£250,000 investment into Walsall allotments
More than £250,000 will be ploughed into improving Walsall’s allotments as more people continue to turn to the ‘good life’ way of living.
Hundreds of people are sitting on waiting lists for up to 10 years as vacant plots on the local authority’s 34 facilities due to increasing demand.
This week, Walsall Council’s cabinet agreed to spend £260,000 on boundary improvement works to increase security at 21 of the allotments.
Members also agreed to sell of the derelict facility on Alexandra Road in Palfrey, which is unused and not cultivated and become a dumping ground, with money raised being invested back into allotment improvements.
The council is looking for allotment associations to sign leases, giving them the rights to manage the sites and bid for more external funding. But only eight have signed the leases and a report to cabinet revealed many associations were reluctant to sign knowing they would take on the financial burden to improve them.
It is now hoped more will take over the management of the sites once the improvement works have been completed.
Councillor Oliver Butler, portfolio holder for clean and green, said only 29 of the 1,352 total number of plots were currently vacant.
There are 252 people on waiting lists and it can take between five to 10 years before people finally get the chance to take over a plot.
Assess
He said: “We have got 34 allotment sites in Walsall and every one has been visited to assess the condition of the boundaries. Following that review, we are proposing the improve the boundaries at a cost of £260,000 due to their condition.
“We are proposing the sale of Alexandra Road site which will generate additional capital to reinvest in the remaining 33 allotments. Any capital raised from this sale has to be reinvested in allotments by law.
“This money we raise – whatever that might be – will allow allotment associations to sign up to the leases safe in the knowledge that the sites are in the correct standards when they take them over.
“So investing this money into the allotments, these will support these vital assets that have proved so vital to physical and mental health during the pandemic.”
He added: “[Alexandra Road] is derelict and it is not an allotment site that’s been used.
“It became a dumping yard and it was dealt with by the community protection team. There is not a particularly high demand for allotments in Palfrey so we are not losing a site people want to develop.”
Council leader Mike Bird said: “This is a welcome review. We made a commitment to expand the growing area of allotments.
“With more and more people working from home, it gives them an opportunity to do something different and helps with their mental health and wellbeing.”
