Allotments Agreement Declared "Work in Progress"

After scores of complaints about the new tenancy agreement for allotments, the borough council has officially apologised for the mix up and agreed that the new agreement doesn't need to be signed for 2009.

A meeting of the Allotments Forum on 23rd April, a group hosted by the borough council for representatives from each of the 11 allotment sites in Epsom and Ewell, agreed that the new agreement was flawed and would be changed for 2010. Only 50% of allotment holders had signed the agreement and the council switchboard had been jammed with calls from unhappy tenants who did not understand the rather heavy-handed clauses. Council officials apologised for the mix-up and agreed that no allotment holders would be forced to sign the agreement for 2009 - they just need to pay for annual rental for their plot. The Forum was asked to submit comments for discussion at a future meeting and was charged with approving a new agreement which would be issued in 2010.

A Lib Dem spokesman said "it's a real shame this all went so wrong because the council's done a great job in creating new plots, reducing the waiting list and making sure that people who don't cultivate plots are given notice". It seems the council's well-intentioned efforts involved too few people who tried to do too much, too quickly.