Allotments said to be ‘gated communities’ as price rises approved

A cabinet member has been criticised by allotmenteers for saying that allotments are akin to “gated communities” and that increased rent charges for plots are “the price of a coffee a week”.

Ellie King was speaking in a cabinet meeting where the increased charges were approved.

Allotmenteers held a protest outside City Hall before the meeting on Tuesday, which also saw many statements and questions from the public gallery.

King, cabinet member for public health & communities, said: “Bristol is a leading city in terms of our approach to sustainable food growing and food equality.

“Everyone recognises the importance of a thriving network of accessible places for local people to grow healthy and sustainable food.”

She said that the council’s “key focus” is to “expand opportunities for collective and community food growing”, adding that the ranges of rent increases will be introduced incrementally with the number of discounts expanded.

Allotmenteers made their way into City Hall after protesting outside – photo: Rob Browne

From the public gallery, comments included that the allotment rent increases are “unacceptable”, “punitive” and “unfair”, with “completely illogical”, “completely random” and “completely bonkers” figures.

King responded to one question: “What does fairness look like? It’s not just fairness towards allotment tenants that we need to think about. I don’t have the privilege of only thinking about that.

“I have to also think about fairness to the council, fairness to the staff who work in the allotments team and also fairness to the rest of Bristol.

“Because what is happening right now is that parks subsidises – as you all know – the allotments services to a significant amount.

“And where that shortfall is met by the parks service, that means something isn’t delivered in our parks services.

“Our parks services are open to all. They are open to every resident in the city and we have an obligation to make sure that those people, who are our tax payers as well, are catered for.

“And I don’t have the luxury of just catering for what is a gated community. As much as I appreciate and care about what allotmenteers do.”

‘Allotments are for everybody’ says this billboard in St Werburgh’s – photo: Ursula Billington

King added that the city council has looked at comparable local authorities for what they charged for allotments and also their future plans.

“When you say between a small percentage to hundreds and hundreds of percent, in reality a lot of these are the price of a coffee a week.

“These aren’t, these shouldn’t be the barriers that you’re suggesting they are.”

In response to murmurings from the public gallery after King had said this, mayor Marvin Rees said: “If we want to shout out, we’ll just stop and we’ll use up the 15 minutes (of allocated time).

“I think the point I’ll make is if we want to enter into a discussion… throwing words around like ‘unhinged’… is just not true.

“They are attached to a thought process. It may have produced a conclusion that you don’t like but they are attached to a process and to suggest they’re not doesn’t help us in moving forward the argument.

“As Ellie said, the point of fairness is about a finite council budget in a city of increasing need.”

Main photo: Rob Browne

Read next:

• Allotmenteers march through Bristol
• ‘Increased allotment costs will hit many deprived areas of the city’
• ‘Allotments are rooted in the struggles of the working classes’