We are working hard on finding ways to maximise the use of allotments and to expand community growing in the city’s parks and open spaces.
The current data we have on performance shows that we have a waiting list for allotments of 3,416 with just 363 vacant plots.
Brighton and Hove City Council owns and manages 2,831 plots and we currently let 87 per cent of our plots.
We aim to increase this to 90 per cent by next year but this still falls short of the national average of 92 per cent.
There are a number of ways we will look at improving the current performance. First, the utilisation of allotment land by expanding letting of vacant plots.
Previously, site reps faced problems in being able to contact potential new plot holders. Some of those reps became frustrated and gave up the role which is, after all, a voluntary one.
We believe that we have now overcome this and are currently training new and existing site reps to fulfil the role.
Secondly, the allotment rules will be applied more stringently to free up tenanted plots which are under-utilised.
Although the data tells us that 87 per cent of our plots are let, anyone who has direct contact with our sites knows this is not how it looks or feels.
This is because many plots are let but not used. There may be many reasons but the result is that plots are under-utilised while many people remain on the waiting list.
Thirdly, we are looking creatively at other areas of under-utilised land to free up these areas for community growing. This will include areas known as SLOAPS – sites left over after planning.
We have had a senior management team in place since March and are now recruiting a second full-time allotment officer to help ease the pressure on the allotment service and bring about the changes mentioned.
At the same time, we know there are a number of things working well and we will aim to enhance and replicate these across the city.
The Weald allotment site is a good example of a well-used site and community growing area with well managed community orchards, etc.
The Food Partnership leads on the demonstration gardens at Preston Park and helps with training and learning around growing.
We have a strong volunteer workforce and demand for allotments is high – and we now have a much-improved relationship with the Brighton and Hove Allotment Federation (BHAF).
We hope this will continue to grow and we are pleased to have them as a critical friend. After all, they are the ones who have a passion for allotments.
There are many other areas for improvement including better utilisation of available land and the facilitation of other growing opportunities, for example, community orchards. We are exploring unused sites across the city for community growing.
We believe we now have the team in place to make these improvements happen and it is a great pleasure to be part of the change that can and will improve the mental and physical wellbeing of so many in Brighton and Hove.
Councillors Mitchie Alexander and Alan Robins are members of the Brighton and Hove City Council cabinet.
A conversation I had recently on this topic included micro plots, half size and smaller plots that are easier to manage. It’d be interesting to see what the key reasons are for people giving up their plots are, because that’ll organically, pardon the pun, lead to where the solutions may be.
Not enough time? Shared plots.
Overwhelming amount of work? Micro plots.
Mobility issues? Keyhole gardens.
Few things for example. I feel, at a basic level, just having all the plots rented out is one milestone. Ensuring the allotments are able to be fully utilised is another.
As site rep for Craven Vale Allotments, I can say that things have definitely improved over the last year – although there is still much room for improvment. Having just 2 full-time maintenance guys to cover all the city’s sites is clearly insufficient, especially given the backlog of overgrown plots that have yet to be brought back into production after several years of neglect and trees that have been allowed to grow far too big and are now shading out many plots.
However, talking from personal experience, the Council were great at ensuring that ten priority plots were cleared for letting in a decent state on our site this month and the process for putting would-be tenants in touch with reps is now much quicker and smoother.
I just hope the planned-for 3 times a year plot inspections actually happen to speed up the process for terminating tenancies for those that are clearly not cultivating their plots sufficiently and freeing them up for the many people on the waiting lists that have the enthusiasm to manage them better.
Another initiative that the Council should be investing more time/money in is Mini Bed Schemes – our allotment society launched such a scheme in January this year, creating 11 beds that were quickly taken up by people downsizing (because they found their plots were becoming too much) and those on the waiting lists. They are especially good as ‘starter plots’ for people new to gardening and provide a good gauge of how much time is needed for managing a larger plot – many people completely underestimate the commitment needed to manage a half or full plot and get overwhelmed as a result. Having been on the waiting lists for so long, they are naturally reluctant to then give them up and keep paying for their tenancies well beyond the time they are using them – hence so many overgrown plots that have not had action taken against them. More people should start on Starter Beds in my opinion.
Half plots are already available to new tenants. Perhaps more information on approximate amount of time needed to maintain a plot before people sign on the dotted line to improve the utilisation – where I am there are so many with a tiny amount of crop in them and the rest slowly getting overgrown.
Definitely, some education sessions around growing and allotment management would be a nice way to introduce people to the hobby as well if they’ve never done it before.
I have a plot at the old water works there are many plots vacant and many not maintained by plot holders