[digby]

Hi,

Does anyone know what the obligations are by a council to provide an allotment.

I've been looking online and there was a requirement in the allotment act 1925 but this was repealed in 1950 and I'm sure I've heard of this obligation a couple of times recently on tv (Hugh fernley watsit)

Also if there is such a thing is it at parish or district level?

[Johnny Norfolk]

If you are interested in having an allotment your first step is to contact your local council. They will advise you of what you need to do in your area.

[digby]

It's not for me, I already have one which I share with my Dad, but Dad is on the parish council for his village and there is a big meeting coming up as people want a site in the village but there is no available land, short of digging up the football pitch.

[Carmen7878]

I expect that this 'law' that HFW refers to is infact covered by the council provison of allotments in each of their counties. I heard him refer to it myself last night but can find no information on it past councils providing land for allotments.

[GreenOwl]

It's not for me, I already have one which I share with my Dad, but Dad is on the parish council for his village and there is a big meeting coming up as people want a site in the village but there is no available land, short of digging up the football pitch.

http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/whitchurch/news/2008/03/13/gardeners-in-allotments-plot-50020-20612273/

"Under the Allotment Act 1908, if there are more than six people who ask for a plot the town council has to look for land.
If the town council cannot provide a site, the responsibility is passed on to the district then the county councils.
They both have the power to compulsorily buy land if they can’t offer any of their own.
At Thursday’s meeting, Cllr Alan Chesters disputed the council’s obligation to provide allotments.  He believes the council only has to ‘consider’ providing a site.
But Cllr Leach insists the wording of the Allotment Act states the council ‘shall’ find a site."

Not definitive I'm afraid.  The situation was the same in my village but the vicar has made some church land available.  Maybe the council can contact your vicar?  Hunt on the Allotment Act 1908?

[Yorkie]

The legislation is the Smallholdings and Allotments Act 1908. Here's a link to it:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1908/pdf/ukpga_19080036_en.pdf

It's specifically section 23 onwards - you need 6 people on the electoral roll to write to your local parish council and request them to provide allotments.  Don't confuse a parish council with a church council, and not all areas have a parish council.

One note of caution - I wouldn't get your hopes up too high under this legislation - councils have competing claims on their time and resources, and if they don't have their own viable land which they can release, I can't see them buying land for you.

An alternative strategy might be to use the planning laws if a development is going through planning permission applications - the council can impose a s.106 condition on the developer that they must provide open spaces, or allotments etc. Perhaps worth exploring with the council?

If all else fails, do you know anyone with a big garden...?!

[lincspoacher]

in parishes over 10,000 people, they have to provide adequate numbers of allotments, which seems to equate to 20 allotments per 1000 people.

[digby]

Thanks for all your replies everyone, I think this is going to be a bit of a sticky meeting, because you can't just magic land out of thin air, act or no act.  Shame really as I'm sure allotments would be quickly forthcoming if there were land they are a proactive council.

[amberleaf]

It is surprising just how much land the council's own.

Before going further, you should get the 5 others who will sign a joint letter to the council saying that you all want an allotment and get these 5 active in the lobbying of their local council members.

That, I rather think, will be harder than getting the council to provide the land.

[vegmandan]

I don't envy anyone trying to get any council to help them out, be it parish or district.

I know this is a different subject but I have been trying to get the parish council to remove a 100 ft corsican pine which is 25 ft from my house.

They agreed to this but they apparently need the permission of the district council, but this isn't forthcoming.

So they asked for the land on which the tree is, to be taken over by the district council as they don't want the responsibility should it fall over and destroy my house.....they declined this too !!!

We've been to numerous meetings for the last 10 years with the complete backing of the parish council but still nothing.

So what's the point of a parish council ? absolutely powerless !!!.

So good luck to anyone who wants to be provided with an allotment that doesn't exist .....really really good luck.

[amberleaf]

Just a wicked thought

Place a preservation order on the tree.