Fife Council has defended a hike in allotment charges across the region amid rising anger among some keen gardeners.
Extensive work and consultation on rental charges for plots has prompted the conclusion that current rates are too low for facilities provided.
Councillors have now agreed a range of charges from 15p per square metre per year for a site with no or basic facilities to 45p per square metre for a site with full facilities including toilets, water, meeting space, huts and tool storage.
The move has not gone down well with some, however.
Peter Ballingall, from East Wemyss, contacted The Courier to suggest that many older people might be unable to afford the increase and may therefore be dissuaded from growing their own fruit and vegetables.
Indeed, he questioned the motives behind the local authority’s decision.
“Are they trying to get people off the land by doing this for whatever reason?” Mr Ballingall said.
“I’ve had my allotment since 1988 and you’ve got your fruit and veg – such as raspberries, turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes.
“I run back and forward from the Wemyss to Dysart road end, where the allotment is, but I can’t understand why they’ve changed it.
“We’re always told to eat more healthily and get more exercise, but this sort of thing can’t help.
“It was costing me £30 a year but it’s more than doubled to £70.
“I’m lucky I can afford it because I have a private pension, but for me it’s just the principle of the thing.
“You expect things to go up, you realise that, but I just feel that this is an awful increase.”
Fife Council appears to be leading the way in Scotland on the allotment front, managing 27 allotment sites across the kingdom and supporting rising demand and a growing national trend to grow your own fruit and vegetables.
And with lengthy waiting lists for people wanting to access the allotments, the increase in charges was perhaps seen as one way to free up plots which were perhaps not being tended to.
A new allotment strategy has been agreed by members of Fife’s community and housing services committee to help manage waiting lists, improve existing sites and create new allotments where possible.
Councillors also welcomed the added benefits of new employment opportunities for local people, with a new supervisor’s post created and four trainees recruited to take forward work on improving and supporting allotment sites.
Committee convener Judy Hamilton is convinced that more people getting involved in cultivating local allotment sites will bring great benefits to communities.
She commented: “The benefits of ‘growing your own’ are well documented.
“Everybody can get involved — there’s no training or expertise needed so people of all ages and abilities can join in and enjoy the benefits of fresh air and exercise as well as delicious home grown produce.
“It’s also a great opportunity to meet new people. So give it a go — and get your hands dirty.”
