1. THE VALUE, QUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF ALLOTMENTS
1.1 Value
The contribution of Allotments to local communities is in
need of urgent revaluation for the 21st Century in terms of:
1.1.2 Recreation/Population 2000+/Work Patterns
Allotment gardening as an all the year round active outdoor
recreation, it is one of the few local facilities available at
reasonable cost to this age group who are long past competitive
sports for which there is an extensive network of recreational
facilities provided and maintained by Councils.
Sixty-five per cent of Allotment gardeners are over 50 years
of age and 35 per cent are 65+ of these 16 per cent are female.
Population 2000+
Projections are that 50+ age groups will increase in the
early part of the century.
Work Patterns
Work patterns are likely to increase with more part time
employment, employment breaks and earlier retirements all of which
increase leisure time.
1.1.3 Health
The Health Education Council has a national campaign to promote
regular exercise of short duration at medium exertion levels for
50+ age groups.
The Council maintains that exercise practiced in this way
reduces the risk of strokes and coronary heart disease, helps
control blood pressure, reduces anxiety and stress, helps maintain
strong muscles and flexible joints, helps non-insulin dependent
diabetics.
The recommended forms of exercise are walking, gardening, cycling
and swimming
Allotment gardening offers this opportunity at the individuals
discretion in terms of duration times and levels of exertion seven
days per week, 365 days per year during the hours of daylight.
Additionally it offers fresh air and fresh food for a healthy
diet another of the Health Council's strong recommendations.
1.1.4 Environment
The Allotment Site is a closed open space and the natural
habitat of birds, butterflies, insects, hedgehogs, frogs and toads.
Recycling has long been a feature of allotment gardening practice
using a variety of waste materials for composting and other uses.
An increasing number of allotment gardeners are moving towards
organic principles of not using chemical fertilisers, pesticides
or fungicides. In the 1993 Survey of Allotment Holders views carried
out by Professor Peter Saunders of Sussex University, 50 per cent
never used weed killers and most who do, only on paths and fringe
areas. Forty-two per cent never use fungicides and only one in
five use fungicides and insecticides preventively.
Many allotment holders are taking their skills into local
Agenda 21 activities concerning the environment.
1.1.5 Fresh Food
The Survey mentioned above asked respondents what were their
original motives for applying for an allotment. 75 per cent mentioned
that they "wanted fresh food". In responding to types
of food grown it is not surprising 80 per cent grow root vegetables,
greens and salad stuff, 68 per cent now grow soft fruit and 46
per cent flowers. Twenty-three per cent grow exotic produce which
included not only asparagus and artichokes but some produce from
other countries not available in shops.
1.1.6 Special Needs
There are an increasing number of special allotment layouts
usually as part of an existing allotment site to cater for gardeners
with special needs who may garden for themselves making the most
of a February-October growing season.
The London Borough of Sutton after extensive research of
needs, have developed a model site which much influenced an area
on the new Runnymede site.
An increasing use of this type of special needs facility
is being made by day centres on a group basis with considerable
success.
1.1.7 Ethnic Mix
Many immigrants to England originate from countries where
there is a strong tradition of home produce cultivation and they
can be seen on many allotment sites in areas as wide spread as
Greenwich, Manchester and Halifax. The plot opportunity and a
common interest in produce gardening seems to make for peaceable
and harmonious recreation on their own plots.
1.2 QUALITY
1.2.1 Quality in terms of suitability for spade cultivation,
satisfaction with plot size appears to be generally acceptable.
1.2.2 Quality in terms of levels of plot holder satisfaction
and dissatisfaction on a national scale has very wide variations
involving complex variables.
1.2.3 Highest levels of satisfaction are more likely on sites
with;
(a) good facilities, i.e., fences, good security, water,
roads, toilets, distribution hut, car parking, rubbish bins;
(b) little theft of equipment and produce;
(c) an absence of regular vandalism;
(d) where constraining regulations are minimal.
1.2.4 Larger sites generally enjoy more facilities than smaller
sites.
1.2.5 Extracts from findings 1993 National Sample Survey
by Professor Saunders of Sussex University:
(6.1) Satisfaction was lowest among those on sites with
fewest facilities, among those who found regulations irksome,
and among those who suffered most from theft and vandalism.
Nearly nine out of 10 were happy with the size of their
plot.
(6.4) Nearly two-thirds have had produce stolen over
half had their plot vandalised and more than 40 per cent have
had equipment stolen.
(6.5) More than half respondents made suggestions for
improvements. The most common were for better water supply, better
fencing and security, provision of toilets and improvements to
paths, roads and site access.
1.2.6 A major factor affecting quality is that 20 years of
financial constraint of Local Authority funding has adversely
affected regular maintenance and improvements to allotment sites
which has promoted an atmosphere on the plot of;
Low expectations, an enduring sense of fatalism about
things getting any better and perhaps a lack of concern by gardeners
about the site beyond their own plot.
Note:
Notwithstanding 2.6 above some Councils have achieved substantial
improvements and forged highly successful partnerships through
delegated management agreements with voluntary site societies
and/or federations achieving significant in house administrative
cost reductions, by delegating lettings, rent collection, minor
repairs, in site cultivation control, in site maintenance, terminations
and water management. Practice various as to how much rent is
retained by the society to carry out the above responsibilities
and maximum rent levels are controlled.
1.3 AFFORDABILITY
Affordability in terms of rents charged is very difficult
to comment on meaningfully. Levels vary dramatically throughout
the country.
Many Councils increase rents on a regular basis, annually
or biannually in line with other fees and charges and while there
are inevitable grumbles the system works well with more acceptance
where facilities are good and site maintenance regular, whether
done by the council or delegated management.
Other Councils have had long moratoriums on rents and any
increases that attempt catching up brings forward strong protests
especially where facilities are few. Large increases are likely
to trigger withdrawals by low income gardeners.
A substantial number of Councils acknowledge that many older
allotment holders are pensioners, while others with various disadvantages
rely on benefits as their main source of income. Concessionary
rents are often available in these cases.
Most allotment gardeners appear to afford the local rent
level and generally spend more on seeds and fertilisers than on
rent. While it may be argued that harvested produce saves income,
inclement weather, health, thefts, and vandalism have to be taken
into any equation.
2. THE EXTENT OF INTEREST IN ALLOTMENT CULTIVATION
The region has no quantative information on this and have
not specifically examined it. However our impressions are:
— there has been in recent years a perceptible
increase in those taking on new allotments and continuing after
year 1;
— women gardeners working plots alone has increased;
— many family groups, parents and children are
no visible;
— most sites reflect a changed current or pre
retirement occupational structure with an increasing number of
managerial, junior professional, non-manual, and clerical occupations;
— there is a substantial increase by those interested
in organic growing;
— the development of appropriate facilities for
special needs groups either by individuals or day centres;
— many Councils have produced promotional literature/leaflets
to inform about the availability of, allotments to rent, their
location, usually with a map, and whom to contact for more information.
3. THE EFFICIENT USE OF ALLOTMENT LAND
3.1 Our view is firmly that public land used as allotments
is an effective and necessary use of land as a healthy outdoor
recreation for all ages but particularly 35+ age groups the majority
of whom do not engage in competitive sports or recreations.
3.2 Council's especially District Councils who are Housing
Authorities have other priorities either for an alternative use
or a capital receipt to fund other projects.
3.3 Within the South East it is the Committee's policy to
encourage societies to listen to Council proposals for rationalisation
and assess them in terms of both current and latent demand, taking
into account fluctuations over time. Co-operation is advised where
proposals incorporated upgrading existing provision with better
facilities including any backlog on site maintenance.
3.4 The usual reason given for rationalisation is fall in
demand, substantial numbers of vacant plots and in some cases
vandalism. Council's letting records are not available as public
information and it is often felt that rundown can be allowed to
happen through non-letting. Once a site has a large number of
vacant plots in a patchwork scattered over the site, through lack
of maintenance they become a severe weed and pest haven nuisance
to other allotment holders. Not infrequently a chain of alienation
is set in motion which can result in more vacancies.
