Cardiff Council’s Economy and Culture Scrutiny Committee will be presented with a progress report on the review of the city’s allotment strategy tomorrow (Thursday June 24).
Cardiff Council has 26 allotment sites across the city covering approximately 190 acres. There is currently a significant interest in allotment gardening as the profile of allotments rises at a national and UK level. The Economy and Culture Scrutiny Committee identified that the allotment strategy for Cardiff, which was endorsed by the Executive in 2005, was due to be reviewed and members felt that a short scrutiny exercise would be beneficial in informing the review process.
In March, a stakeholder forum and review group was established which comprises of representatives from the Allotment Regeneration Initiative, the Cardiff Allotment Holders Association, the Probation Service, the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, site secretaries from a number of sites and officers of the Council from stakeholder service areas. In addition to the main group two separate sub groups focusing on issues relating to tenancy agreements and local management have been established.
As part of the review process and over the summer period, consultations with allotment tenants will take place so that views obtained/findings can be fed into the updated strategy.
As part of the process, site audits have been undertaken in conjunction with site representatives for 17 sites, these include; Forest Farm, Rhydypenau, Lynton Terrace, Llandaff North, Llandaff Fields, Highfields, Fairwater, Pontcanna Chalet Gardens, Pontcanna A, Pontcanna Permanent, South Rise, Leckwith, Lady Mary, Elgar Cresent, Colchester Avenue, Lon Y Deri and Heol Chappell. The remaining nine sites are scheduled for completion by the end of September.
Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells, said: “The Council is committed to providing an allotment service that is responsive and meets the needs of allotment holders and indeed all stakeholders of the service. Much has been achieved following the endorsement of the allotment strategy for Cardiff in 2005 and the review will enable further improvements to be identified and implemented.”
