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Advice regards bullying committee please

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  • Advice regards bullying committee please

    Hello , I am looking for help from anyone in the Glasgow area specifically . I am in the position of having two plots in my allotment . I have tended one for 16 years and the second for 10 . The committee at my site are wanting to take one from me . The council rules here state that no person should have more than one plot , but as at the time I took on second one there wasn't much interest in allotments I was allowed to . The council have no problem with historical cases of people having two allotments .
    My committee have said my plot has failed several inspections . In spring I had a score of 0.5 which is almost impossible to achieve ( if at all possible by judging criteria) . I think the scoring has been vindictive. The committee do not make inspection scores open knowledge which allows them to use favouritism and vindictiveness depending on what they think of you . The committee do not hold open meetings . the committee do not make public the minutes of there meetings . The committee do not let anyone other than themselves have access to waiting lists .
    My committee have adopted the rules as set out by the Glasgow Allotment Forum after the consultation that happened during 2012/2013 . My committee members were very involved in GAFs response . The consultation was open to anyone . I foolishly expected my committee to relay information regards consultation to all plot holders . They didn't , so the draft rules for the city of Glasgow have been drawn up by various committee members throughout the city and not any Joe public allotment holder . Therefore the powers of committee are in my view totalitarian and a individual plot holder does not have much in the way of recourse .
    I will get a notice to quit on the 29th , at this point and only at this point can I appeal to the cities allotment officer . I have been worried sick for last 3 weeks since I got a final warning .
    I know my situation relates specifically to Glasgow . I am looking for advice .
    I also probably need legal representation , does anyone know of any organisation that could possibly help me .
    Lastly are there any other Glaswegian plot holders who hold any interest in this and are willing to act together . The GAF rules if implemented will affect all plot holders . Two rules people might not like is no alcohol , so no summer beer or wine at barbecue's and the other is compulsory day of voluntary work on sites .
    I look forward to any response's
    Robert
    PS the committee and its members have only been at this site 8 years
    Last edited by RobertGlasgow; 25-09-2014, 10:10 PM. Reason: additional info in PS

  • #2
    Are you a member of the National Allotment Society? If so, I think it would be worth contacting them.

    Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

    Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

    Comment


    • #3
      Thank you I will look them up .

      Comment


      • #4
        Am not in Glasgow, but I do sympathise. From what you say it doesn't seem a helpful line to have taken - though perhaps there is a back history to some of the new rules that isn't stated, like the no alcohol one.

        For your specific case I'd definitely get in touch with NAS.

        Some things you may want to get together:
        1) If your plot failed several inspections, were you told at the time? Were you given any opportunity to discuss or explain the reasons for it not passing? Were you given info on what was needed so it would pass? Is any of this documented? Do you have any photos of your plot from the inspection times?
        2) Can you talk to the Council earlier than the notice to quit to get their advice?
        3) Does your tenancy agreement or the Committee constitution require them to publish minutes, details of inspections or waiting lists? (actually, have had a look at the constitution and it does require them to let you have a look at waiting lists. The rules&regs doc clearly sets out the process for inspections and the timescales for notifications and improvements, but both this and the allotment rules&regs don't seem to mention publishing minutes - which might be something of an oversight or implied that they will be published.)

        We have a number of people on our site with more than 2 plots (our maximum), as a leftover from when allotments weren't popular and when the Council was running the site. We're allowing those to run until people move on/reduce their plots voluntarily, which is happening as time goes on and the new rules apply to all new plot lettings from the point we went self-managed onwards. Otherwise we'd also be in a heap of faff.

        Sorry this is so long!
        http://mudandgluts.com - growing fruit and veg in suburbia

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        • #5
          This sort of thing is the very reason i have not got an allotment. I wouldn't last a week, i am too argumentative. The very word committee has me itching to do the opposite to what they "Deem" is proper. i woud fight this tooth and nail but get your name down on another site.
          photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Bill HH View Post
            This sort of thing is the very reason i have not got an allotment. I wouldn't last a week, i am too argumentative. The very word committee has me itching to do the opposite to what they "Deem" is proper. i woud fight this tooth and nail but get your name down on another site.
            We don't have a committee, things are very peaceful . I think the council tell you off and threaten to evict if you're not growing stuff but if you're clearly making an effort then you're left to your own devices. Got offered another plot on a different site (which had been my preferred site due to location) a month or so after I got the one I have, it's a much bigger, supposedly organised site, am glad I'm where I am.

            Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

            Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

            Comment


            • #7
              Can you post photos of your allotment in its current state and previously?

              You say you have failed several inspections. Did they tell you after the first one and suggest improvements?

              "Two rules people might not like is no alcohol , so no summer beer or wine at barbecue's and the other is compulsory day of voluntary work on sites ."

              TBH i'd quite happily have those as rules on our site.
              Not because of the no wine at BBQs (a shame but you can't distinguish between good drinking and bad drinking without arguments) but because we've had drunken a%ses being quite horrid.
              And the compulsory work sounds good.

              You've had 3 weeks notice - what have you done in those 3 weeks?

              Is your plot untidy? How often do you go there? Are you actually growing stuff on both plots? How many square meters have you got?

              Your whinging about not being consulted on changes sounds like sour grapes - if you knew about the consultation but didn't chase it up and join in then thats your fault. I assume you knew what your committee was like having had a plot there for a long time.

              If your plot is neat, fully tended, with crops harvested, beds prepared for the next part of the growing season and weed free, then you have a genuine issue that should be supported.

              Comment


              • #8
                You could always pay a visit to the Citizens Advice Bureau. They can usually help in cases like this. If they can't, they can refer you on to someone who can. Good luck.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Find a Bureau | Citizens Advice Scotland
                  A list of Bureaux in Glasgow.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Bill HH View Post
                    This sort of thing is the very reason i have not got an allotment. I wouldn't last a week, i am too argumentative. The very word committee has me itching to do the opposite to what they "Deem" is proper. i woud fight this tooth and nail but get your name down on another site.
                    Our site is very peaceful too, Bill and no-one as far as I can see EVER gets chucked off. With a long waiting list (180) and lots of abandoned allotments, it's a bit too relaxed tbh! But I must admit I wouldn't like a very strict regime, so perhaps I should count my blessings.

                    Sorry to hear about your problems, Robert. There seem to be some good suggestions made here, so I hope they help and that things get resolved soon. Please keep us posted.
                    My Autumn 2016 blog entry, all about Plum Glut Guilt:

                    http://www.mandysutter.com/plum-crazy/

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Unfortnuately everyone has different ideas and opinions. I had an allotment for 6 months (they were new plots) and I had an old bath tub and turned it into a wormery - I was then collared one day by a committee member who made out that he had tried to contact me and that I needed to box it in. When I questioned it he went sheepish and said the farmer wasn't happy about it! (If I was the farmer I wouldn't have cared the amount of money I was getting a year for a bit of land) The same committee member said to me one day isn't it nice with all the sheds? - there had been a bulk order of sheds for allotmenteers to buy and every plot had to have them in the same place. I personally didn't like it, it is too regimented and uninspiring, but everyone to their own.

                      In regards to your issue all I can suggest is get us much together to form a case. As peeps have said speak to NSALG, CAB and your local council and see where they take you.

                      Get your allotment committee to put in writing reasons for eviction and put a case together for every point.

                      Dig out what ever paperwork you have relating to the plot, pics you have over the years and pics of plot currently.

                      Keep a note of people you have spoken to and when so you can quote, to back up your case.

                      Leave nothing to luck, fight as hard as you can and give 'em hell! is the best advice I can give

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I have been served notice to quit with leave to appeal by the 21 st . Nasg have not been much use yet . I have a meeting with local councillor and committee president on Tuesday . I did approach the allotments officer . He wouldn't make much in the way of comment as he has to be neutral for final decision. He did state that my historic right to retain two plots is not disputed by the council.
                        Alldig , I did nothing in the last three weeks as I hoped the allotment officer would visit the site and even without doing any work my plot should have passed any inspection judged by criteria set for inspections. Also I am not alone regards city consultation in feeling left out , it has been in local papers regarding peoples unhappiness with it .
                        Lastly can anyone instruct me as to how to post images here ?
                        Thank you
                        Robert

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                        • #13
                          plot 140

                          Here are some pictures from my plot
                          Attached Files

                          Comment


                          • #15
                            Hi Robert, Unfortunately you don't have much time to chase or get further help. However when you go for your meeting try and get someone to go with you. They are not to have an active role they are only there to put you at ease, make the meeting formal and constructive, possibly be a note taker should there be further action.

                            Good luck

                            Comment

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