Unenforceable rent increase

[tonybloke]

good luck today Simon !!

[tonybloke]

[cornykev]

Best of British Simon.       ;D ;D ;D

[Squash64]

good luck today Simon !!

And from me too.....don't forget to let us know what happens.

[manicscousers]

Hope something positive came out of it  :)

[Unwashed]

I'll be off down to the council shortly, I'll let you know how I get on.  Cheers.

[Digeroo]

Thinking of you. 

[Unwashed]

No good I'm afraid, they're still going to try and evict me.  Thay gave me a good hearing though and I has free to argue my case.  I did ask them instead to sue me for the rent in the small claims court as that would answer the question without me needing to lose my plot if I'm wrong, but they weren't having any of that.

[Squash64]

Oh dear, it doesn't sound too good.  What is your next step? 

[djbrenton]

The next step would probably be for you to take out an injunction.

[grannyjanny]

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Unwashed]

Nice bit of coverage from the Newbury Weekly News.

[aj]

I know it's the principle; but is this all over £20?

[Squash64]

Nice bit of coverage from the Newbury Weekly News.

I got up this morning at 04:00 and have just spent the past hour reading through the posts on Newbury Today forum.

Simon, I don't think many of us could do what you are doing, I know I couldn't.

I wish there was something I could do to help but I don't know what.  :(

[Unwashed]

Cheers Betty.  I'm disappointed that none of my local allotmenteers have wanted to support me but then I'm not asking for their approval so fair enough.  If I have to lose the plot then that's the cost I'll have to pay, but I'm very confident that the Council are wrong and have behaved monstrously, and my only real concern now is that they'll try and back down without a fight.

Aj, no.

[Digeroo]

I am sorry that your efforts have been in vain but I am not surprised.  

[Unwashed]

Hi Digeroo, no, I'm not too surprised either.  To be honest the councillors didn't make much effort to understand my argument.  They just don't seem to get the idea that consumer protection legislation might apply to them.  I think they've had their own way for too long.  Anyroad, it'll all get sorted out in court.

[Squash64]

Cheers Betty.  I'm disappointed that none of my local allotmenteers have wanted to support me but then I'm not asking for their approval so fair enough.  If I have to lose the plot then that's the cost I'll have to pay, but I'm very confident that the Council are wrong and have behaved monstrously, and my only real concern now is that they'll try and back down without a fight.

Aj, no.

Simon, it's such a shame that you don't have the support of the other plotholders.  Are they frightened of losing their plots if they speak up too?  Or are they just not bothered?  How many are there?  It must be very hard for you to communicate with them if you are not even allowed to put up a notice on the site.

[aj]

Aj, no.

I thought the news report said '£20'?

[Unwashed]

Simon, it's such a shame that you don't have the support of the other plotholders.  Are they frightened of losing their plots if they speak up too?  Or are they just not bothered?  How many are there?  It must be very hard for you to communicate with them if you are not even allowed to put up a notice on the site.

It's difficult to know Betty.  I think it's a combination of not being bothered, not being organised, and scared of upsetting the powers that be.  There is also a reasonably well organised clique who are desperately opposed to anything I do because they will lose out under democratisation.  Certainly it hasn't helped that the society has decided to collaborate with the Council.  For reasons I don't understand quite a few allotmenteers, and especially those involved in the various site assoication, are appalled that I should openly criticise the council, like it's the hight of bad manners.  The Council has a policy that it calls "working with the council", which is basically like that playground game - he who asks doesn't get, plus you must never, ever criticise the Council.  There's around 500 allotmenteers in Newbury.  I suspect when this all unfolds in the new year with the council losing the court case that a few more will scratch their heads and wonder that they haven't been duped.

[Unwashed]

I thought the news report said '£20'?

That's right, but my dispute with the Council is much deeper than that.  In a nutshell they're arrogant, self-serving tyrants, and this is just the issue that I've made a stand on.