[mikem]

#Perhaps if the site manager wont doing anything about the offending plot holder he would be willing to move you to another plot away from the effects of weedkiller? Worth a try?

Offer to swop plots with the site manager! 

[Bizzi Lizzi]

How awful for you.  Poor Site Manager, I agree.  I would speak to the Council and maybe the local paper but it depends on what you want the end result to be - if the damage is done there's nothing that can bring your crops back but you could stop it happening again to someone else.

So sorry.

[Jonajo]

yes, a firm letter to those powers that be, expressing your disappointment in how this has not only happened but how it was dealt with by this site manager who effectively condoned this vandalism - which it what it was, deliberately or otherwise. Document everything, including what this site manager said to you etc... See what response you get from the main committee as there might be others on the committee who are competent and more responsible that this idiot.

If that yields nothing then I would write again to them and I would put in a sentence in your letter about informing the local papers about this, the committee's wilful disregard for other people's property and the environment. Not as a threat but as a statement of fact (certainly that might make this committee think about things for future reference so it might not happen to someone else).

[TheSpartacat]

Thats awful! So sorry to hear your story. That site manager isn't living up to their job title at all!!! Sure, there may be nothing in the rules about using weedkiller, but that irresponsible vandalism of what is your property.
Is the site manager a good friend of the people who were using the weedkiller (visualising 'old boys' clubs and looking out for their own kinda nonsense)
Either way, I wouldnt let this drop if I were you... The council will have rules about negatively affecting neighbours even if the site manager is blind to it.

I grow organically on my plot- i would have a pink fit if one of my neighbours was letting weedkiller spray onto my plot- I wouldn't want those chemicals in my soil... If nothing else, if you were unaware that the spray had gone onto your soil, you could have been unwittingly trying to plant things on there before it had broken down. Bleaurgh!
 
Surely that would be a health hazard??! If they're not capable of being responsible with a toxin, they shouldnt be allowed to use it willy nilly!

I don't blame you for wanting to pack it in- the site managers response is almost more disappointing than the act of vandalism.... but why let them get away with it? If you say nothing, then nothing changes! If you escalate it to the council, then things might improve- for everyone on the plot, as people who are so careless to others are bound to do it again, and annoy someone else.
Sigh rant grumble....

[Bigfatsi]

Spray a little onto the site managers plot/garden and see how quickly he responds to that. lol. I reckon he'll find something to say then!

Simon

[gimli]

 :mad:how dare they my advice is to make a complaint to the council about the poor managment of the site.
bless

[Aunt Sally]

Take photos as evidence - very useful !

[Sid]

I'm shocked people like that make soo angry!! I think you have been very tolerant,but like Aunty said.. please report them, it's not fair that their behaviour should be allowed to continue.

[Snap Dragon]

I echo what Aunty says and take pictures and send them with a strong letter to the council!.... disgraceful behaviour all round!

Even if you do decide to give up your plot (and it would be a real shame for you to have to give up now) these people will probably do the same to the unsuspecting people who take over your plot!

The council are probably not aware of what happens on the plots on a day to day basis - our council officer only sets foot on the plots twice a year for inspections - this needs to be brought to their attention.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.

[Babstreefern]

Personally speaking, its one way of getting rid of you.  Your "neighbour" has now got the plot to himself.  I would definitely not throw in the towel.  Insist that he gets thrown off the alltment.  And what makes me mad is the people who are tut-tutting  "sympathetically", acting as if it happens all the time.  I would be hopping made at this point.  What's to stop this chap doing it to some other poor person if that person gets on his wrong side.

[Half a plot man]

Aunt Sally yes it was spray type weedkiller, I saw them with it about 3 weeks ago.

It's a funny old setup down at our site, people do seem to keep themselves to themselves and are particularly dismissive of us newcomers - the chap in charge has a kind of 'well I've seen it all before and it'll be fine if you just stick at it' attitude but he seems well liked by the old timers ....

I know we should probably be fighting more but it's so doubtful that they would get kicked off and we end up getting really upset and concerned at what will happen when we turn our backs!  They just don't seem to bother - we got there once to water and they were happily using our hosepipe dragged right through our potatoes.   Never even had the decency to blush!

Walking away is not an option, the whole point of allotments is to share and live with your neighbours - it sounds like your whole site is "tarred with the same brush", complain to the guy that runs it and then take it straight to the council. This makes very sad reading and I sympathise with you. Have you tried to find your neighbours and talk to them direct, civil conversation of course.