Topic: allotments not being used

[bajmoe]

Hi all

I was just wondering how other allotments deal with plots not being used, our committee turns a blind eye to it even though its the same people every year doing it, several of the plots have not been touched at all, weeds three foot deep all going to seed,  I believe it wrong when the waiting list is so long and there's families who could make good use of the plot.

Bajmoe

[digger46]

Hi   Bajmoe
              I   know   about     plots    not   being    cultivated   as    a   Rep   I   go
  round    5  sites,   we   send    out    none   cultivation   letters   which   gives
the   tenant    4  week,s    to   cultivate   the    plot.    or    lose   it.
           
                                                 from  Digger  46.

[Deb P]

Council site or private? If Council, find out who is the allotment officer is and ask them. Private, do you have AGM's? If so I would ask for it to be put as an agenda item and ask the same question there. If not, ask the committee if they do plot inspections, if not why not!

We did not have formal plot inspections until a few years ago, everyone just moaned about how the grotty some of the plots were. We set up formal plot assessments, and gradually, by judging all plots to the same criteria got rid of the worst ones, and others were brought up to standard.

You have to be careful though, as there are often situations going on where the plotholder is temporarily ill or becomes disabled or bereaved, and may not be up to cultivating as they have in the past, and no-one wants to threaten anyone with losing their plot in those circumstances. The Committee may know what is going on, or not: some people are good at keeping the Committee updated, other are pretty poor, and they may not be at liberty to share with other plotholders what is going on. You may see neglected plots but not know the story behind them. Having said that, if people are just frankly taking the pi** and never cultivating, then they need to be tackled about it, but if a system is in situ where everyone is juded the same this is usually a whole lot easier! We set up 2/3rds cultivated as  minimum standard on our site, some sites are stricter, some are less.

[bajmoe]

It is a council run and yes it was brought up in a agenda in a AGM meeting but the committee said that they had to accept that the plot holder said they were Ill, even though its the same people every year doing it and they are not temporarily ill, they give the same excuse of being Ill every year.

[Deb P]

That is not an easy situation then, I guess you could ask at the next AGM if the situation has changed, and if not what steps they are doing to help the current plotholder keep his plot in good order so that his weed growth does not affect other plotholders?

[bajmoe]

tried that, they don't like difficult questions 

[Esplanade]

tried that, they don't like difficult questions 

isn't there the 'threat' that the committee 'could' be voted out - if enough of you are concerned about this?

[100mph]

My field (and, I suppose, all fields in the town) have a 'cultivated, manured and weed-free' clause in the tenancy.
Whilst there's arguement about what exactly those words mean I think most reasonable people have a good idea as to the spirit of that although some really do sail close to the wind when 'weed free' means 'less than waist high and my crop is in there somewhere'.

Surely a field committe regular walkaround spots plots not up to muster and phones the plotholder a couple of times in a friendly fashion before the plotholder gets a 'clear it up or clear off' letter?

[bajmoe]

tried that, they don't like difficult questions 

isn't there the 'threat' that the committee 'could' be voted out - if enough of you are concerned about this?

only a few are concerned, most have given up and just come down to work there plots which results in a allotment without a community spirit

[kt.]

This thread may help and my post on it states how things are done on our site for overgrown plots:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,67743.msg707233.html#msg707233

[Esplanade]

tried that, they don't like difficult questions 

isn't there the 'threat' that the committee 'could' be voted out - if enough of you are concerned about this?

only a few are concerned, most have given up and just come down to work there plots which results in a allotment without a community spirit

thats a great shame, it sounds like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

there have been similar feelings across our site for many years, but we've been making an effort and spreading the word about what a good and active association might create for our site (and believe me - it has been bad!!)

we had a meeting last night, it was well attended, the troublemakers were certainly in attendance, to protect what they've already lost. the consensus was to start again - afresh. Most people realise that together we're stronger.

good luck!