A Director from the National Allotment Society has urged the Parish Council to clarify exactly what they are trying to do with the Heyes Lane allotment site.
Following the public participation slot, Dave Morris, North West Director of the Allotment Society, addressed the Parish Council meeting on Monday, 11th March.
Mr Morris said "I attended a meeting of the Parish Council in November 2011, and the feeling that came out of that meeting was the need to inform, consult with, advise exactly what proposals there were. That was the strong feeling I got leaving the meeting - from the council we haven't been good, there have been rumours and counter rumours and we need to present a fuller plan of what we intend to do.
"There has been an awful lot of heat since then but not a great deal of light and that still appears to be the position.
"I don't know whether it is clear what your plans are for Heyes Lane, what it is to be used for. I have seen things at Cheshire East Council which says the crucial thing is the decamping of the garage, then that disappears. Then its going to be a grass crete car park.
"All I'm saying is that really I think you need to be clear as to what it is you are trying to do and tell people and inform them."
Mr Morris continued "I did come across a quote on alderleyedge.com where it said, 'the Parish Council has the power to provide allotments', this is from a councillor, 'but they don't have to provide them' - that's not true and I wouldn't like councillors to go away thinking that it is the case. There is a statutory duty, the council if it is aware of a demand for allotments, to provide sufficient allotments to meet that demand - it is a statutory duty.
"It is not at the whim or not so I just wanted to correct that."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
The current 1908 law (the Coalition seek to abolish this law) is that if 6 people who are ratepayers ask for allotment space, then there is a statutory duty to provide allotments.
I interpret that to mean that if 6 Alderley Edge rate paying people came and asked for Allotments then the Parish Council would have the Statutory Duty to provide them. I do not believe that there is a Statutory Duty on Alderley Edge Parish Council to provide Allotments for people who are ratepayers in other areas, for example, the Wilmslow taxpayers have a right to ask Wilmslow Town Council to provide Allotments, but they do not have the RIGHT to ask AEPC.
On Monday 11 March, the Parish Council passed a resolution which said that they will ask DCLG to transfer Heyes Lane Allotments to a new Statutory site on Lydiat Lane. This would also accommodate the 29 Waiting List (all AE ratepayers), so a bullet missed 'cos we have been ahead of the game. It would also mean that every existing Tenant on Beech Close or Chorley Hall Lane, even those who are not AEPC ratepayers, would remain where they are.
The Resolutions which we passed last night said, and mean, that we have the power to provide Allotments but we don't have to do so. At least not for everyone. The Resolutions said that if the opportunity to take on Lydiat Lane is lost, then the Parish Council COULD limit the number of Allotments per household and COULD exclude non Alderley Edge taxpayers.
Perhaps it is time for AEAGS to speak to the Parish Council and find a way forward which protects all of their existing members.
You (the PC) don't want to anyone to speak at the PC meetings so why would anyone believe you want any meaningful dialog with the allotment society?
Oh and by the way even if the transfer goes ahead and is signed and solicitors make their phone calls etc it still does not mean you manage the allotments. There is a process for the transfer of management as well...
The Parish Council has a 20 minute Public Speaking time at each Monthly Parish meeting. My understanding was that 6 members walked out of recent Allotment meetings because they were not allowed to speak.
I am not sure of the validity of your last paragraph. I do know that there is an urgent injustice to be remedied, and that cannot be allowed to continue. Now that the public understand the statutory duty which AEAGS have neglected, AEAGS will have to act to rectify their past failures. I have said elsewhere, AEAGS does not have the right to operate a fiefdom, to the detriment of the waiting list.
Thank you for your reply. I as allotment holder and former waiting list person can express my frustration with Cheshire east's administration of the waiting list. I was at some point a plot holder and on the waiting list for nearly 2 years dispite my calling Cheshire east and emailing them to tell them them this! Also the AEAGS also told them this and I was still on the waiting list!
I'm hoping that the parish council and the AEAGS can get together soon to discuss the future of all allotment sites. It's clear that we cannot go further until a proper dialogue is started.