Growing Salad Leaves in the Greenhouse

I like to add up the costs of renting an allotment plus the costs of compost, seeds, feed etc, against the savings I can make growing my own vegetables (and producing free range eggs). I find this helps a lot with motivation, because as you may be aware, running an allotment can be exhausting and time consuming...MORE

Keeping Chickens on the allotment

Two years ago, I decided to get a few chickens on the allotment so that me and my family could have access to delicious, affordable free range eggs. MORE

FUTURE THREAT TO ALLOTMENT RENTS

Bolton Council proposed an increase of 80% to allotment rents in 2010/2011. That proposal, if implemented would have been unlawful, as allotment rents must be increased in line with other recreational services provided by the borough.

The increase in 2010/2011 will now be 3%.

However, Mr Russell, Head of Greenspace, now proposes "significant increases" to Bowling and outdoor sports pitches.

If these proposals are taken up, and some recreational services are increased by say, 50% or more, there will then be a case to increase allotment rents by a similar figure.

What is apparent from the report is that bowling and football pitches are heavily subsidised. Indeed, bowling green pavillions are provided with free heat and light in the winter months and are cleaned by Bolton Council. This is a very different story to the way our community "huts" are run, even though they are as much a "community resource" as bowls pavillions.

In this financial year, Allotments will be subsidised by around £86,000 (£80 per allotment holder), Bowling by £118,000 (£84 per bowler), and football pitches by £201,000 (£111 per player). Provision of free swimming in the borough is subsidised to the tune of £279,000.

We will need to keep fighting for reasonable rents, however, security of tenure and low rents can only be achieved through self management and we challenge Bolton Council to implement a devolved management strategy as soon as possible.

You can find Mr Russell's report here

Neighbourhood Services - Savings and Efficiency Review Proposals

This report outlines sweeping changes to Neighbourhood Services/Greenspace which will fundamentally affect allotment provision in Bolton.

QUOTE: "The management of allotments will include a review of the charging policy."

Consultation is to take place with interested parties i.e. allotment holders from 1st October 2010.

With regard to allotments, a new post of Horticultural Officer is to be created. This will effectively merge the Allotments Project Officer post and the Parks Development post. This new post will pay more (Grade 8 currently Grade 6), but the Horticultural Officer will be responsible for "Outdoor Sports Facilities (Pitches, Courts & Greens), Allotments & Asset Management.

Ground Workers will no longer be dedicated solely to Allotments but will be shared between Outdoor Sports Facilities (Pitches, Courts & Greens), Allotments & Asset Management. There will be three workers not two as now, and the post will be re-named "Neighbourhood Care Operative (Asset Caretaker).

The Allotments budget will be reduced to £19,799 from the current £86,646. This will effectively eliminate any subsidy provided to allotments, in fact, if this is acheived, allotments may show a profit, unlike other recreation provision in Bolton which will still be heavily subsidised.

Toilet provision and statutory duties are touched upon in the report and it is possible that chemical toilets may be removed if allotment holders are not willing to pay for them. It is doubtful that flush toilets on sites will be affected as the cost of provision is negligible.

Water, toilets, fencing, maintenance, and administration are not statutory, and all these facilities are likely to come under pressure in this efficiency review. You can't do a lot with less than twenty grand spread over thirty sites.

The fact is that investment in allotments in the coming years is likely to be near zero. Deterioration of facilities is inevitable, however, this situation does provide an opportunity for some allotments to become self managed. Allotments that wish to self manage should be positively encouraged as more money will be available for those that do not wish to take up this option.

The report, Neighbourhood Services - Savings and Efficiency Review Proposals is available to view at...

Bolton Council CMIS (scroll down to DOCUMENTS)

3% Increase in 2010/2011

A new report to be presented to the Executive member for Cleaner Greener Safer on 28th September 2010 recommends that allotment rents be increased by 3% in 2010/2011.

The proposed increases of £10 for administration, £5 for water and £15 for toilets are to be deferred and further consultation will be carried out with allotment holders in the future.

The fact is that Bolton Council have accepted that any increase above the rate applied to other recreational services provided by the council would be contrary to case law (Harwood v Reigate & Banstead Borough Council 1981).

You can see the new report here.

UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION

The overall net budget 2010/11 for the 'Greenspace' Division of Bolton Council's Environmental Services Department is £3,075,778

The budget allocated to allotments by "Greenspace" is less than 3.5%. So much for prioritising green issues.

We have now received a response to a Freedom of Information request that proves conclusively that allotment holders in Bolton are being unlawfully discriminated against.

It is for Bolton Council to set a reasonable rent, but in reaching a decision as to what constitutes reasonable, the Council must take into consideration increases applied to other recreational service provided by Bolton Council.

Bolton Council have approved an increase in the charge per square metre from 16p to 17p for allotments with water. That is a 6.5% increase in 2010/2011.

Additionally, Bolton Council have approved an increase of £10 for administration and £5 for water and £15 for toilets. All these increases are to be levied in this financial year, 2010/2011.

An average plot costing £41.44 in 2009/2010 will now cost £74.03. An increase of 79%.

The Freedom of Information request shows that other recreational fees controlled by Bolton Council have increased by less than 3.5% accross the board. Sports Halls have had an increase of around 30% but these fees are not directly controlled by Bolton Council.

See for yourself here.

New Allotment Report - Executive Meeting 28th September 2010

A new report on allotments is to be presented to the Executive Member for Cleaner, Greener, Safer, Councillor Bashir-Ismail on Tuesday 28th September 2010 at 9am.

It is our understanding that the report cannot be approved on the same day as publication. There is a requirement to allow five clear days from publication to approval, which means that we should be able to view the report prior to its being approved.

It is your right to lobby those who will be present at that Executive Meeting to make your views known. An e-mail has already been sent by one concerned allotment holder and you can read it here.

Those present at the last Executive Meeting were: Councillor Bashir-Ismail, Councillor Walsh (Leader of Conservatives), Councillor J Rothwell (Liberal Opposition), Mr Malcolm Cox (Director Environmental Services), Mr Malcolm Russel (Head of Greenspace), Mr Jon Gorton (Sports & Recreation Asset Manager), Ms. V. Mather (Head of Service Performance and Improvement), Ms. L. Butcher (Group Accountant), Mrs. S. Bailey (Principal Democratic Services Officer).

New Allotments Required NOW!

Bolton Councils response to a Freedom of Information Request made in January 2010 stated that the number of people waiting for allotments is 430. At the same time, Bolton Council have plans to turn exisiting allotment land over to housing read the full article...

Allotment Expenditure

Further to a Freedom of Information Request we have obtained a full breakdown of allotment expenditure from 2008 to present day. Please read through this information as it shows exactly what the allotment budget has been spent on. read the full article...

A Guide to Allotments by the UK Government

In 2007, the Department for Communities and Local Government published, Allotments: A Plotholders Guide.

It is quite an interesting read providing lots of useful information. Most importantly it states that allotments are a recreational facility as per Harwood v Reigate & Banstead in 1981. You can download a copy of Allotments: A Plotholders Guide here.

NEW ALLOTMENTS REPORT PLANNED

Bolton Council Environment Services are to issue a new allotments report for approval to the Executive Member for Cleaner, Greener, Safer, Councillor Bashir-Ismail

The report is intended to make good the faults in the report of 22nd February 2010. It is understood that all points raised by allotment holders in the last few months have been taken into consideration and the intended proposals will be cleared by Legal Services prior to being presented for approval.

It is hoped that the rent increase will be in line with other recreational services provided by the Council. We hope that the Council will also allow ample notice of any increases, preferably 12 months.

Of course, if you have anything to say about what you think should be in the report, please don't hesitate to get in touch with your local councillor, or indeed pass your comments via this website.

We would like to thank Sarah Schofield, Assistant Director, Neighbourhood Services (Environment) for her input and hard work.

We must now await the outcome and hope it is fair.

Bolton Council Allotment Service Review

In June 2009, Bolton Council Environmental Services applied for Executive approval to conduct a review of the Allotment Service provided by the Council.read the full article...

How do I complain?

If you are an allotment holder in Bolton or on the waiting list(s), you may be angry at the way allotment provision is being treated in your town. read the full article

Is it Legal?

Allotments are the only recreational amenity provided by Bolton Council that are covered by English Law (Allotments Act 1908 amended 1922 & 1950). So why didn't the Allotment Services Review address the legality of the proposed rent increases? read the full article...

Is it Fair!

The letter sent out by Bolton Council dated 4th August 2010 (some were dated 11th August 2010) can be regarded as an agreement, or rather a variation of the Allotment Tenancy Agreement. read the full article...

Petitions, Petitions, Petitions

Bolton Council now has an official petition scheme called, funnily enough, Bolton Borough Council Petition Scheme.

So what? Says you. Well...read the full article...

£200 a plot!

Bolton Council have declared that they will ERADICATE subsidy to allotments by 2014.

They haven't stated that to legal tenants of allotments of course, but they did tell the Area Representative of the National Association of Allotments & Leisure Gardeners that at a recent meeting.read the full article...

Review & Actions Timeline

This article provides a complete (as possible) timeline for the review process meetings, final report, approval and subsequent actions against the decisions.read the full article...

Facebook Protest

Steve from Smedley Avenue has started a Facebook protest over the rent increases which have the potential to be £200 a plot by 2014.

Support Steve's protest by clicking here.