News / allotments
‘The democratic sausage factory on display in all its full glory’
Following a lengthy discussion at City Hall, a decision on whether to increase allotment rents has still not been taken.
A meeting of the Public Health & Communities Policy Committee on Friday morning decided to defer consideration until the committee’s next meeting.
“We can’t just stop and wish the whole situation away as much as I would like to,” said committee chair, Stephen Williams, before his committee stopped and paused the whole situation until October.
is needed now More than ever
There was much exasperation among both councillors and members of the public during the meeting, with Lib Dem councillor Williams saying that “one of the risks of the committee system as opposed to the mayoral model was that the democratic sausage factory would be on display in all its full glory and I think we’ve got a good example of it here”.
Deputy committee chair, Labour’s Emily Clarke, went one step further saying that she was “really concerned”, brandishing proceedings “a bit of a constitutional crisis”.
“I don’t even really know the reason all of us sitting around here discussing this if we cannot change things?” asked Clarke, councillor for Bedminster.
The committee was told that rent for the most popular allotment size had only gone up £10 in the last ten years.
They were also reminded that 78 per cent of those who took part in what was called a “flawed” consultation process by a member of the public had been against rent rises.
Members did seem to unanimously agree, however, that more money needs to be found to support allotments.
Green councillor Fi Hance said that everybody agrees that allotments need to be better funded. “It is the manner of these increases that it is causing concern,” she said.
Bristol City Council director of growth & regeneration, Patsy Mellor, revealed the council’s annual income from allotments is £286,000 but that £364,000 is spent on them each year, with the parks department currently having to subsidise the allotment service.
Main photo: Rob Browne
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