news on allotment

[sindy]

I have just had a call from the council today, saying unfortunately I am out of all duristriction to qualify for an allotment. They said I will end up at the end of the queue continuously. There is nothing they can do for me. WHAT NOW i ask myself????????????. The waiting list for the nearest one to me is 2 years they have just given a plot to someone who has had there name down since 2005. I live in north somerset I guess my only way forward is to ask any other the local houses or farms, but what do i say to them and if a say im willing to pay how much, I am on a tight buget as it is., Any suggestions

[mandyballantyne]

Oh Sindy, that is terrible news I feel really bad for you.

Maybe as you say you could borrow some land, maybe an elderly neighbour who would be glad of the help in the garden and some fresh veg in return? That has worked for me so far.

Good luck and let us know how you get on, Mandy

[carlseawolf]

i was 17 months before i got mine and there's now 45 waiting for the 65 plots avalible and that was after the commitee did a re-check of names against people living where they said they did, some of the funny things they found ;
one person had a big garden behind there house that was overgrown and had there name down.
another person lived 30 miles away
and other said no by the time they where asked

What i'm trying to say is keep your name on the lists , because people change there minds and even 45 on the list is better than not at all.
My first year on the list i was 27th the next 17th and 2 days later i was offered one ( i know why i got it because of the location and the condition ) see my blog for photos

[sindy]

thanks everyone, still pondering on what to do, it doesnt matter how long i stay on teh list i will never be eligable for a allotment as you have to be within a certain distance, its silly really, as its just a tiny village near wester super mare, no shop or pub just a church, but its all farming, our house is a converted cow shed and the garden is the old yard which is solid concrete for miles underground. Still im not going to give up i will pester anyone until i get some soil thanks for the support everyone

[carlseawolf]

if you have no allotments in your village then you must be elligable for the nearest ones or get you parish council to make some , either way badger both of them and they will have to do something.
I think " legally " don't quote me one this , if five or more people in an area want allotments then the council are duty bound to supply then if not then they will have to includ you on the nearest list.
best let the councils fight between themselves as this will get better results as one will have to provide the service , and if the above is true and you can get leagla aid then take the both of them to court.
as a last thought witch local council gets your council tax , because if your good enough to be able to pay your bill to them that means your in there area so there responcebility.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Oh Sindy - it doesn't seem fair does it? Rural area, and not a patch of dirt to call your own!

I know that there is a two year wait on your nearest one, Sindy - like at the Hill - but what one enterprising chap did was to ask the secretary to ask if any of the allotmenteers wanted a hand - in return for doing the hard graft (digging, weeding) for an older gentleman, he gained experience, and of course went home with some of the produce.

You need to have the 'right' people to make that work of course (one lady was approached and asked if she needed a hand and she was horrified and thought that the Committee was 'getting at her.' Had a point, frankly, as her plot is 'natural' in the widest possible meaning of the term!) but Jody's helpful approach paid off as he has been given the half plot next to me after 8 months, and I suspect (tho' don't know) that he has been a 'preference'.

This plan has worked on more than one occasion at the Hill - one of our allotmenteers went in for an operation, and needed a hand etc etc.

Perhaps allotment secretaries might encourage the peeps on their waiting lists to get involved in the 'community' in this way.

Another thought is to put a notice in the parish magazine/PO notice board - your 'rent' would be fresh veg to the landlord! Or perhaps keeping a garden tidy in return for an area to grow veg...

Anyhows - good luck with it....

[sindy]

yes she did tell me that, and i did ask about any other people wanting but no people as yet. but i will persue this as i really dont think they should dismiss me like that, im on a mission now

[Snadger]

I put my name down on about 20 allotment sites and got the offer of two within a month. The first one, which I took and is the one I have now, is about 7 miles away from where I live but I was prepared to travel up to 15 miles away!
Ironically, the second one I was offered was only 1 mile from where I live but I had already comitted to where I am.

Prior to getting my allotment I used to cultivate some huge OAP's council gardens, all for the cost of a few veg and keeping the gardens tidy!

Don't give up Sindy and I am sure something will come along!

[Hazel at the Hill]

On the tip of my tongue....

Ok - then your NEXT option, as Carlseawolf says, it to take it up with your Councillor - the Council ARE olliged to provide allotments, as he says.

It'll be mighty torturous, I suspect - but there is more than one grape who has been in that situation and had success...and a kind grape will be along soon to jog my ailing memory as to who that was........??

[seasprout]

Perhaps its time you sought out your local councilor, or even your MP start making them earn their keep.

Here is the link for the Allotment plot holders guide produced by the government.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/public...llotmentsplot2

Here is the link for National Society of Allotment and leisure Gardeners.

http://www.nsalg.org.uk/

Drop them a line and ask for advice.

[bubblewrap]

Reading this thread I suppose we were lucky Madderbat applied for a allotment in August 2005 and were given one(£36 per year) within a month.
and even better it is only 5 mins walk away.
The site is quite well sheltered & has about 20 allotments.

[Sebbster]

These threads make me so angry about our allotment site. There are 16 unused plots yet the council tell the lottie committee there is a waiting list of 14 people. We cant understand how or why but needless to say we are taking it up with them.

Sindy, I hope you find something it must be so frustrating to live rurally and not be able to grow your own.

[Two_Sheds]

Some lateral thinking:
1) can you get someone in the right area to apply for you? I did this and got one in Suffolk when I lived in Brighton! (I did move)
2) put an ad in local paper asking if anyone can let you cultivate their garden in return for free veg/flowers
3) talk to existing plotholders and find out if anyone is willing to share their plot with you (I did this in Norwich)