allotments - should be cleared before allocating Y or N?

[Cadalot]

In addition within our fee for the allotment is the grass cutting of the main path not the ones between the plots. Turning on and off the water over winter and maintenance of the water tanks and that's it.

The main complaint is that the council officers do not work with the site reps who get nothing but aggro for undertaking the annual inspection and providing photographic proof of the non cultivation of sites so they can send out improvement notices.

I became a site rep so I could find out about how to get woodchip and manure deliveries, and to try and help the others on our allotment which is small and only has 15 full plots a couple that have been split.

[Snadger]

One site I visited had a good idea. One plotholder was employed as the site handyman (roughly 30 plots) and as payment he got his plot for nowt. Seemed to work well. He was semi-retired so it suited him too.

[Kirk]

Suspect ideally clearish, but who pays is the question at the end since there will be quite some time involved and a full plot could take a couple of days to be cleared to a half reasonable extent. To get "cleared" is likely a case of three visits over a period of time - say 2 weeks apart.

Thats a lot of work and someone will want paying, likely for the first dig and clear up 2 or 3 someones. Be realistic and assume £20 per hour per person. Even 1 day for 2 people adds up.

[ldsau93]

quick update: I had a site meeting with the 'man from the council' and his eyes have obviously been opened. He needs to discuss it with the Town Clerk but intends to let the plots 'as-is'.

He made the point that you need to be able to see where one plot ends and another begins before it's given to someone so some clearing will be done before allocating. And.. they've found some previously over-looked budget to help pay for it so it may yet be a happy ending.

re: the point made earlier about 'allotment fairies' - I have inadvertently become one, partly as I cannot abide a mess and feel happy giving 30 minutes a week to 'general tidying'.

[21up]

30 minutes !!!!! a week by the time you get to the end you will have to start again (FORTH BRIDGE)

[Bigmallly]

30 minutes !!!!! a week by the time you get to the end you will have to start again (FORTH BRIDGE)

T3sco.................

[veggiechicken]

re: the point made earlier about 'allotment fairies' - I have inadvertently become one, partly as I cannot abide a mess and feel happy giving 30 minutes a week to 'general tidying'.

Well done ldsau - every allotment needs some "good fairies"

[Baldy]

We perhaps give people a little too long to sort their plots out. We do a monthly 'walk round' during the growing season. Take a note of possible problem plots. They may then get sent an email or a phone call to check whether they're still up for it. On next inspection if there has been no change they'll get the first official letter. Generally they won't get the 'your out' letter till the next inspection though the rules say we can do that sooner. We've had one or two who really couldn't accept that they were being kicked off. We've got a pretty constant waiting list of 20 or so souls but some think they are entitled despite doing nothing for months on end...
Of the 50 or so plots we've got a fairly good number - 10 or so + committee - who turn up for working parties once a month to tidy hedges etc. but its the same faces... Whilst the council owns the site they largely leave the running of it to us. Compared to the other council run sites in the vicinity we seem to have a good 'vibe' with a bit of social activity too.
We haven't got the manpower to provide a newcomer with a fully cleared plot but will do our best to make it somewhat 'non-overwhelming'.

Balders

[ldsau93]

30 minutes 'fairy time' is what i'll admit to the wife.....

[v6scorpion]

Ive just took on 2 25ft x 50ft plots and they were so overgrown with nettles, brambles and weeds and had to clear it myself. On top of that i still have to pay this years rent of £60 and there is no running water on the allotment as its a rural allotment.

[Scarlet]

Welcome to the vine Scorpion, why don't you pop over and introduce yourself and show us some photos of your plot?

[Kirk]

Couple of thoughts come to mind:
Yes they should be cleared to some extent, but who is going to do it. How much would anyone squeek if say 3 plosts had to be cleared and you as a present plotholder was expected(made) to leave working on your plot to clear another of no consequense to you.

A council will send someone round wth the stongest weed killer possible to kill things off with extreme prejudice. Expect overspray, half expect the wrong plot to be sprayed or equally all plots to be sprayed.
Go spray 3 overgrown plots on the allotments => Go spray the area around any over grown allotment plots => Go spray the allotments.

Expect the "best" you could get is someone heavily strims the plots, then someone on the committee or whatever body applies a well directed weed killer to them, and for that their next years payments are considered paid for. It is likely worth arranging something like this as it would take say half a day a couple of times a year and someone gets the year free.

But that seems to be common sense and common sense is amazingly rare.

[Alison]

Yes they should be cleared to some extent, but who is going to do it.

Out of curiosity why do you think they should be cleared? You outline a load of reasons why not but none get back up your initial statement. Ta

[ldsau93]

As an update to this, some months and 1 growing season later.

The council did 'clear' 2 plots (move any rubbish onto an adjoining unused plot as opposed to remove from site) and laid down 'some' geotextile. They appear to have then taken a further X months to actually allocate the plot despite having over a dozen people on the waiting list - in the meanwhile said geotextile has perished somewhat and is AGAIN covered in weeds, brambles etc.

So for the first time in 3 years, I will have a neighbour to the side of me! I fully appreciate that the Council has many conflicting demands on its resource but it is frustrating. And they've done nothing about the slugs!

[Chestnut]

Clearing plots?

Around here, the council tend to waive the first few months rent if, in the opinion of the site rep, the plot needs a fair bit of work to bring it back up to scratch.

It seems to work quite well, and the site association also organise working parties and a skip from time to time to clear the worst of the junk from any abandoned plots, to give the new owners a sporting chance!