New Broom

[Alice]

I note what has been said here but on the Vine I keep hearing from people who have taken over allotments and are up to their shoulders in brambles and knee deep in horse tail. How does that happen?

[Lesley Jay]

Alice it happens because on most allotment sites you pay your subs at the start of the year and thats that. Your allotment could be knee deep in weeds and uncultivated but as long as you pay up on time the committee aren't bothered.

Or you pay your subs and then decide that you no longer want the plot. The committee will not let it to someone new until the end of the year because you have paid.

We have different rules - thankfully.

[Snadger]

Alice it happens because on most allotment sites you pay your subs at the start of the year and thats that. Your allotment could be knee deep in weeds and uncultivated but as long as you pay up on time the committee aren't bothered.

Or you pay your subs and then decide that you no longer want the plot. The committee will not let it to someone new until the end of the year because you have paid.

We have different rules - thankfully.

I am at the receiving end of the above and have been told the plot is mine in May as the tenant has paid up til then! From what I can gather she had paid an extra £50 to the previous tennant for the two greenhouses on plot. The allotment commmittee had done quite a few repairs(mainly glazing) to make greenhouses usable. I have ofered to give her something for the grenhouses as thats the main reason I would like the plot.The site is now derelict, with broken panes again and no one has been there in 8 months.I would dearly like the greenhouses for the start of the growing season as getting a greenhouse in May is not ideal especially as the repairs and clearing wil take me into June. Have asked if I can at least clear the greenhouses of thistles etc and repair them but have been told to forget it til May
I already have one small plot so perhaps this will be seen as greedy, if so I plead guilty, but with mitigating circumstances!

Nics allotment comittee's way of handling similar situations is spot on in my view!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Snadger that sounds mad! I'm so sorry that's what the rules and regs say at your place, or in the words of the defunked Esther Ransten show "Jobsworth"! Hope it all works out for you. DDL

[dinky_doo]

when i took on my plot i went round with 2 other couples we looked at 6 plots which "needed a little work" all of took one each one couple hasnt been back cince they strimmed it and tat plot wont be let again till next april when it will be back to its former glory a shame really when so many ppl want a plot and silly little rules like means they cant re-let it again

im on a 6 month probation with my plot and havnt got much in at the moment as im putting my energy in to clearing the ground a slow process for a busy dad but the site sec knows this and fine with it as he knows next year what ive cleared is gonna be used
and to be honest i cant wait to get cracking
cheers

[Nicos]

We got our first plot part way through the season after being told by the council we would have to wait until the 'new year'.
We managed to find out where the tenants lived through other plot holders and knocked on their door and said if they didn't want the plot the following year and were happy for us to take it over, then we would reimburse the previous years rent to them if we could have their key ( and the council were prepared to let us have that plot)
Having done all the leg work we contacted the council with this suggestion, and they were quite happy for us to do this- they just wanted a letter of confirmation from the previous tennants. So we wrote a letter for them and got them to sign it and posted it for them! Two weeks later we collected the keys from them!!
I think maybe it was just too much hastle (and manhours/cost inefficient) for the council to run around for us. After all the rent was £14 per year, so I can sort of understand their lethargy and limited resourses.
Sometimes there is a way ! You may just need to present a win-win situation for those involved . Of course you may be up against a power crazy/ non rule bending old fart!!!
I wish you luck!!

[ugly gourd]

We have an inspection twice a year which is also a judging for best kept allotment cup done by the council before the inspection we take a quick look around any that have not been done we ring and find out if all OK if not explain to the council whats happening and request a years grace but if they just arent doing it we request a not up to standard letter if still bad next judging improve the standard or we wont renew your rental then when the bills go out if still no valid reason sorry were not renewing and youve a month to clear your property. Now weve a waiting list we didnt renew 1 and two that were boardering bad we suggested giving half up.The one who had her allotment taken of her said she had a bad back a prolapse or something but when the allotment was taken off her she pulled all her fence posts up by herself!!

[kentish girl]

Went to a lottie forum commitee meeting last night, we are proposing to the council that the list of vacant plots & inspections be carried out 3 time a year to keep up to date & stop things getting too overgrown if not being worked. I think we have 14 sites in the area & only about 10 vacant plots.

It is interesting that although a great many houses are being built here about
30k eventually there is not provision for allotments especially as they are so popular & new houses have very little garden.

We also discussed toilets & are investigating the hire of porta loos from March to Sept.

[nick the grief]

........... It is interesting that although a great many houses are being built here about
30k eventually there is not provision for allotments especially as they are so popular & new houses have very little garden.......

It's common all over that is KG. That is why it is so annoying when you hear of things like the eastleigh fiasco. The first thing builders do is remove the top soil so why can the houses be built on the "crap soil" & leave the lotties alone. I notice in the autum edition of gr organic they are trying to get the building of houses in large gardens stopped ( where builder buys a house & then builds another in the garden). WHilst I symathise with this I think its preferable to the loss of allotments as this only affects 1 person who would buy the house & sods law says they would just have decking & block paving on it so it's no real loss at all. If we lost our site it would affect 64 plotholders !

........... We also discussed toilets & are investigating the hire of porta loos from March to Sept.

We often talk poo at our meeting as well

[dexterdoglancashire]

You said it Nick! LOL! DDL

[Earthbabe]

We often talk poo at our meeting as well

We often talk poo at work Nick. That's when the new doctors aren't talking crap if you know what I mean.

[kirsty b]

We often talk poo at work Nick. That's when the new doctors aren't talking crap if you know what I mean.

I know that feeling Earthbabe. I'm in a similar line of work to you. (not qualified though, but plan to be when I grow up)