shame on redbridge council
August 4, 2007 by allotmentjunkies
Redbridge Council have sadly decided to sell off four allotment sites to raise cash for leisure facilities (and schools). Absolutely ridiculous - allotments are the ultimate leisure activity! Read more here.
However the council will need approval from the government for this to go ahead. Visit the campaign blog - seeking to Protect the environment of the London Borough of Redbridge.
i know what you mean, essex council are the same. they have been salivating over our little plot for ages.
Why, why, why???? Why didn’t they use it as a perfect school activity? I think every school should have an allotment - they can take home an organic potato they help to grow every now and then. Kids would love it.
From an outsider’s point of view, this simply doesn’t make ecological sense to have more construction of pavement that seals the earth and concrete and steel infrastructure. Stormwaters will have to be channelled rather than drain naturally through the soil. Plants absorb carbon. What lessons will local children be learning from this? Who are the stakeholders who stand to gain from this?
Hey growgirls and oldskychaos thanks for stopping by and adding your two penneth.
Jenny - I couldn’t agree more with you. If you think that decision’s bizarre get this - despite recent severe flooding in the UK, the government are still supporting plans for the building of new homes on flood plains.
In the long run no one will gain…. except the rivers and seas of course!
I dont understand the problem with you lot!
The Land is not being used to its best potential, ok, you have been growing a few dodgy carrotts and odd shaped potatoes, but if the council feel they can utilise the money they will recieve from selling the allotments, (who lets face it are only being used by the older generation and if we go by recent demegraphic statistics, there aren’t many of them around) on updating schools and software in schools as well as providing adequate leisure facilities so they can educate the children and keep them off thier streets, I dont see a problem with it.
And I honestly dont think you will find any child favour spending the afternoon planting thier own carrott over playing netball/ football with friends. and what better way to overcome what we are now becoming an obese society.
Hey Super girl thanks for dropping by and explaining things from your perspective.
I am assuming you’re not an allotment junkies yourself!
I disagree with you on several points, well everything to be honest, but I’ll just pick out a few.
Allotments are not just used by older folks. There is wide-spread factual evidence of the growing number of younger people taking on plots. Waiting lists are huge for many allotments - they are not as antiquated as you might think.
Your dramatic statement that no child would possibly favour gardening over football or netball is again not based in reality.
Finally resources provided to one section of the community should not be destroyed in order to meet the needs of other folks (in this case children). This is not the same as suggesting that children and young people don’t need additional things - just find the money elsewhere.
We simply cannot keep ignoring the importance of nature. ‘Hippy-ish’ maybe, but please try to remember that global warming is a scientific fact and therefore it might be a good idea to stop doing things that are making it worse - big and small!
Having said all that, your post did make me smile - I don’t quite understand what you meant by ‘I dont understand the problem with you lot’, although I have a fair idea what you were getting at! Nevertheless I had a lot of fun thinking about who you might think ‘my lot’ are.
cheers
keener
Supergirl
Firstly I gotta say my carrotts were not dodgey, nor were my potatoes oddly shaped.
Where on earth did you get this information from “only used by the older generation” Oi cheeky, at 32 years old I would hate to think I am in that older generation you speak of.
As for your comment “And I honestly dont think you will find any child favour spending the afternoon planting thier own carrott over playing netball/ football with friends”
Do you seriously think building a sports centre is going to help our countries obesity problem?
Children can get plenty of free exercise already in the open spaces that are there now, soon to be up for sale, They can play football, cricket, rounders, ride bikes safely and a whole number of other energetic activities.
Its more than just providing facilities, its about educating our children, encouraging them to lead a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet.
Being out in the fresh air surrounded by nature, growing and eating your own organic fresh veg, whilst getting plenty of exercise on an allotment, is an excellent way to encourage children towards a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Maybe you ought to get yourself an allotment, you may find it helps you relax a little.
Cheers
Beener.
Hello guys!
So sorry to offend, didnt realise so many of you are sooo passionate about the allotments!!!
To be honest, when I think allotment, I dont automatically picture the younger generation getting stuck in- I, like many others my age assosicate allotments with the more senior and most probably the more wiser generation growing their greens!
Its been fun chatting to you allotment junkies and hearing your views, I agree, we do need to educate our youngers in leading a healthy and balanced diet, but I feel building leisure facilities, which have activities available for them to get stuck into, are most probably the best way to attract them to exercising and getting the correct information in leading that healthy lifestlye.
Cheers!
Hey Supergirl
thanks for stopping by again and soothing our ‘offendedness’!
Glad to hear that our passion for allotments/gardening (shared by many others) comes across strongly in this blog.
As for building more leisure facilities for young ‘uns, I
agree that some of the so called deprived areas and rural areas would benefit from access to affordable leisure facilities. One of a number of measures to entice youngsters to put down their mobiles/mp3s/joy-pads etc. Promotion of Gardening/allotments is equally valid and is also in line with the much needed wider agenda of halting the destruction of our home (Earth). Therefore I still shout out loud ‘Hey leave those allotments alone’.
Take care
keener
Best wishes
Keener
As a developer I think we should just get rid of all allotments to make way for building new luxurious flats.
What is the point of all that wasted land??!!!
I agree with you Supergirl!
Nice one ‘Developer’!
I really don’t agree with developer.
I may have said allotments is land not being used to its best potential, I really didnt mean we should destroy it completely by developing it into houses/ flats for the council to stick in DSS tenants in, who in my view are lazy people who feel the world owes them, destroying any area, flat or development they get moved into.
So please developer, if your going to build for these people can you please keep away from the nicer parts of london. I’d much rather have the allotments in Redbridge than a few council blocks full of DSS tenants!
Hey Supergirl, thanks for coming back again.
I’m afraid that in my opinion you have been offensive once again!
Firstly there is no such thing as the DSS - welfare benefits are administered by the Department For Work and Pensions and Housing and Council Tax Benefits are managed by local councils.
However, I guess that this is a minor point really. You can probably guess that I take issue with your gross generalisation of people in receipt of state financial support. Please try to bare in mind that these lazy people are often the most vulnerable people in our country - people with disabilites, older people, those with mental health problems, victims of domestic abuse and so on. It is not a charmed life to ‘live off benefits’.
Also, it is important to recognise that many people renting properties from social housing providers (commonly categorised as DSSers or the like) do actually work. Guess what - having a settled affordable home enables people to get back on their feet and gain employment.
It really is a minority who are ASBO merchants.
It is a myth that the government hands out money and housing to ‘lazy DSS scroungers’ willy nilly. Poverty is increasing in this country, this is consistently the theme of government analysis and report (Google will back me up). Heavily influenced by the ridiculous property price boom - rents and house prices. The amount of property allocated for social/affordable housing barely scratches the surface of the problem. The length of waiting lists all over the country for ‘council housing’ are increasing. There is a gravitational pull toward poverty, as people who need compassion, support and good old fashioned help,are only given it when there life has collapsed completely. This happens to people even if they are trying their very hardest to prevent it! Just like current home owners who bought their home in the eighties (for example) could not possibly have failed to increase their wealth. We are all subject to market forces and economic facts.
I guess it all boils down to whether you find this reality palatable or acceptable. I feel that this country is extremely wealthy but not everyone is invited to the party. We should stop pretending we live in a country of equal opportunity or do something about it.
Part of me suspects that you are trying to wind me up Supergirl, but as you wrote such a nice warm response previously I wanted to respond anyway.
Best wishes
Keener
Dear allotment junkie,
I didn’t wish to offend anyone, again!!
I should have really checked my facts, as you have clearly pointed out, about those claiming benefits from the government.
I understand that there are many people out there who are in need of these benefits, and I have nothing against them, but I also know that there are an number of people on these housing benefits who really don’t need to be, but as its the easier option than finding a job and providing for themselves they prefer to claim from the government, who get their money from taxing people who work a hard living. The circle just seems a bit unfair to me.
I understand that a majority of people are claiming fairly, but there is a minority who probably tend to give the “DSSers” a bad name.
I have seen so many school leavers get pregnant as they know the only way the council will give them a property is if they are pregnant, and having children also means more money from the government. I haven’t got any factual evidence nor can you look this up on Google, but this is a well know occurrence in London.
Anyway, I was just giving my opinion on this topic, which has been discussed by me and my friends over coffee many times!
Supergirl
People getting pregnant to get a council property?
If this is your point of discussion with your friends, you seriously need to get yourself some new ones……or maybe get off your bigoted arses and get an allotment!
Beener
Maybe you need to get out of the allotments and see what stupid individuals actually do for money. And you call me the bigot?!!!!
I’ve seen many young girls from the poorer background realise the “benefits” of getting pregnant. Once they are pregnant, they get fast-tracked by the council as they are seen as priority and move into a property before the baby is born. I know this as I am a housing officer for a London Borough council.
Why is it such an issue for me to have an opinion? I’ve not been rude to you about your way of thinking.
A housing officer who was unaware that benefits are administered by the Department For Work and Pensions and Housing and Council Tax Benefits are managed by local councils?
A housing officer that has openly said “DSS tenants, who in my view are lazy people who feel the world owes them, destroying any area, flat or development they get moved into?
Thanks for your comments.
Beener
Thats my opinion, I see it on a daily basis, when people who can work don’t.
I understand where the benefits and policies come from, I just don’t like seeing people abuse the system.
I see the damage done to properties where they have been moved into, and I have seen property go to the young and healthy within 9 months and the one’s really in need, who are sleeping in youth hostels or in some cases the street area waiting over 3 years to get a property. That in MY opinion is not fair.
Maybe it’s you who needs to stop being so narrow minded.
If the council want to raise money they should start at their own door. Namely: to stop wasting money and to cut their salaries. Why can they not manage to live on a maximum of £ 60k p/a. I have to live on £ 24k and just manage. By cutting their salaries they would safe a fortune.
It would be nice if the residents of Redbrige Council could take more control on what the council spends our tax money. So that the council would have to justify the costs and can not just squander the money they get and then start suggesting to go for selling alotment land off for developement.
Redbrisge! get your act together
From: “10 Downing Street”
To: “e-petition signatories”
Subject: Government response to petition ‘LBRlandsales’
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:45:21 +0000
You signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to “condemn Redbridge
Council’s land sales programme.”
The Prime Minister’s Office has responded to that petition and you can view it Below:
Prime Minister’s Office
Petition information - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/LBRlandsales/
If you would like to opt out of receiving further mail on this or any other petitions you signed, please email optout@petitions.pm.gov.uk
10 April 2008
We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to condemn Redbridge Council’s land sales programme.”
Details of Petition:
“Residents of the London Borough of Redbridge are deeply concerned at the Council’s land sales programme, which aims to raise £100-£150 million through selling off Council land for development. Sites being sold include popular local allotments and other open spaces, well-used car parks that are vital for local shopping centres, as well as other Council property. The consequential damage to the local environment, community and economy will be impossible to reverse if the Council’s programme goes ahead. Decisions on the future of these local assets are being taken behind closed doors and with the minimum of public consultation.”
More details from petition creator:
Residents of the London Borough of Redbridge are deeply concerned at the Council’s land sales programme, which aims to raise £100-£150 million through selling off Council land for development.
Sites being sold include popular local allotments and other open spaces, well-used car parks that are vital for local shopping centres, as well as other Council property. The consequential damage to the local environment, community and economy will be impossible to reverse if the Council’s programme goes ahead.
Decisions on the future of these local assets are being taken behind closed doors and with the minimum of public consultation.
The Government’s Response:
Local authorities have powers under the Local Government Act 1972 to dispose of land in any manner they wish and it is the Government’s policy that local authorities should dispose of surplus land wherever possible. Generally it is expected that local authorities’ land disposals should achieve the best consideration reasonably obtainable which is usually the open market value of the site. The Secretary of State’s only statutory function is to give or refuse consent to a proposed disposal where the authority will receive less than the best consideration that can reasonably be obtained.
Guidance on local authority land disposals is contained in ODPM Circular 06/2003, “Local Government Act 1972: General Disposal Consent 2003″. The consent enables local authorities to make land disposals which will contribute to the promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental well-being of an area at less than best consideration provided the undervalue does not exceed £2,000,000. If the proposed disposal was not covered by the general consent the local authority would have to apply to the Secretary of State for a specific consent.
Planning Policy Statement 3 Housing also says that local planning authorities should have clear policies for the protection and creation of open space and playing fields, and new housing developments should incorporate sufficient provision where such spaces are not already adequately provided within easy access of the new housing.
A local authority proposing to dispose of open space, which includes land laid out as a public garden or used for the purposes of public recreation, must give notice in a local newspaper and consider any objections received. When carrying out land transactions local authorities should always act reasonably and with due regard to their general fiduciary duty to their taxpayers.
Local authorities wishing to dispose of statutory allotments must obtain consent from the Secretary of State (via the Government Offices) for Communities and Local Government. They may only be sold if the Secretary of State gives her consent and such decisions are not taken lightly.
The Redbridge Unitary Development Plan (UDP) is currently being replaced by the emerging Local Development Framework (LDF). This document will only permit the redevelopment of allotments where it can be shown that there is no longer any local demand or where existing allotment users can be relocated to a new or existing allotment site within reasonable distance of their homes. The UDP also states that the loss of allotment land will only be permitted if the loss would not result in the Borough falling below the national minimum standard or where as a result of the proposal residents would be more than 1.2 km away from an allotment site. Only if the allotments were no longer required would other uses be allowed and these would be expected to be compatible with the character and amenity of the area.
Note: There is one way to change any determined decision to sell valuable public used land; to Petition, make multiple applications of protest, speak at all Meetings on the land parcel affected by a government or local government application.