Is Our Plot 'Our" Plot?

[Hans Mum]

aawww Rhona sorry to hear (especially after nasty Mr Shed Man) hope it works out in your favour and they sort it quickly

[Paulottie]

This is not a particularly big if at all. There are very few allotment rules that don't boil down to: unpermitted structures/livestock; not running it for profit, subletting, or causing a nuisance; or primarily keeping it well cultivated. After a track record of 20 years continuously on a plot and with no evidence or complaint of it not being well maintained!!! Short of lying on a Caribbean beach remotely running a farm shop empire from his shed he has justifiable strong rights... not just late payment of rent whilst proven to be abroad on holiday. The council would need to prove that he had actually received any warning letters and Rhona's post indicated that he had actually organised payment. Reality check...this is disgusting behaviour by the council and not moral or, from the evidence so far, legal.

I do feel for you Rhona but this is just WRONG. The council need to find you a plot...you have been badly treated....threaten them with the newspapers! but this (reputedly) charming gentleman is not your enemy nor his allotment your allotment. Stand up for your rights and his as well.

[HeyWayne]

You're making assumptions there Paulottie that he has kept the plot well maintained (3x!).

Rhonda did also say in her original post that there is some history - which we don't know the full details of.

I'm not saying either situation is right or wrong.

I'd also suggest that his "20 years of effort" is probably nearer 10 if he's away for 6 months of the year.

[teakdesk]

... he has justifiable strong rights... not just late payment of rent whilst proven to be abroad on holiday. The council would need to prove that he had actually received any warning letters and Rhona's post indicated that he had actually organised payment.

I understand exactly what you are saying Paul but not sure that HE has much right on his side.

It is up to him to notify the council of any change of address and if the council have sent letters to the only address he has given them but he is out of the country then that is it - job done, he's evicted.

Reality check...this is disgusting behaviour by the council and not moral or, from the evidence so far, legal.

Well it's not often I feel sorry for Sheffield Council... BUT

1/ on the one hand they have allotment holders complaining about underused or overgrown allotments

2/ they have a huge backlog of people waiting for allotments

3/ I read posts on here complaining about allotments not used properly which get lots of "they should be thrown off immediately" answers and then I see another post along the line of "I've been ill and the council are throwing me off my allotment" which get lots of "they can't do that" answers.

If people do not keep the council informed of any and every change to their circumstances (being ill, abroad, bereavement, etc) then they cannot be expected do do their work properly.


In this instance, I think Sheffield Council is putting proper effort this year into evicting bad tennants and installing new allotmenteers from the waiting list so well done them.

If Mr M has paid his rent, but late as he has done in previous years then I feel sorry that he has benefitted from lax rule implementation in the past and just fallen fowl of it now but "rules is rules!!".

HOWEVER, if he had indeed paid rent on time and done everything else correctly but the council has got it wrong then it is up to the council to mediate between him and Rhona to offer a satisfactory solution... eg new site for Mr M or Rhona with paths, beds, soil, weeding, man-power, plants, manure, etc. all provided free of charge by the council for the next 12 months.




Having said that, many Sheffield allotment ID numbers on the sites do not match the numbers written on their maps and I do feel sorry for the allotmenteers who have arrived at their plots to find them cleared and ploughed by council workmen in error!! I don't know what has been resolved around them.

[Paulottie]

You're making assumptions there Paulottie that he has kept the plot well maintained (3x!).

Rhonda did also say in her original post that there is some history - which we don't know the full details of.

I'm not saying either situation is right or wrong.

I'd also suggest that his "20 years of effort" is probably nearer 10 if he's away for 6 months of the year.

Well I am saying this situation is wrong....very wrong, You can sit on he fence and adopt a patronising tone with me but it still does not give the council the any more right to persecute or evict this long standing tenant just because demand is suddenly at a premium. I am certainly not making wild assumptions....I can only work with the sketchy facts supplied (and it was Rhona who stated that the plot was in pretty good shape.) The implied 'history' seemed to refer to them getting his rent while he's away. There is nothing mentioned so far to suggest that he has flouted his tenancy or even that they have actually spoken to Mr M ...let alone evicted him (in absentia) with the proper procedure or his knowledge.

I have read the various acts and spent some time studying allotment law and am a staunch supporter of their principals of providing land on which residents of the parish can feed their family. Whilst they maintain a residence within one mile of that parish that is their right. It is the councils responsibility to provide that land. Any true allotmenteer would be ashamed to even consider eroding the man's rights.

The council have unashamedly bu**ered Rhona about and I wish her every luck securing a bit of land for herself. Why would this justify chucking Mr M off?

"I'd also suggest that his "20 years of effort" is probably nearer 10 if he's away for 6 months of the year." ...well that's just a ludicrous statement. If the bloke has made the land productive in the growing season each year and not let it all run to weed seed ...then his timetable is his own affair. I have normally finished digging and planting in October and except for harvesting leeks etc I am rarely back working there till late Feb....so does this mean I haven't had my allotment 7 years?...what

[HeyWayne]

You're right Paul, I apologise. I'm not a true allotmenteer I admit it.

Good luck Rhona.

[Nicos]

Any news today???

It'd be nice to get it all sorted before the long bank holiday weekend.

[Hans Mum]

***offending quote removed*** .

whilst not wanting to get into the general debate on this subject other than wishing Rhona well, i have to say that I find this sentance very offensive

[HeyWayne]

Ok, well I'm at a loss as to how to respond there Paulottie. Not quite sure who's attacking who.

In attempt to get things back on track Rhona, I do sincerely hope that you manage to get something sorted that is beneficial to all involved.

[Rhona]

I was just about to update here, but can I request instead that a Mod closes this thread? In some disbelief at some of the comments above, I'll bite my tongue elsewhere for a while.

Thanks HW, and others.

[zazen999]

Just about to Rhona. I don't think there is any need for some of the comments, a few of which I've just deleted.

I hope you get it sorted.