Allotment 'not up to scratch'

[loom 10]

Oooo...got an letter from the allotment office last week to say my allotment wasn't being used to its full potential and was looking untidy !!!

Has anyone else gone one..??

 

I am a bit offended as we took on the allotment 3 yrs ago when it was 5ft high brambles, and strewn with rubbish. We cleared a lot the 1st year and have been steaily doing the rest whilst having jobs and a family.

 

And so on January's inspection, it looked untidy ! and not fully used . The allotment office said it was due to waiting lists, which I fully appreciate and i do consider myself very lucky to have a plot, however there are at least 2 unused plots on the side (its only a very small site anyway) and they have been unused in the time I have been there.

 

Surely if there is a waiting list then they should be willing to take on those unused plots !!

Rant over, thank you

[mc55 10]

hi Loom, all sites have huge waiting lists following the boom in interest in having an allotment.

 

As we now have two allotment officers in place they are beginning to make their mark. I do think cultivation expectations are unfair when people are presented with horrendous plots such as yours - I would recommend you take before and after shots. Write them a letter and list the improvement work you have carried out so that they can understand what a challenge the plot has been.

 

I do have sympathy for you, as my neighbour also got a letter - she took on an unused plot (hadn't been worked in the 4-5 years I've had mine) sometime last year. She has filled bag after bag of broken glass and rubbish that's had to be disposed of. She's discovered 35 tyres, two baths, a toilet and is now trying to dig out an enormous carpet that has rotted into the soil. She has worked hard and has one clear bed but has been told that she needs to make major improvements.

[rapido 10]

I'd retaliate by saying that the allotment was in an unreasonable condition in the first place because the council had let it go uncultivated for so long.

When I got mine recently the hedges had grown to over 10ft high and were blocking loads of light out. They came and cut them back for us and were fine about it.

I'd be annoyed if I got one of those letters though.

[Bonjon 10]

We got one once and I couldn't understand why, so I called our chair and he'd got it wrong, it was the one opposite us, will teach me to leave the wrong number on my recycled door.

[Ms Macbeth 73]

We were offered an allotment that was way beyond our capabilities to clear. If the council is serious about getting people to take them on, then they could employ people to clear them and get them into a lettable state.

 

It could provide at least some short term work for unemployed people, would ensure the shortest gap in rents coming in, and would give older people like us, or those with physical disabilities a fighting chance at managing one.

 

I would see that as good spending by the council.

[RobD1 10]

We were offered an allotment that was way beyond our capabilities to clear. If the council is serious about getting people to take them on, then they could employ people to clear them and get them into a lettable state.

 

It could provide at least some short term work for unemployed people, would ensure the shortest gap in rents coming in, and would give older people like us, or those with physical disabilities a fighting chance at managing one.

 

I would see that as good spending by the council.

 

They do. In certain areas at least. SW Community Assembly has funded a ranger and contractors to clear plots, trees, re-establish boundaries, etc. in that area for the last 5 months (1 month to go). If you think it's good spending you should tell your local Community Assembly - ultimately you local councillors.

[Becky B 31]

I'd retaliate by saying that the allotment was in an unreasonable condition in the first place because the council had let it go uncultivated for so long.

When I got mine recently the hedges had grown to over 10ft high and were blocking loads of light out. They came and cut them back for us and were fine about it.

I'd be annoyed if I got one of those letters though.

 

Did they? I've had to do mine myself. With a hand saw. Now I've got to try and get all the 'cuttings' to the tip (these cuttings being at least 5 feet long, mostly).

I hope at the next inspection they recognise I'm still trying...

[mc55 10]

Becky - why don't you burn them ? Wood ash is supposed to be good for onions - best google it, 'cos I'm not 100% sure what you do with the ash LOL.

[mc55 10]

They do. In certain areas at least. SW Community Assembly has funded a ranger and contractors to clear plots, trees, re-establish boundaries, etc. in that area for the last 5 months (1 month to go). If you think it's good spending you should tell your local Community Assembly - ultimately you local councillors.

 

Pat was saying that the ranger posts across the city are being reduced from 22 to 16, apparently they are all having to reapply for their posts. Bob's is a priority post, not sure what that means, but she was asking for support from the societies if for whatever reason he doesn't have a role.

[Ms Macbeth 73]

They do. In certain areas at least. SW Community Assembly has funded a ranger and contractors to clear plots, trees, re-establish boundaries, etc. in that area for the last 5 months (1 month to go). If you think it's good spending you should tell your local Community Assembly - ultimately you local councillors.

 

Perhaps they'd like to come and do the ones in lower Walkley! I might just have to go along to a CA meeting for the central area and put it forward as a suggestion. We'd heard that smaller plots were also being developed, and we'd prefer one of them, but its all gone quiet.

[Guest sibon]

Perhaps they'd like to come and do the ones in lower Walkley! I might just have to go along to a CA meeting for the central area and put it forward as a suggestion. We'd heard that smaller plots were also being developed, and we'd prefer one of them, but its all gone quiet.

 

There has been a lot of work going on at the plots at the bottom of Hagg Hill. As you drive down the hill, the aspect is incredibly open now. Hopefully, the council will do this on other sites.

 

I recently watched volunteers remove 30 foot trees by hand, from a plot on my site. At the same time, council contactors were ripping out much bigger trees at the other end of the site to make way for the Shepherd Wheel project. Surely, the council machines could have spent a little time clearing the communal plot.

[loom 10]

Thank you for all those replies and words of support. It's really interesting hearing what is being done in other areas. I am searching my old photos for the 'before' pictures of my allotment so I can prove how much work we have actually done.

It's makes me annoyed that had we been disabled/ older etc we may have not done as much as we have, surely that is prejudicing against those groups of people.

Thanks again loom.