Birmingham Council allotment price increase

victimofcircumstance

Ernisius wrote: »

Well they say that they subsidise it, but I'm not sure what they actually do, I've never seen any evidence that the council do anything.
They are probably paying 20 people £40k a year to administer collecting the rents.



This year it was £24 and there were 5 plots available for me to choose from.

At £75 the site may well become underused. Then the council will have an excuse to take the land to build houses on.

I too have had my letter about the rents, however, it may be worth you contacting the people who sent you the letter and gaining the facts. I did!

We have had it far too good for too long. I've been a plotholder for 6 years, and the most the rent has gone up by is £1.50! Costs all around the service - like everything - have gone through the roof.

The allotments section of the council have only 3 staff, and they administer something like 7,000 tenants across 120ish sites (don't quote me on that, but the figures are in that ball park). Only 1 of those staff 'collects' the rent - and certainly not for £40k a year!

Has your site got an Association? They should be able to offer you more answers on what the Council do? I know water is a major cost, one that plotholders in Birmingham don't have to pay. You have to factor in costs like grounds maintenance, rat eradication etc etc

And it's correct, the council tax payer are currently paying for the provision of allotments - which doesn't seem entirely fair - they aren't the ones that will benefit from my spuds!

Birmingham allotments are statutory allotments, so they are protected from sale. So no sneaky land sales to put up houses.

Try contacting the section - they've always been very helpful and will try to answer your questions. Or talk to the BDAC? I know their website has a debate on this very theme.

£1.40 a week for a hobby that keeps me fit, grows me excellent produce, helps me meet new people and the self satisfaction that my strawberries are better than a supermarket. That's a bargain in my book!

Ernisius

victimofcircumstance wrote: »

I too have had my letter about the rents, however, it may be worth you contacting the people who sent you the letter and gaining the facts. I did!

We have had it far too good for too long. I've been a plotholder for 6 years, and the most the rent has gone up by is £1.50! Costs all around the service - like everything - have gone through the roof.

£1.50 on £24 is about 6%, so about in line with inflation. The increase to £75 is 300%, a tad above inflation.

victimofcircumstance wrote: »

The allotments section of the council have only 3 staff, and they administer something like 7,000 tenants across 120ish sites (don't quote me on that, but the figures are in that ball park). Only 1 of those staff 'collects' the rent - and certainly not for £40k a year!

And it's correct, the council tax payer are currently paying for the provision of allotments - which doesn't seem entirely fair - they aren't the ones that will benefit from my spuds!

Ok the £40k was meant to be tongue in cheek, should have put a smiley.(remember the headlines about Bham dustmen on £55K)

But for 7000 tenants rent goes from £168000 up to £525000. So even with 3 staff, I don't see how that needs to be subsidised by the council tax payer.

victimofcircumstance wrote: »

Has your site got an Association? They should be able to offer you more answers on what the Council do? I know water is a major cost, one that plotholders in Birmingham don't have to pay. You have to factor in costs like grounds maintenance, rat eradication etc etc

I know the council will quote a high budget to administer allotments, but I have worked with local councils (as a contractor) and have generally found them to be extremely reckless with taxpayers money.
Why does Birmingham council want to charge more than other councils?

victimofcircumstance wrote: »

£1.40 a week for a hobby that keeps me fit, grows me excellent produce, helps me meet new people and the self satisfaction that my strawberries are better than a supermarket. That's a bargain in my book!

As i've said, the cost is not just the rent.

The letter they sent gives no reason or justification for this price increase, and gives rents up to 2014. Who knows if they will continue to increase at the same rate after that date.
What price would you be prepared to pay?,

flowertotmum

HI our allotments are £35 per yr with water...we have 2 as no-one is interested in the other empty one so we took it on...so thats £70 a yr...we got a tin that you have to almost butcher to bits to get the money out..we put £2 per wk in it..its not much really but it will add up..i would pay more for them if i had too...the amount of fruit and veg we have got out of it this yr alone is staggering...and its not empty yet..we have all our winter veg to come out yet..i haven't bought any fruit or veg at all this yr and don't intend to...
As others have said contact the council for more info and proper rent prices...
Good luck

victimofcircumstance

Ernisius wrote: »

Ok the £40k was meant to be tongue in cheek, should have put a smiley.(remember the headlines about Bham dustmen on £55K)

Thats slightly off topic, and I don't think entirely fair to judge everyone that works for the Council in the same way. The dusties all start on a basic package, then on top of that they get 'enhancements'. I would imagine with the current changes in local government, changes will be made to the £55k wage bills.

Ernisius wrote: »

But for 7000 tenants rent goes from £168000 up to £525000. So even with 3 staff, I don't see how that needs to be subsidised by the council tax payer.

But the service only takes about £75k in rents - don't forget that money goes back to the sites to spend if they have an Association. If the rents go up it won't be subsidised by the tax payer as much as it is now. (figure is from Birmingham Mail, May 2009)

Ernisius wrote: »

I know the council will quote a high budget to administer allotments, but I have worked with local councils (as a contractor) and have generally found them to be extremely reckless with taxpayers money.
Why does Birmingham council want to charge more than other councils?

Manchester is currently £50ish, Leeds £40. I'm paying £24 this year. There is a big gap.

Ernisius wrote: »

The letter they sent gives no reason or justification for this price increase, and gives rents up to 2014. Who knows if they will continue to increase at the same rate after that date.
What price would you be prepared to pay?,

I think I'd happily pay £100 a year (lets hope none of the council people who put the rents up are reading this!). Couple of quid in a pot a week. It's not even the price of a pint!

I was talking to my friend about this the other day - over a £3 pint. It costs him £18 to play golf at a Birmingham course - £1 a hole! He expects to pay that amount as it is a hobby he loves. He doesn't question the fact the costs have gone up, even though it's annoying. What price do you pay for something you enjoy doing?

jeferey

I'm in North Notts. and I pay just over £20 for a 1/2 allotment, water, a brick built shed and as a co-worker on another 1/2 allotment - bargain!

Ernisius

victimofcircumstance wrote: »

But the service only takes about £75k in rents

7000 tenants paying £24 does not make £75k. even if all the tenants are pensioners and pay half price, it is still more than £75k.

I do not see where the council spends over .5 million pounds administering the allotments. I see no evidence that they do anything except collect rent.

The figures appear to minimise the income but maximise the expenses

victimofcircumstance wrote: »

I think I'd happily pay £100 a year (lets hope none of the council people who put the rents up are reading this!). Couple of quid in a pot a week. It's not even the price of a pint!

I was talking to my friend about this the other day - over a £3 pint. It costs him £18 to play golf at a Birmingham course - £1 a hole! He expects to pay that amount as it is a hobby he loves. He doesn't question the fact the costs have gone up, even though it's annoying. What price do you pay for something you enjoy doing?

It was never meant to be a hobby. but a way of getting affordable fresh fruit and veg.
Although it does appear to have been successfully re-branded as such.

My original question was, at this price is it still economically worthwhile,
when you add up the costs of seeds, fertilizer, infrastructure and rent. and compare to the cost that you would otherwise pay for fresh organically grown produce.
It really makes no sense to me to put in so much work, when you can buy (from farmers markets) the same stuff cheaper.

I don't know the answer to this , I only took up the allotment this year,
but I will try and keep a tally next year.

This year I spent a lot of money on a shed, material for beds, nets, rain barrels etc. I would not have if I had known about such a steep increase was on the way. I will pay the £28 this year and £40 next year. Then I will probably give it up rather than pay £60 the following year

Ernisius

jeferey wrote: »

I'm in North Notts. and I pay just over £20 for a 1/2 allotment, water, a brick built shed and as a co-worker on another 1/2 allotment - bargain!

Enjoy it while you can, I think where one council leads the way, the rest will follow.

Kay_Peel

Councils need to make allotments self-financing, I believe. Allotment holders will have to bear the costs of the clerk who spends a small proportion of their time administering the allotments and dealing with enquiries/paperwork. At the same time, they have to keep the price affordable and I suppose it's a difficult balancing act: they can increase the council tax or they can ask allotment holders to contribute more.

With the long waiting lists in my borough, I think the council would have no difficulty letting an allotment for £75. As others have said the benefits of allotment holding are less to do with the yield and more to do with the mental and physical benefits of producing your own food for your family.

Ernisius

Kay_Peel wrote: »

Councils need to make allotments self-financing, I believe. Allotment holders will have to bear the costs of the clerk who spends a small proportion of their time administering the allotments and dealing with enquiries/paperwork. At the same time, they have to keep the price affordable and I suppose it's a difficult balancing act: they can increase the council tax or they can ask allotment holders to contribute more.

I agree that they shouldn't be subsidised by the taxpayer ( I pay council tax too). but I don't see how it costs them over half a million pounds.

Kay_Peel wrote: »

With the long waiting lists in my borough, I think the council would have no difficulty letting an allotment for £75. As others have said the benefits of allotment holding are less to do with the yield and more to do with the mental and physical benefits of producing your own food for your family.

You may well be correct for you borough, but my site was already under subscribed at the beginning of the year, and I believe there are still 1 or 2 free plots.

I agree, it is not entirely about yield. but if it costs more to grow it than to buy, then it is hard (for me at least) to justify the work required.

angelavdavis

I live in East Sussex and pay £27.50 for a 5 rod plot including £5 membership to the allotment society. Our allotment is privately controlled but is council owned. This price includes water.