Agenda item

Allotment provision

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

 

Report of the Head of Community Engagement

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Head of Community Engagement regarding the current provision for allotments in the district.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1:Maintain the status quo i.e support self management of allotments, continue with the existing capital upgrade programme, support local community led initiatives for additional allotment sites

Option 2:Maintain the status quo but use Planning Policy and guidance as the means to which additional allotment development sites can be identified

Advantages

·                     No additional cost.

·                     Still allocates minimal resources to support self management of allotment sites

·                     Help achieve more of the PPG17 recommended actions.

·                     Improved resources for the community.

Disadvantages

·                    Demand for allotment sites cannot be met.

·                    The Council will not be fulfilling all of the PPG17 recommended actions.

·                    Costs to the Council of in terms of officer resources and potential liabilities re the tenancy issues at Scotforth allotments

·                    Will divert planning officers away from other tasks.

 

No resources available to develop identified sites

Risks

The limited resources available to the council, is at times having difficulty maintaining the status quo.

Increased expectations that the demand for allotment sites can be met

 

 

 

Option 2 was the officer preferred option -–it recommended that Planning policy be the vehicle by which allocations should be made and supported and recommended that development of new sites be community led and supported by the Council as and when they arrive. This option also recognised the limitations in terms of resources that the Council currently had in taking any further work forward.

 

Currently demand for allotments far outstripped supply and this trend was likely to continue. There was a need to consider whether, in the current financial climate, the establishment of new allotments was affordable and a priority. There would be significant resource implications connected with attempting to meet the current demand for allotments.

 

Councillor Barry proposed, seconded by Councillor Hamilton-Cox:-

 

“(1)      That Cabinet note the current position regarding the provision of allotments in the district.

 

(2)        That officers continue to work with Lancashire County Council to support the proposed ‘Greenfingers’ project at Heysham.

 

(3)        That Cabinet supports extension of the allotment site at Scotforth and agrees that the land is designated in the Local Development Framework for allotment use.  Cabinet asks officers to sort out details of the agricultural tenancy and how the extended site will be managed.  Cabinet asks that a potential growth item of £60K is earmarked for possible inclusion in the 2012/13 capital programme.  Cabinet also asks that officers work with the Scotforth Allotment Association in order to raise the money through funding bids independent of the council.

 

(4)        That the Regeneration and Policy Service use the opportunities in the preparation of the Local Development Framework land allocations document to identify and subsequently protect sites for new allotments to be created.

 

(5)        The Regeneration and Policy Service prepare a short piece of supplementary planning guidance on the criteria to be met to obtain planning permission for allotments proposed on unallocated land.

 

(6)        That officers consider ways in which allotment provision can be included in major new developments as part of the planning process.”

 

Cabinet Members then voted on each recommendation as follows:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)        That Cabinet note the current position regarding the provision of allotments in the district.

 

(2)        That officers continue to work with Lancashire County Council to support the proposed ‘Greenfingers’ project at Heysham.

 

Resolved:

 

(5 Members (Councillors Barry, Bryning, Hamilton-Cox, Sands and Smith) voted in favour, 2 Members (Councillors Blamire and Hanson) voted against

 

(3)        That Cabinet supports extension of the allotment site at Scotforth and agrees that the land is designated in the Local Development Framework for allotment use.  Cabinet asks officers to sort out details of the agricultural tenancy and how the extended site will be managed.  Cabinet asks that a potential growth item of £60K is earmarked for possible inclusion in the 2012/13 capital programme.  Cabinet also asks that officers work with the Scotforth Allotment Association in order to raise the money through funding bids independent of the council.

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(4)        That the Regeneration and Policy Service use the opportunities in the preparation of the Local Development Framework land allocations document to identify and subsequently protect sites for new allotments to be created.

 

(5)        The Regeneration and Policy Service prepare a short piece of supplementary planning guidance on the criteria to be met to obtain planning permission for allotments proposed on unallocated land.

 

(6)        That officers consider ways in which allotment provision can be included in major new developments as part of the planning process.

 

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Head of Community Engagement

Head of Regeneration and Policy

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision recognises the importance of allotments not just because the city council has a statutory duty to provide them but because it considers them to be a valued community resource.  In addition the decision supports the concept of partnership working through the existing self-management arrangements.  

 

 

Supporting documents: