Page 44 - ALG Issue 3 2016

General
Gloucestershire Forum
On 28th April 2016, Allotment Of cers from the Southern and South West regions met up at Gloucester Council of ces for an allotments forum. This was facilitated by Di Appleyard, Allan Cavill (South West Mentor) and Jenny Crawford (Southern Regional Representative). These events give the of cers a valuable opportunity to network and support one another.
An agenda was set on the day based on suggestions from delegates prior to the meeting and others identi ed on the day. After lunch the group visited Saintbridge allotments, a large site where,
in partnership with the Council, the Association have taken on responsibility for regeneration and development of the site. All the of cers were very impressed with what they saw and the enthusiasm of the team of plot holders who welcomed them to the site.
During the morning, the of cers discussed issues that will be facing allotment authorities across the country, although despite these events running for many years, there is always a new issue! This time it was the issue of wood-burning stoves in sheds.
Allotment waiting list lengths varied for the delegates; some had long lists whilst others were experiencing a dip in demand and
were looking for complementary alternative uses for allotment land. Of cers present had a variety of ideas for uses of allotment land, from renting as potato grounds to gardening on prescription. There was a common view that ancillary use of land was ne as it provides an income, raises awareness, educates and supports vulnerable groups. The NAS has a policy document on this issue that can be found in the ‘Downloads and Resources’ section of the website.
Large non-productive trees and shrubs planted on plots can cause problems for subsequent plot holders and be expensive to remove. The of cers also discussed organic growing – these plots should
The issue of waste disposal led to a lengthy
discussion; recycling is laudable but can lead
to hoarding and costs for the council when the
plot is vacated; also carpets are a nightmare to
remove and even expensive carpets leach toxic
dyes in to the soil. Skips were no longer routinely
provided but some councils provided them
occasionally. Very few of the councils present
clear vacant plots for new tenants; people taking
on very bad plots may be offered advice or a rent free period.
Managing non-cultivation is a large part of an of cer’s job and it was acknowledged that compassion is needed when dealing with plot holders who cannot reach acceptable cultivation standards but whose plot is a vital part in their recovery to full mental health, although this can be hard to justify to other plot holders.
look no different to a plot managed in a more traditional way but it was felt that more education was needed about organic growing and appropriate wildlife friendly measures. Education about vegetable growing in general was seen as an issue and although experienced plot holders are a useful source of information, advice needs to be given in a suitable manner.
The next Forums will be in Wotton under Edge on 20th September and Wokingham on 12th October. If you are
a parish clerk or elected of cial who manages allotments in your
council area and would like to attend, please email diane@nsalg.org. uk to be put on the invitation list.
Education about vegetable growing in general was seen as an issue...
44