Allotment Committees

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wildlifemad
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Allotment Committees

Post by wildlifemad »

Just wondering what folks opinions are of Allotment Committees.Our Committee was formed 4 years ago.At first we were glad as the Parish Council didn't care about the state of the plots as long as they got their rent & although there was a waiting list it seemed that you got one quicker depending on who you knew!
There are a couple of things that are annoying quite a few of us now. One is that they do monthly checks of the plots & have a word or send letters to people who's plots are getting out of control.This is good, apart from the fact that in the rules they say you have 14 days to improve or you get another letter, if you still don't clear it you get kicked off.The only trouble is they never kick anyone off. The second thing to annoy us is that they said they would only rent out plots to new people when they were cleared & ready to go which sounds great but they are the ones who are supposed to clear them & they can't keep their own plots tidy!
One of our 4 neighbours gave up in March & his plot should have just been given straight to the next person on the waiting list as it wasn't in too bad a state.But they insisted it needed clearing so the result is they have sprayed it off 3 times (which is great when we grow organically) & it's still empty, the result half a years rent lost & people still waiting for plots. Our 2nd neighbour gave up/was pushed also in March but his plot had never been worked so all he had was Fruit trees & Strawberries from the previous tenant & lots of thick grass which had grown through all the carpet the previous tenant put down.The Committee yet again sprayed it off twice,still didn't do any more to it & it too is sat dormant.Unbelievably when they did their walk round 3 wks ago I overheard them saying they had had quotes to get it cleared & so last week someone came & cleared it at the cost of £475!! We are livid they have wasted that money when it is through their lack of implementing the rules that has led to this. I appreciate they are volunteering but that is why I didn't volunteer as I know I couldn't commit enough time to it.
Sorry to have waffled on but any opinions?
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Mo
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Re: Allotment Committees

Post by Mo »

Well I think you should ask for an AGM if you don't have one already, then the people who have ideas but not the time to do much could air their thoughts, and maybe volunteer for small jobs rather than committee having to do everything.

If a plot comes vacant surely they could give the people on the waiting list an opportunity of taking it rent free for a short time, to get it cleared (length of time depending on state of plot).
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
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Mo
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Re: Allotment Committees

Post by Mo »

And maybe if someone couldn't keep their plot clear due to temporary problems someone from the waiting list could be paired with them, to help out and share crops (then either take over part of that plot if the problem was long-term, or be moved up the list as a reward for help given).
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
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KarenE
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Re: Allotment Committees

Post by KarenE »

They sound a pain. We haven't got one on our plot, just a lead who is pretty laid back to be honest, and most of our plots are well tended (but not all!). I agree about the clearing fee, that's pretty outgrageous when it's your allotment fees that have gone into it. Do they have control over allotment finances as well then, or have they had toi get that money from the council?

I cleared mine myself, as have all the other newbies who took over this year. I think Mo's point of letting the new plot holder clear rent free is a good one, but also what is wrong with the new plot owners clearing the plots themselves once thjey have taken the plot? It shows a certain amount of commitment.

Are they big plots? Our allotment also leases half plots now, as the big ones were just too much for most people. Maybe yours could do that if they don't now.
Karen
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wildlifemad
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Re: Allotment Committees

Post by wildlifemad »

Thanks for the replies Mo & Karen.
Mo. There will be an AGM in October so comments will most certainly be aired then! We keep suggesting let people have them free for a while if they are overgrown but they keep saying people don't want them, yet most of us took on our plots overgrown, I guess most people don't get a choice.Ours was 2ft high with grass & weed & we paid one of the chaps £20 for him to plough it with his small tractor. They are ok about plots getting a bit wild if someone is ill & sometimes we've helped people get their plot back up & running again.
Karen. As you say if you get a plot that's overgrown then it does show commitment to it when,as you did, you knuckle down & clear it. We have control of the finances now not the Parish council but I think the Committee needs a re-think of the way things are run. The plots are all sorts of sizes, ours is approx 200ft x 22ft. When we got ours the plots either side were the same size but since then they have been split so are now 100ft, some plots that size have been split again as starter plots. There should never come a time that a plot holder is allowed to keep their plot so long without doing anything & then the committee paying out ridiculous money to clear it. I noticed yesterday that when they used weedkiller on the plot next door they have sprayed it across part of our path which is now dead & they strimmed my nettles to get the skip in & I now realise they also weedkillered those which I use for nettle feed for my plants! They had no right but what can I do? Moan over now,thanks again for your replies.Anymore comments would be welcome.
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