Should I argue my right for a plot?

[rustylady]

Will it really make a difference speaking to people on the site?


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

Site reps usually have a say in who plots are allocated to. If you show keen they may put in a good word for you.

You might find a plotholder who would like a helping hand. You could put in some labour in return for a share of the produce.

Plus, you could have a good look at the site and see if any of the unworked plots would suit you. Some may need more work than you are prepared to put in.

[ancee]

A lot of councils (ours included) have had massive staff cuts. The people who used to be looking after these plots properly have lost their jobs. It then turns to somebody else to pick up the slack - as well as doing their own jobs. Which is why these allotments are being so poorly run by the councils (again ours is ahead of the game in poorly run stuff!)
So, if you can find the right person who should be doing this job as well as their own, you'll probably get the reply we got "I've only got one pair of hands, and other important stuff takes priority over a bloody allotment" 9 empty for nearly 3 years now...

[Aberdeenplotter]

you may get some answers here Allotments and the law

[Mikey]

Speaking to plotholders is always worthwhile, as is finding out where on the list you are, No 3,8,32!! for example. You can gain a great deal of knowledge if you can find one of the allotment site committee. They tend to know who's giving up, who's not done anything and how many plots are likely to turn over and when. Showing your face and showing willing helps tremendously as it allows the committee to put a face to a name.

Loads get a plot and give up after very minimal effort, because they find out its a lot more work than they thought. Some assume they will get a lovely clean bit of earth to get going with, but this is rarely the case. If the plot is tidy and well cared for then in general someone on a lesser plot will normally take it over giving up their lesser plot to the newcomer.

This may not seem fair, but once you've dug over 300 odd sqm of weed infested tundra and brought it back from the underworld you're earned the right to move up the ladder sort of speak.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Will it really make a difference speaking to people on the site?


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

Yes! Vastly! If you are really keen, get yourself down there on a Saturday/Sunday morning, chat to as many plotholders as you can, and offer your services to anyone who needs them - be it shifting manure or woodchippings, weeding the communal areas or helping out someone who is less able/needs a hand.

I'm sure that you will find that you will be offered a plot very quickly if you make yourself useful and are friendly - it shows commitment for a start, and the site rep/comittee will love that.

[Alison]

Although do remember that not all sites have a committee, our plots are let and controlled by the parish council, whilst us plot holders might know who to contact and which plots are neglected we can't help much. That said, it's always worth a chat, might find out something of use.


Sent from my iPad using Grow Your Own Forum

[bearded bloke]

Yep I agree,go & have a nice friendly chat with people on the site,firstly for the reasons stated above & secondly,to see if the current allotmenteers are people that you will be able to get along with

[mrgrower]

What have you got to loose??

If your as keen as you seem to be with all the talk of fighting and arguing your point why would it then worry you having to talk to the people on the plots and the people in charge you can get the number of the person in charge of other plot holders.

[mrgrower]

A lot of councils (ours included) have had massive staff cuts. The people who used to be looking after these plots properly have lost their jobs. It then turns to somebody else to pick up the slack - as well as doing their own jobs. Which is why these allotments are being so poorly run by the councils (again ours is ahead of the game in poorly run stuff!)
So, if you can find the right person who should be doing this job as well as their own, you'll probably get the reply we got "I've only got one pair of hands, and other important stuff takes priority over a bloody allotment" 9 empty for nearly 3 years now...

Iv'e heard that council plots like mine are to be moved from Council Recreational Services to the local housing associations this seems to me a ploy to pass over local authority responsibility for providing land to an organisation who's prime ethos is using available land for housing not recreation..

Has anyone else heard this?

[alldigging]

I am 26 on the waiting list there are 4 empty and quite a few neglected (it states in the tenancy if your plot is neglected you will get evicted) this is why I'm thinking I should argue it?

The problem comes with people who have the plots don't think they're neglecting them.
We've got a couple on our site where at first glance you might think that they're been abandoned.
Our rules say if your weeds are causing a nuisance you'll get a letter, and if it's not sorted out then you'll get thrown off.

I do think allotments aren't just for a couple of visits a year. If someone is harvesting crops from their plot though and there aren't huge weed problems from it, then there's probably not a lot that can be done.

I do think people are reluctant to give up allotments because the waiting lists are so long: even if they know they aren't giving enough time to their allotment.
Lives change, poeple get busy at work, home etc and other things take precedence over a piece of land they don't see.