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Smaller allotments may slash waiting list
LAND-lovers waiting for an allotment in Boston may be living the Good Life sooner than they think, although councillors have approved steps to hike up fees.
Boston Borough Council is discussing plans to reduce the size of some of its 356 allotments in a bid to create more starter plots for people who are inexperienced or cannot cultivate a 300 yard plot.
The environment and performance scrutiny committee agreed last week to try and provide more of these 150 square yard plots where possible, in a bid to cater for the 45 people currently on the waiting list.
Coun Paul Goodale said: “We have such a huge waiting list that we should be striving to get these plots smaller.”
The recommendation was put forward by a task and finish group, which reviewed allotment pricing and provision after it was proposed that standard plot rent should increase from £23 to £130 over the next four years.
The group, chaired by Coun Alison Austin, found that the proposed rise was unacceptable to allotment holders and proposed a smaller rise to £68 by 2015/16.
The price rise would reduce the amount the council contributes to the allotments by around £13,000.
These proposals were approved by the committee and will now go on to the council’s cabinet for futher consideration.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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Comments
There are 2 comments to this article
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riversidemale
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 05:22 PMWhen I asked the council about the numbers on the waiting list I was told 45 people were waiting hence we want to stop people having two plots. When I asked if those on the waiting list would pay the new price no one knew becasue no one had bothered to ask them. Therefore in my view it is incorrect to state 45 people are waiting becasue we do not know their views about the new price structure. In additioin if like me you have 2 plots the council intend to add a surcharge of 20% to your bill on top of the rent. What do the council do with this money becasue the allotments see very little of it. I believe the council do not want the allotments they would rather the sites were self managed in that way the council would collect a rent for the land and the tenants would be responsible for running the site and all the costs that involves.
newjoy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 04:29 PMAs a plot holder for over ten years at the Willoughby Road site i read with dismay of the proposed rent increase. It seems to many plot holders, some who have had plots there for thirty years and kept the site clean and in good condition that we are paying for the total mis-management of the allotments in general ( when i first started there the council did not even know the numbers of each plot ) Eleven plots were lost due the Butterfly Trust building there and were never replaced, there are still some plots left unused ready and waiting they have lain bare for as long as i can remember. Coun Goodale says we should be striving to get plots smaller, well we have said this for a number of years we want the plots full, when was the last time we saw a councillor on site to discus this. We want people to enjoy growing and eating in a more sustainable way but not at this price. It seems Coun Austin is in tune with most plot holders. This proposal is immoral, unjustified and and unfair. As with bailing the banks out we now have to bail out the council. Plot holder probably for not much longer.
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