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Allotments rent rise 2012

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The amount I had to pay, I think in March, was £47. This was for a plot with water. I haven't heard anything about another increase; are the council sending letters out is there a website that I can check?

If they are using the excuse that they have raised rents to prevent loss of services, this is an out and out lie as all the rangers have been made redundant.....that's bound to have an impact on services.

 

Rapido, new rent invoices were sent out in the last 1-2 weeks. Might be worth getting in touch with Ceri or Michael if you've not received one yet for April 2012-April 2013. Guess there are a lot to send out, so there may still be a few to go.

 

I think the Rangers were funded from other parts of the budget, vs the allotment specfic budget.

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In January I paid £48.90, in April 2012 when the bill comes it will be £52.60. The big increase will be April 2013, planned to be £100.00.

Those prices are for a large (300 square meter) plot with water supply on Meersbrook.

At £100 per year still cheap, affordable and great value for money.

 

What I'm complaining about is the amount of increase!! What happens in the year 2014... £200 or £250. The council can just increase as it see's fit, and you can take it or bugger off! The point of an allotment is to grow you own, as cheaply as possible, the land has not gone up in cost, I see the normal working person trying to make ends meet being hit again. Find below the answer from Diana Leek and make up your own minds:

 

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the proposed fees rise for allotments In Sheffield.

 

I agree with you that allotments form an essential part in Sheffield life. When Liberal Democrats controlled the Council, we saw healthy living and healthy eating as a priority for the city, and understood the important role allotments played in meeting this goal.

 

Lib Dem councillors on the South West, South Community Assemblies and Walkley Ward, have seen local food-growing as priorities for their areas and sought to support allotments with local funds. Funding was found to improve Morley St allotments. Unfortunately asbestos was found and the land had to be cleared.

 

As you know, the Council faces a tough financial situation and savings have to be considered across all the services the Council offers. That said, we feel Labour councillors who control the Council have enforced tougher cuts on parks and green spaces than is realistically necessary. For services to parks and the local environment to be facing a cut of nearly 20%, while other departments take savings of only half that amount seems simply unfair.

 

Although the proposal you discuss was approved at the Allotments and Leisure Gardens Advisory Group in January, the final decision will not be settled until the Council's 2013/14 budget is agreed in March next year. We have a number of concerns about the impact this proposal could have, particularly on some of the city's priorities set out above. We are also worried about the potential effect of doubling the fee for vulnerable groups.

 

It is vital, therefore, that there is a full and fair consultation is undertaken before any final decision is made. Councillors need a clear view of the impact of this policy on the welfare of the city and, given the recent ruling in Eastleigh, a full understanding of the legal ramifications.

 

Unfortunately, Cllr Leigh Bramall, the Labour Cabinet Member with responsibility for this area, seems to have already set his opinion in stone. Cllr Ian Auckland our spokesperson will be pressing Cllr Bramall to ensure a full consultation is undertaken, which will look at all potential drawbacks of this fee rise.

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It is a massive hike though. I wonder what we will see for that, if anything.

 

Page 5 of the report to the Allotment Advisory Group at http://www.wix.com/mc55mcd/duckdinnerdash says that the higher charges "will help offset the cost of providing new sites".

 

Basically, the council has a legal obligation to develop new sites to meet the demand for allotments, and rather than fund it from council tax they've decided to make the small group of people who already have allotments pay for it.

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Rapido, new rent invoices were sent out in the last 1-2 weeks. Might be worth getting in touch with Ceri or Michael if you've not received one yet for April 2012-April 2013. Guess there are a lot to send out, so there may still be a few to go.

 

I think the Rangers were funded from other parts of the budget, vs the allotment specfic budget.

 

Hmm I havent had my invoice, I've had the agreement which I've signed and returned but no sign of any invoice yet.

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Hi,

 

Just to clarify, what we have sent out is notification of the charges for 2013/14, with a reminder of the 2012/13 charges, and new tenancy agreements for all those who took on their plots before 1st April 2011 (anyone who took on a plot since then already has the new tenancy agreement). The invoices themselves will follow later this month. You can't make the payment until you receive your invoice.

 

with regards

 

Ceri Ashton on behalf of Sheffield City Council Allotment Office

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Hi,

 

Just to clarify, what we have sent out is notification of the charges for 2013/14, with a reminder of the 2012/13 charges, and new tenancy agreements for all those who took on their plots before 1st April 2011 (anyone who took on a plot since then already has the new tenancy agreement). The invoices themselves will follow later this month. You can't make the payment until you receive your invoice.

 

with regards

 

Ceri Ashton on behalf of Sheffield City Council Allotment Office

 

And while you are at it... why have you increased our chargers to almost a 100%. I don't mind an increase in chargers but you must think the average allotment holder is made of money, I don't get any Concessions as I still try to work for a living. Maybe I should claim Disability Allowance then I can get the 50% discount and use the allotment alot more than I am able to do now.

We now have 2 that's TWO gates on the entrance to the site on Hagg Lane!! What was wrong with the old one? Is this were the money is going to pay for extra gates that are not needed. We have deliveries there that will now make it almost impossible to get a lorry down.

As you may guess I am a little annoyed about the increase and the way that it has been put upon us. I other words pay up or give up!!!

Not being nice anymore. Reply if you dare with your reasons about the council having no money and putting it all on the working class again.

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Hi BeeNice,

 

There's a statement from our Head of Service which may help explain, which you can read on our website at

 

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/parks-woodlands--countryside/allotments/allotment-news.html

 

with regards

 

Ceri Ashton on behalf of Sheffield City Council Allotment Office

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Hi BeeNice,

 

There's a statement from our Head of Service which may help explain, which you can read on our website at

 

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/parks-woodlands--countryside/allotments/allotment-news.html

 

with regards

 

Ceri Ashton on behalf of Sheffield City Council Allotment Office

 

Hi Ceri

So there was a consultation period with invitations to allotment holders and those on the waiting list, first I've heard. The first information I got was the letter about the increase in the post, the statement was as I thought, spreading the blame and everyone in agreement, please read the email I got from Diane Leek which is on this thread and I don't think everyone is in agreement!

You don't answer the question about the 2 gates, how much do they cost.

The car park put in I have heard cost about 30k on Hagg Lane, all for 3 cars on occasions, its the waste and the injustice that annoys so many.

Also you have a few spelling errors in your statement, if I make them it doesn't matter but it should be correct from the council.

regards

S

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Hi Ceri

So there was a consultation period with invitations to allotment holders and those on the waiting list, first I've heard. The first information I got was the letter about the increase in the post, the statement was as I thought, spreading the blame and everyone in agreement, please read the email I got from Diane Leek which is on this thread and I don't think everyone is in agreement!

 

I got a consultation letter about the increase while I was on the waiting list last year. I was unable to attend the nearest group unfortunatley.

 

Although I still think the amount payable is a good deal, the more I read about the judgement in court case for Reigate and Banstead the more I would like to see the Sheffield Council decision challenged.

 

If, as the other poster who had a reply from their MP said, the rise is not yet finalised why on the notification of charge increase does it say, along the lines of:

 

"If you do not agree with the rent increase please consider this your 12 month notice to quit the plot"

 

SheffAllots, can you answer this?

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There's a statement from our Head of Service which may help explain, which you can read on our website at https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/parks-woodlands--countryside/allotments/allotment-news.html

 

I'm interested in this section of the statement:

 

In setting the increase we have sought to determine what a tenant might reasonably be expected to pay through an extensive period of consultation. This included writing to all allotment tenants and all of those on the waiting list (nearly 5,500 in total), and holding 5 workshops to gain a more thorough understanding of people's views. We acknowledge that we are proposing to put up allotment charges at a higher percentage than other recreational activities, but we are doing so to protect the current levels of service. This is in line with the majority view that was expressed through the consultation process.

 

The results of the survey are available at https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/dms/scc/management/corporate-communications/documents/leisure-culture/parks-gardens/Allotment-consultation-outcomes-Feb-2012/Allotment%20consultation%20outcomes%20Feb%202012.pdf.

 

73% of the 1500+ respondents to the survey said that the allotment provision should be subsidised either by the current amount or by a greater amount. The view of the vast majority was that rents shouldn't be increased at all.

 

The council's view on the workshops is in section 6 of the report to the Allotment Advisory Group at http://www.wix.com/mc55mcd/duckdinnerdash.

 

According to the council, the 183 attendees broadly supported increasing charges to £1/week or reducing the subsidy level to between 60% and 50%. Taking medium plots, the council has decided to increase charges from £0.73/week to £1.35/week, and to reduce the subsidy from 75% to 42%. That's double the level of increase reported to have received broad support from the small number of stake-holders who attended these events.

 

If the level of the rent increases had really been informed by the consultation, then clearly they would have been set at a much lower level.

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I pay £35 a year for two allotments, on the private ones on Warminster Road. There are some unoccupied ones up there but they are virtually woods now. I doubt anyone even owns them any more. You'd need a chainsaw and a year's work to make them usable though. I know because that's what it took me! Except I used an axe.

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I'm interested in this section of the statement:

 

 

 

The results of the survey are available at https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/dms/scc/management/corporate-communications/documents/leisure-culture/parks-gardens/Allotment-consultation-outcomes-Feb-2012/Allotment%20consultation%20outcomes%20Feb%202012.pdf.

 

73% of the 1500+ respondents to the survey said that the allotment provision should be subsidised either by the current amount or by a greater amount. The view of the vast majority was that rents shouldn't be increased at all.

 

The council's view on the workshops is in section 6 of the report to the Allotment Advisory Group at http://www.wix.com/mc55mcd/duckdinnerdash.

 

According to the council, the 183 attendees broadly supported increasing charges to £1/week or reducing the subsidy level to between 60% and 50%. Taking medium plots, the council has decided to increase charges from £0.73/week to £1.35/week, and to reduce the subsidy from 75% to 42%. That's double the level of increase reported to have received broad support from the small number of stake-holders who attended these events.

 

If the level of the rent increases had really been informed by the consultation, then clearly they would have been set at a much lower level.

 

In my experience these workshops are engineered to gain support for whatever policy it is they want to bring in. There were workshops a couple of years ago where only invited attendees were permitted... and very few actual allotment holders were present from what I heard and saw first hand. I put absolutely no faith in the allotment department's ability to run the allotments.

Understand this, local private sites charge somewhere in the region of £25 per year, and the council want to charge allotment holders in excess of £100. Why? Because of greed.

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