9:58am Thursday 9th September 2010
Exclusive By Simon Carr
ALLOTMENT rents are set to shoot up by more than 50 percent in a Hampshire borough, the Daily Echo can reveal.
Council bosses in Eastleigh want to up the charge for a standard plot from £25 to £40 a year.
Rebel councillors have described the move as an “attack” on allotment holders.
To try and cut costs the Borough Council is also palming off some of its allotments to parish councils who will then decide what rent to impose.
Bishopstoke Parish Council agreed to take on allotments in April this year, while Chandler’s Ford and Allbrook are set to follow suit.
As well as boosting income per plot holder the council claims it will make vast savings in utility bills and maintenance.
In the last tax year, allotments generated £12,700 in income but cost £28,574 in maintenance and utilities.
A report to the Cabinet says there is little risk as it considers the increase small and there is a high demand for allotments with 343 people on the council waiting list – it is understood this equates to a seven-year wait.
However, the risk assessment goes on to warn there is “some potential for negative publicity.”
Eastleigh Borough Council was unable to confirm how much the allotment shake-up would boost the public purse.
This decision is expected to be approved by the Lib Dem cabinet this evening.
Conservative leader, Godfrey Olson said: “The council wants to make everything pay for itself but I don’t think allotments should be included in this.
“We have had a big drive in encouraging people to get involved in this as a healthy activity, a chance to grow organic food and a way of cutting down on their grocery bills.
“I don’t know why the council are attacking it, it is a large increase for holders that generates very little for the council.”
He added: “I find this massive increase particularly worrying after parking, cemetery and leisure charges have all gone up.”
This is not the first controversy involving allotments in Eastleigh, after protesters lost a seven-year battle to prevent house-building on plots at Woodside.
The council plans to maintain its 50 per cent discount for people over 60 when the rent goes up on October 1.
The last price increase was in 2008 when the standard plot cost £20, and after tonight’s decision, the next review will be in 2012.
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