Chalkhill Allotment Open Day Friday April 14th 14.00-16.30 - come and see our transformed green space

 

Advice on allotment gardening during Covid-19 restrictions

From the National Allotment Society

Following the instructions around movement and gatherings from the Prime Minister on 23 March 2020, we are consulting with central government but as we understand the situation at the moment it is still permitted to visit your plot, ideally on your own to take daily exercise. It is vitally important that you follow all the advice about social distancing and hygiene in the points below and not gather together on site.

Any plot-holder who is self isolating because a household member is ill with corona-virus should not be visiting the site.

Associations should display an advice notice on their boards. It is important that anyone attending the allotment takes care to stay the appropriate distance from others, avoid body contact and wash hands at taps, do not wash hands or use detergents in the water tanks and please pay attention to notice boards.

It is essential that no un-authorised people are allowed onto the plots for the duration of this emergency, if you do wish to bring someone to assist with work on the plot, please ensure that that this is notified either to Secretary or Site Manager.  Careful consideration should be given to introducing anyone over 70, those with underlying illness or pregnant women.

We are living through a crisis, the likes of which none of us has experienced before, not since war time has the community spirit that exists on allotment sites been more important.  Please remember to look out for one another during these very difficult times.

Members should take the following precautionary measures :

• Keep hand sanitiser in your shed and wash your hands regularly
• Use hand sanitiser before opening and closing any gate locks
• Observe “Social Distancing” with each other 2-3 metres
• Do not share tools
• Minimise the contact with each other for example no handshakes
• Do not wash your hands in water troughs
• We recommend that all communal facilities are closed
• Click here for guidance if you do need to clean an area that has been visited by an infected person.

• Plan ahead to ensure that you have food and medication delivered to you during this time
• Stay away from vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as much as possible
• If you display any symptoms of coronavirus stay at home and self-isolate for at least 14 days or until symptoms have passed.

Farm Terrace Allotment Campaign 'disappointed' by National Allotment Society's press statement on their case

From Farm Terrace Campaign LINK

We are extremely disappointed by the National Allotment Society 's recent press release regarding the result of our Judicial Review regarding the deregulation of Farm Terrace.

The press release stated:

Although the decision itself went against Farm Terrace there are many useful comments within the Judgment that the National Society can rely on to protect allotment sites in the future. Within this judgment we now have a legal definition for ‘exceptional’. This judgment has also confirmed that the underlying purpose of the Allotments Act 1925 is to control the disposal of allotment land and that the guidance affords greater safeguards against the appropriation of land because of the value placed on allotments by the Secretary of State.

Unfortunately, we do not agree that there is now a legal definition for 'exceptional' circumstances' and we do not believe that the guidance affords greater safeguards against the appropriation of allotment land because of the value placed on allotments by the Secretary of State. In fact we think it increasingly weakens the law regarding it.

It is saddening that although the National Allotment Society supported our case they have not been in contact with us since the ruling to discuss how we could work together in the future. In addition the statement makes no reference to the continued threat that urban allotments are under from property development.

We are also aware of a recent freedom of information request that has asked in those cases where the government deregulated under exceptional circumstances if the local authority made a case for an exception.

This is important as this is referenced in The National Allotment Society's statement and if the local authority hadn't made a case for exceptional circumstances the deregulation decision could have been made on unsafe grounds.

A perfect late autumn day on the allotment

Sunset over Birchen Grove allotments (St Andrew's Church and the Stadium Arch on the horizon)

It was a perfect late autumn day down at Birchen Grove allotments today and I made the most of it.  It was pretty amazing to be entering the second week of December and still able to harvest the last aubergine and chillies as well as the more seasonal parsnips and broccoli.

Even the couch grass was cooperative, slipping easily out of the soil with just a slight jerk of the garden fork. Often the London clay is much harder to work at this time of the year and it was satisfying to get a lot done before it adopts its usual heavy, gloopy, saturated, winter state.

However, allotment holders should know that Brent Council is expecting plots to be dug over between now and March. The regulations on non-cultivation have been changed and the Council now expects 75% of each allotment to be dug over or have crops on by March 2014. In fact they will inspecting allotments before March to see if progress towards the 75% target has been made with the possibility of issuing Non-Cultivation Orders, and the potential ending of the tenancy, if progress has not been made. Anyone who cannot comply because of personal circumstances should contact the Council.

The change reflects both the large number of people on the allotment waiting list and the difficulty some people have in finding time to cultivate their allotment in these times of long working hours or several part-time jobs.

Increasing number of allotment holders are sowing over-wintering 'green manure' which is dug in just before the plant flowers and I assume council officers will count that as cultivation - digging in may well take place after March depending on which green manure is used.

Hard work and imagination could produce a mini food growing revolution in Brent

Spring watering on my Birchen Grove allotment

 Over 90% of respondents agreed with the vision and main objectives of Brent Council's draft allotments and food growing strategy according to a report going before the Executive on August 20th. LINK

More than 500 alloment holders and people on the waiting list responded and there was a meeting attended by 430 people.

The main messages of the consultation were:

• That the tenancy agreement is no longer fit for purpose and needs to be reviewed and reissued to allotment plot holder and the role of Site Representatives and the election process require review

• Consideration should be given to giving waiting list preference to Brent residents over non-residents

• Larger plots should be reduced in size upon vacancy to increase the number of plots available and reduce waiting list times.

• The fees and charges structure should be reviewed with consideration given to the introduction of differential pricing for residents and non-residents and the revision of concession rates to include an element of means testing.

• Options should be explored with regard to extending the number of self-managed allotment sites.

• Work needs to be undertaken on increasing engagement from under represented sections of the community as identified in the Equalities Impact Assessment.

• There is huge scope for increased partnership working and the promotion of the wider benefits of food growing to schools, social housing, health providers and arts organisations to raise awareness, increase capacity and establish a network of advocates.

• Although options for new permanent allotment sites are currently limited, there will be significant opportunities for the provision of temporary food growing sites, particularly in the Wembley and South Kilburn areas as part of regeneration projects.

• Ward working funding may be available for allotment sites and food growing projects and there is potential for closer collaboration between the council and independent food growing schemes to build on the work of the Brent Sustainability Forum.

• Future potential for the provision of raised bed schemes in parks and open spaces should be explored in appropriate areas which are identified as currently having an inadequate number of allotment sites and alternative food spaces.

• Stronger emphasis should be placed on the benefits of organic gardening, sustainable food supplies, land use and biodiversity as outlined in the council’s Green Charter.

There is much to be welcomed here and with a little imagination and hard work we should see benefits quite quickly.  

One immediate action should be to speed up the reallocation of unworked plots - there are a considerable number at Birchen Grove which are covered in grass and brambles and are harder to reclaim and cultivate the longer they are left.