Issue - meetings

(Report of the Director of Adult, Culture and Community Services) To provide the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with an implementation update on Executive recommendations resulting from the 2005/6 Scrutiny Review on Allotments.

John Morris (Assistant Director - Recreation Services) and Alex Fraser (Arboricultural Officer) presented the report. 

In response to the Committee’s suggestion that unused land should be turned into allotments the Assistant Director – Recreation Services highlighted the difficulties with land ownership and land classification.

Committee members asked about the on-going issue regarding Thames Water potentially selling a site at Fortis Green that the site association (set up by local residents) objected to.  The Assistant Director – Recreation Services explained Thames Water had withdrawn from selling the site at auction and negotiations would take place about possibility of the site association purchasing the land.  Council officers and Councillor Canver, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Safer Communities, were working closely with the residents’ association to plan recreational use of the site.

The Committee asked if young people were being encouraged to grow food and were informed that some allotments sites worked with local schools independently and the Children’s Services department ran an environment education programme which some allotment schemes were involved with.

Councillor Santry who attended the meeting expressed concerns that a number of plots in the White Hart Lane Ward were underused and not managed and that this was a waste of resources. The Assistant Director – Recreation Services informed members that these plots would be let in the next 6 months.  A role had been created by the Allotments Forum for a Site Associations Secretary (a role not funded by the Council) who would be responsible for managing allotment tenancies, site inspections and follow-up duties.  The Council provided allotment sites with grants of between £100 and £700 towards basic repairs  and there were other organisations which provided some support for allotments.

The Committee noted that the letting of derelict plots and security was problematic although the problem had improved in recent years with the Arboricultural Officer being in post.   The Assistant Director of Recreational Services explained that bids for funding to improve sites were made, although not always successful, and some discussions with stakeholders had occurred regarding site rent increases.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.