Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member Sustainability

The Cabinet Member Sustainability introduced the report which updated Members on current levels of allotment demand in Cheltenham. He made an amendment to the second resolution which would now have “eg. through the planning process” in brackets.

The Cabinet Member explained that this was an interim report and a comprehensive review of allotments would take place in 2015. However, he reported that the demand situation had changed since 2010 with demand now stabilising. There were still 300 people on waiting lists and these were located mostly in the south of the town, with only 55 in the north of the town. Provision of allotments was therefore focussed on the south of the town although the only scope to create allotments in the south was through section 106 development agreements. He reported that a unique opportunity had arisen which had been consulted upon at Priors Farm with the provision of 40 new plots. Demand was fairly self-contained in that area and the adjacent development was subject to a deferred planning application. In addition there was a willingness from some on the waiting list from the Asquith Road site to transfer to Priors Farm. Provision of plots at Priors Farm would also solve the problem of the opposition to developing allotments onto the Elmfield Playing Field as part of the development plans for the Midwinter area.

The Leader then invited Councillor Regan, who had been Chair of the Scrutiny Task Group on allotments to address Cabinet.  She thanked officers who had been involved in making progress on the scrutiny recommendations. She asked the Cabinet Member Sustainability how Up Hatherley and Warden Hill Parish Councils were expected to provide allotments when there was no land available, with the only possibility being the Leckhampton White Land. In response, the Leader reaffirmed that in terms of the provision of allotments, the Borough was legally not able to provide them in parished areas. The Cabinet Member Sustainability recognised the problems the parishes had in the south of the town and explained that officers were referring people to non-statutory private allotments in that area. He said that in the future it may be possible to offer allotments on a non statutory basis to those in parished areas.

Councillor Regan also said that residents were continuing to question why, when they were paying both council tax for the Borough and for the Parish, they were not entitled to a Borough Council allotment. In response, the Leader of the Council said that this issue had been discussed with the C5 parish group. He explained that historically, relatively small costs had not been passed to the parish councils and CBC had taken the decision this year not to pass on to parish councils the cut in the Local Council Tax Support Grant. The review of the situation could reveal parish councils owed more money to CBC for some services. Both parties had therefore mutually agreed there would be no advantage to undertaking a review.

Finally, Councillor Regan suggested that each ward councillor should accompany the allotment officer on a visit to the allotment in their ward on an annual basis. The Cabinet Member Sustainability said that this would be possible and also referred to the regular meetings the Allotments Officer held with wardens. In response to a question posed by Councillor Regan on the proposed plots at Priors Farm he confirmed that these would be open to all those on the waiting list in non parished areas.

RESOLVED THAT :

1. recent changes in allotment demand and the legacy of several years of very high demand, particularly in the south of the Borough be noted
2. it be approved that the authority should continue to explore opportunities for new allotments in the south of the Borough (e.g. through the planning process)
3. the authority continuing to explore the possibility of providing statutory allotments at Priors Farm instead of Elmfield Playing Field as soon as land is available for this purpose, with a view to subsequent development of about 40 plots be approved
4. the authority continuing to work with the Parish Councils to consider arrangements and procedures for allotment applicants from parish areas where there is no current allotment provision in parished areas be approved
5. thevirement of £50,000 from the original £600,000 allocation from proceeds of sale of Midwinter land to fund postponed site improvements at Midwinter allotment site be approved.