By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 11:37, Monday, 29 October 2012

Allotment holders are being asked to take more responsibility for managing their sites – and that could mean paying extra.

Olwyn Luckley: Chairing the task-group into looking at how allotments are run

Carlisle City Council has abolished the post of allotment officer as part of its cash-saving transformation programme.

Now it wants to hand over responsibility for management to allotment associations or a voluntary body.

A task group of councillors, chaired by Liberal Democrat Olwyn Luckley, has been examining the issue, which is due to be considered by the ruling executive today.

A report to councillors sets out three options.

The council could continue to manage allotments with the allotment officer’s role being divided between members of the green-spaces team. Alternatively, allotment associations could manage their own sites or a new voluntary body could be set up to do the job across the city.

The council has 777 allotment plots at 67 sites.

Managing them will cost £41,300 this year, of which £26,500 is offset by rents leaving a shortfall of £14,800.

If the council gives up its management role, allotment associations or the new voluntary body would have to raise the £41,300 themselves.

But the report says: “They could use rent income to gain match funding [elsewhere] and would save money on site maintenance by carrying out the work themselves.

“They would also have access to their own equipment and machinery so work could be undertaken quickly.”

The associations would have to obtain insurance cover too.

The council has consulted tenants and allotment associations.

It says five associations have already taken on some management functions and that tenants “recognised there had to be a change” as there was no longer an allotment officer.

However, a “small minority” were “not as positive” about the proposals.

Allotments holders pay an annual rental, which increased from 21p to 22p per square metre in April.

They also pay an annual fee for water, which increased from £9.50 to £9.90.

First published at 11:21, Monday, 29 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk