Agenda item

The Committee are to receive an update on allotments.

The Director for Growth and Regeneration introduced the report. In doing so, Members were informed that the tenancy turnover rate was low and that, at the time of the meeting, there were only 10 vacant plots, although they require remedial work before they can be leased out again.

The Committee was informed that debt write offs are relatively low, with only 50 since 2015 which is approximately less than 10% of all monies owed.

Members’ attentions were drawn to a list of suggestions that should be considered when assessing the future of the allotment service within the Borough.

During the debate, the comment was raised that the allotment service has recorded a profit for the past six years but when factoring support costs into the equation, the service recorded a loss each year.

It was noted that fencing improvements are expected to cost the Council approximately £50k, however the suggestion was made that if the sites were self-managed by allotment associations, then the Council would not have all the staff costs associated with running them and they would be able to recoup the fencing costs over a number of years. Another Member supported the idea of exploring the viability of self-managed allotment associations, although it was recognised that getting allotment holders to take on the responsibility was difficult due to various issues, one example being vandalism.

A Member expressed that they were disappointed by the report because: the fencing costs quoted appeared to be inflated; there was no mention of the allotment competition the Council used to hold; no mention was made of the Council’s relations with allotment holders and the report doesn’t mention whether Officers have asked other allotment holders to relocate so that raised beds could be installed. In response, the Director for Growth and Regeneration stated that the fencing costs are estimated and will be subject to a procurement process, although it was confirmed that currently there is no budget allocated for fencing. It was also confirmed that the Council currently hasn’t got the resources to run an allotment competition. In relation to the Council’s relations with allotment holders, it was confirmed that the Council have received no complaints regarding allotment services in the past three years. Regarding the raised beds suggestion, Members were informed that a call for relocation would be made to assess the potential for such development.

A discussion ensued regarding the fencing repairs in which Members commented that the fencing should be high security fencing to protect the allotments from vandalism and that the repairs could have cost less if they were done more regularly. In response, the Director for Growth and Regeneration stated that the Corporate Assets Team was created in April 2020 to provide focus on such general fund assets. A condition survey, which had been recently carried out, identified the repairs. The repairs were not considered urgent or a health and safety risk and therefore no budget allocation had been made for these works in the 2022/23 financial year.

In response to Members seeking reassurance that the allotments wouldn’t be used for housing development, the Director for Growth and Regeneration stated that the sites are statutory allotment sites and can’t be used for housing development unless Council decides, at a meeting, to decommission them and proceed through a thorough legal process.

The outstanding debt of the allotment service stands at £822, with approximately 50 different debts written off over the last few years. The concern was raised that with 10% of tenants paying in arrears, that the Council would struggle to obtain payment at the end of their tenancy.

Support was expressed for shorter term tenancies, as the Council might be able to regain the tenancy more quickly especially if an allotment holder allows their site to fall into disrepair. In response, the Director for Growth and Regeneration stated that current leases are for an indefinite period but that shorter term tenancies would be explored.