[Unwashed]

Some of the comments from the public made my blood boil though  :(

Yes, I saw that too.  There's a balance here.  A reasonable rent makes an allotment accessable to everyone, especially the not so wealthy who garden on a budget which has traditionally been quite a lot of us, but to tax-payers they see their council subsidising our hobby with their hard-earned cash and not everyone is bothered to understand the benefits of reasonable rents.  I'm really impressed that Alex Mullins of the Eastleigh and District Allotments Association went to the considerable trouble of challenging the legality of the increase because that should now ripple round every county, borough, and parish council in the country and peg all future increases without any more adverse publicity, but I also feel that we allotmenteers should do more to run our own allotment services under self-management arrangements so that we don't lean unnecessarily on the tax-payer.

[Mikeakabigman]

Some of the comments from the public made my blood boil though  :(

Yes, I saw that too.  There's a balance here.  A reasonable rent makes an allotment accessable to everyone, especially the not so wealthy who garden on a budget which has traditionally been quite a lot of us, but to tax-payers they see their council subsidising our hobby with their hard-earned cash and not everyone is bothered to understand the benefits of reasonable rents.  I'm really impressed that Alex Mullins of the Eastleigh and District Allotments Association went to the considerable trouble of challenging the legality of the increase because that should now ripple round every county, borough, and parish council in the country and peg all future increases without any more adverse publicity, but I also feel that we allotmenteers should do more to run our own allotment services under self-management arrangements so that we don't lean unnecessarily on the tax-payer.

I do agree with you,
However, for me and many others I suspect, it is more than a just a hobby, I view it not only as a way to grow good quality fresh food, but also as a way of keeping fit and active both mentally and physically. I'm still on the waiting list for an Allotment, living as we do in a one bedroom flat since we retired, it will be a lifeline for us, having been used to a three bed house and large garden for most of our working life.(tied)
Further to this , everything  on the allotment will have to be done as economically as possible, large rises in rent would have a significant consequences for us.

[shirlton]

Nice when we see folks standing up for what is right Alex(and winning)

[Unwashed]

I do agree with you,
However, for me and many others I suspect, it is more than a just a hobby, I view it not only as a way to grow good quality fresh food, but also as a way of keeping fit and active both mentally and physically. I'm still on the waiting list for an Allotment, living as we do in a one bedroom flat since we retired, it will be a lifeline for us, having been used to a three bed house and large garden for most of our working life.(tied)
Further to this , everything  on the allotment will have to be done as economically as possible, large rises in rent would have a significant consequences for us.

Yes, I see it like that too, but I understand how non-allotmenteering tax-payers see it, and when self-management can deliver a better service with little demand on the tax-payer I feel that we should all be open to the option and sensitive to the wider issues.

[elvis2003]

those people probably have children who attend schools...who pays for them?  ;)

[cornykev]

Just had a look for myself and added a comment, well I just couldn't resist.   ::)

[Kea]

We managed to stop our similar increase. Clever though that he used the swimming pool charges as a comparison. We used the fact that our neighbouring town same district council paid less for more as they have high fences and a locked gate preventing pedestrian access as well.