Keeping our allotments in use

11.33.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 30th Jun 2008

Avon Road allotment ready for letting to local people

The allotments in Avon Road, Chelmsford are now all ready for keen, green-fingered residents or just people who want a bit of space in which to grow flowers or vegetables. This follows lobbying by local councillor, Liberal Democrat Simon Jones, after he was contacted by local residents, frustrated with delays at the borough council in the allocation of sites.

Cllr Jones said, "There were local residents keen and eager to get their hands dirty, and do their bit for the environment, but the council was being slow to process a huge backlog of applications. I am delighted that the situation is now resolved. However, I will continue to press the council to ensure that they clear the sites of weeds etc. before new tenants take over their plots."

Cllr. Jones raised this issue at July's meeting of full Council and suggested that in future there should be regular meetings of Borough allotment-holders, observers from other allotments, and Councillors, at which issues could be raised. Part of the problem is that in unparished areas of the town, there are not appropriate forums to deal with these concerns (the setting up of such bodies is something else Chelmsford Liberal Democrats are campaigning on). Please let us know if you would like to see such forums set up by emailing us at info@chelmsford-libdems.org.uk