Decision status: For Determination
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report which gave an update on a recent consultation with allotment holders within Reading, set out next steps and proposals for the future management of allotment sites.
The report explained that the Council was undertaking a review of the current allotment management and charging model in order to achieve an agreed budget saving to support the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). However, the Council was conscious that significant rent increases might impact badly on some tenants who relied on the food that they grew on their plots and for whose physical and mental wellbeing allotments gardening was important, and had therefore been considering ways to reduce costs without further significant increases to those managing an allotment.
The report explained that over the past few years, the Council had been approached by allotments tenants looking for more say in the management of sites, faster turn-around times in letting vacant plots, and different ways of delivering a range of allotments services. A consultation with all tenants had been undertaken between 17 August 2020 and 17 September 2020 to gauge tenants’ interest in and ability to form site associations that could take on aspects of self-management, specifically including site management, some grounds maintenance and waste management. A total of 452 responses or contacts had been received.
Section 6 of the report set out proposals for the next steps which included:
Resolved:
(1) That the report and the findings of the consultation of tenants be noted;
(2) That the next steps as shown in Section 6 of the report be noted;
(3) That an updated Allotments Plan be created, be subject to public consultation and be reported for approval to a future meeting of the Committee;
(4) That an annual Allotment Plan progress report be submitted to the Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure Committee at its Autumn meeting in 2021.
Publication date: 09/01/2024
Date of decision: 15/12/2020
Decided at meeting: 15/12/2020 - Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure Committee
Accompanying Documents: