Just wondering what folks opinions are of Allotment Committees.Our Committee was formed 4 years ago.At first we were glad as the Parish Council didn't care about the state of the plots as long as they got their rent & although there was a waiting list it seemed that you got one quicker depending on who you knew!
There are a couple of things that are annoying quite a few of us now. One is that they do monthly checks of the plots & have a word or send letters to people who's plots are getting out of control.This is good, apart from the fact that in the rules they say you have 14 days to improve or you get another letter, if you still don't clear it you get kicked off.The only trouble is they never kick anyone off. The second thing to annoy us is that they said they would only rent out plots to new people when they were cleared & ready to go which sounds great but they are the ones who are supposed to clear them & they can't keep their own plots tidy!
One of our 4 neighbours gave up in March & his plot should have just been given straight to the next person on the waiting list as it wasn't in too bad a state.But they insisted it needed clearing so the result is they have sprayed it off 3 times (which is great when we grow organically) & it's still empty, the result half a years rent lost & people still waiting for plots. Our 2nd neighbour gave up/was pushed also in March but his plot had never been worked so all he had was Fruit trees & Strawberries from the previous tenant & lots of thick grass which had grown through all the carpet the previous tenant put down.The Committee yet again sprayed it off twice,still didn't do any more to it & it too is sat dormant.Unbelievably when they did their walk round 3 wks ago I overheard them saying they had had quotes to get it cleared & so last week someone came & cleared it at the cost of £475!! We are livid they have wasted that money when it is through their lack of implementing the rules that has led to this. I appreciate they are volunteering but that is why I didn't volunteer as I know I couldn't commit enough time to it.
Sorry to have waffled on but any opinions?