PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Gill Gardiner
Cabinet Member for Environment
Date of Issue: December 13th 2007
Contact numbers:
Councillor Gardiner:
0151 334 1923
07803 065578
Lead Petitioner, Margaret Campbell:
625 0608

‘More allotments' demand prompts petition

Liberal Democrat Councillor Gill Gardiner , Cabinet member for the Environment will be presenting a petition at Monday's full Council meeting asking that Wirral Council increases its provision of allotments in the wake of rising demand.

Cllr Gardiner said,

“I'm delighted to present this petition on behalf of Wirral residents. Under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act * the Council has a statutory duty to provide sufficient allotments if it is of the opinion that there is a demand for allotments.

“There is a long waiting list of people wanting allotments, so there can be no doubt about that demand.”

“Allotments are a sustainable use of land which helps in the battle against climate change and energy conservation as well as encouraging healthy lifestyles. I am fully in support of the petition and will be pressing the Council to exploring ways of providing more allotments, including bringing back into use sites that have previously been used.”

Details in the petition include:

• Climate change and the need for energy conservation make headlines almost daily.
• Allotments provide a sustainable use of land close to where people live. Consequently plot holders help reduce their own carbon emissions by avoiding excessive transportation and processing of food, and reducing personal travel.
• Allotments cut down on waste by reusing items and using less packaging for shopping .
• Many allotment gardeners recycle green waste, reuse rainwater, avoid the use of pesticides and encourage wildlife.
• These are issues represented as key strategies in Wirral has heard the cry of the earth, Wirral's Local Agenda 21 Strategy. Wirral has a waiting list of hundreds of people all requesting the opportunity to actively pursue these strategies, but frustrated by the lack of local allotments.

* Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, provides that if allotment authorities 'are of the opinion that there is a demand for allotments ...in the borough, district or parish the council shall provide a sufficient number of allotments to persons...resident in the borough district or parish and desiring the same'. In determining demand an authority must take into consideration 'a representation in writing by any six registered parliamentary electors or rate payers'.

Cllr Gill Gardiner pictured receiving the petition from lead petitioner Margaret Campbell
with supporters of the petition at Greasby Coronation Park allotments.
From centre left to right: Cllr Gill Gardiner; lead petitioner Margaret Campbell;
Cllr Peter Reisdorf; Cllr Jean Quinn.

Click here to see the petition.