[Yorkie]

You won't be able to get hold of the actual waiting list, it is held for certain purposes under the Data Protection Act and release of names to you would be a criminal offence.

However, there is absolutely nothing to stop you submitting a Freedom of Information request to the local council(s) asking for info such as how many plots the council administers, how many are on the waiting list(s), and what the council's procedures for managing inactive etc tenants are.

[Paul Plots]

You won't be able to get hold of the actual waiting list, it is held for certain purposes under the Data Protection Act and release of names to you would be a criminal offence.

However, there is absolutely nothing to stop you submitting a Freedom of Information request to the local council(s) asking for info such as how many plots the council administers, how many are on the waiting list(s), and what the council's procedures for managing inactive etc tenants are.

I thought getting your hands on a list of names would be out... Perhaps an article in the local paper would invite a bit of discussion and support?

[NigelB]

You won't be able to get hold of the actual waiting list, it is held for certain purposes under the Data Protection Act and release of names to you would be a criminal offence.

However, there is absolutely nothing to stop you submitting a Freedom of Information request to the local council(s) asking for info such as how many plots the council administers, how many are on the waiting list(s), and what the council's procedures for managing inactive etc tenants are.

I thought getting your hands on a list of names would be out... Perhaps an article in the local paper would invite a bit of discussion and support?

Zeb could also start his own list if he wanted. A few notices and flyers around town should be enough to get up a list of people wanting allotments. Then combine that with the results of hisr freedom of information request asking the questions Yorkie poses above, and you will have a good case to present to your council while reminding them they are in breach of the smallholdings and allotments act and asking what their intended course of action will be.

I know I bang on about this a lot, but allotments are a right. The law is absolute, and on our side. Allotments are not some kind of gift bestowed on the great unwashed in return for blind obedience or the ability to grovel on bended knee.
If the council are unwilling to provide, then by all means take action. 

[compostqueen]

No-one should quit an allotment site on the basis that the council "might" develop it in the future.  It's sitting there going to rack and ruin, like ours would have been had we not taken matters into our own hands.  We took direct action - it was painful at times - but we still have our site and we lost NO plots but did take back an additional 14 and turn them into new plots. We said we would measure, mark out and demarcate them ourselves as the council did nothing for 18 months despite saying they would.  We took a piece back that they'd taken off us on the basis of future development. It rapidly went into decline, and because it was smack bang in the centre of the site, it looked like the site was derelict, the phrase that the council had used in its tender to developers (we found out after a phone called to said developer  )  We got a local farmer to come in and cut all the hay (free) which he took to feed his animals.  We then held a much-publicised open day and invited the council to come and see what a lovely site we had 

[John]

I know I bang on about this a lot, but allotments are a right. The law is absolute, and on our side. Allotments are not some kind of gift bestowed on the great unwashed in return for blind obedience or the ability to grovel on bended knee.
If the council are unwilling to provide, then by all means take action. 

I feel a chorus of the green flag coming on! Seriously, well said. Governments seem great at enacting laws we have to obey - about time they obeyed them as well.

[Paul Plots]

We would be devastated if our plots were suddenly viewed for a housing development. I am trusting our allotment association (privately run) to keep the developers at bay.

As most plot holders have one share I think we are relatively safe.... we have a waiting list and all plots well used on both of our sites.

[scenic]

delighted to advise that my local authority (Conwy) yesterday confirmed that it would grant planning permission for 77 new plots - 12 which are accessible for disabled people.  Great news.

[NigelB]

delighted to advise that my local authority (Conwy) yesterday confirmed that it would grant planning permission for 77 new plots - 12 which are accessible for disabled people.  Great news.

That is excellent news Scenic. Good for you, and good for our nearest neighbour, Conwy Council. 
Meanwhile, here in sunny Bodelwyddan in Denbighshire, I'm waiting for 1:30 to come around, which is when I have to meet a local farmer at the new allotments field where he will be 'topping' the grass for us so we can mark our allotments out.
Great news all round.
Congratulations!

[Paul Plots]

delighted to advise that my local authority (Conwy) yesterday confirmed that it would grant planning permission for 77 new plots - 12 which are accessible for disabled people.  Great news.

Excellent - you must be really chuffed - especially like the 12 plots for disabled people... they need to be nearest to the main path. I had a friend on a nearby plot who arrived with her crutches and dug one-handed. She grew some great produce.

I wish you the very best of fortune! 

[James1]

Hi all

Down south (London), where I live the council got rid of allotments ages ago, simply put there is not enough land or space for gardening. Its a luxury, the council up here simply cannot afford.

I have my own house thats why I can indulge my passion for gardening.

[compostqueen]

Well, you're lucky then you got a house with a garden 

[greydog]

My L/A are planning to construct a further retail park on our site and we are fighting like mad to block it, they are offering a new site locally but some of our members have been here for well over 50 years and to move onto a new site where they have to drive because the entrance is of of a dual carriage way (A10) with new soil etc etc would probably mean they would have stop, this situation is causing huge problems and we even had a opposition councillor adopt our cause only for her to fall by the way side at the first hurdle! (no change there then) it going tyo run for a while will keep you posted on developments. We are joining the allotment society so as to get the best advice on this.

[Paul Plots]

My L/A are planning to construct a further retail park on our site and we are fighting like mad to block it, they are offering a new site locally but some of our members have been here for well over 50 years and to move onto a new site where they have to drive because the entrance is of of a dual carriage way (A10) with new soil etc etc would probably mean they would have stop, this situation is causing huge problems and we even had a opposition councillor adopt our cause only for her to fall by the way side at the first hurdle! (no change there then) it going tyo run for a while will keep you posted on developments. We are joining the allotment society so as to get the best advice on this.

Simple solution would be for the council to build the houses just off the A10 and leave the plots where they are!!

Our one and only local garden centre is due to become 70 houses in the not too distant future...despite the fact that the only locals to benefit will be the "get rich quick merchants" who bought the land intending to make a fast buck (and to think one is/was a mate of mine!)

[Yorkie]

Are you on the Brookfield Farm site, greydog? 

I grew up round there and the parents mentioned this site to me in passing on one of my visits home.

[antwilk]

Our allotments in stoke on trent are being taken off us to be turned into a road. None of this is final as yet but the allotment officer has spoken to our secretary about it and its looking like they will go ahead in the next two years.

As anyone got any info on this matter about weather we be given new plots, compensations for our livestock pens, greenhouses and sheds. Or where i can find this information from.

Any help on this matter would be much apprieciated.

Please PM me with any help

Thanks

Ant

Edited by Yorkie to remove email address