Agenda item

The Committee RESOLVED (6 members voting in favour, with 3 abstentions):

To defer the report and that discussions take place between the Chair and the committee’s party group leads with a view to agreeing a revised proposal to be brought back to the committee at its 11 October 2024 meeting.

The Committee considered a report (agenda item 8) seeking approval for:

- new allotment rents and water service charges to be implemented from September 2025.

- progressing a stakeholder engagement process to review the way in which allotments rents and charges were structured, and to review and where necessary update the allotment tenancy agreement and tenancy rules to reflect current allotment legislation and practice.

The Chair commented that this was a key decision report, as the proposed decision would have a significant impact on 2 or more wards in the city.

Summary of main points raised/noted in discussion of this item:

1. The Chair commented that in terms of immediate measures, the report essentially proposed:

- revised allotment rents and charges as set out in the report and at Appendix A;

- the expansion of the discount scheme to enable more people on low incomes to benefit from a 50% reduced rent.

2. As per paragraph 7 of the report, it was noted that the current allotment pricing structure using the banding system was accepted as being irregular. In light of this, under this proposal, the service would commit to stakeholder engagement on the review of the current fees and charges structure within the next 12 months, to include an approach derived from using a square meterage rate. It was proposed that the review of the way in which the rents were structured would consider options which were fair and proportionate for individual allotment holders and collective food growing groups.

3. It was noted that the Council’s fees and rents for allotments had not been revised since 2018.  The allotments service was not currently self-sustaining financially and was subsidised through the overall parks budget. 

4. As per his comments during the public forum, the Chair reiterated that through the process by which the report had been developed, including discussions at meetings of the Public Health and Communities Policy Committee Chair’s Briefing (attended by the Chair and Vice-Chair), greater clarity had been sought and received about the financing of the allotments service.

5. In discussion, a number of members expressed the view that whilst they were supportive of the principle of and case for increasing allotment rents, they were not supportive of the immediate level of increase proposed.

6. Cllr Clarke expressed concern that an amendment submitted by the Labour group members had not been able to be considered at this meeting.  It was noted that the amendment as submitted had been ruled as inadmissible by the Director of Legal Services. 

7. The Chair suggested that, as a matter of urgency and in terms of effective governance in relation to all policy committees, it would be useful for guidance to be developed and issued around the submission of amendments.

At the conclusion of the discussion on this matter, the Chair advised that he would not be moving the report recommendations.

On the motion of the Chair, seconded by Cllr Hance, the Committee then RESOLVED (6 members voting in favour, with 3 abstentions):

To defer the report and that discussions take place between the Chair and the committee’s party group leads with a view to agreeing a revised proposal to be brought back to the committee at its 11 October 2024 meeting.