Allotment waiting lists

Dear Ms Campbell

Thank you for your request for information under the Freedom Of Information Act 2000, of which we acknowledge receipt.

Your request has been passed to the appropriate officer to provide a response as soon as possible, and in any event within 20 working days, as required by the Act.

Kind regards

Miriam Townsend, for

Information Governance Officer
City of York Council
Telephone 01904 552933
[City of York Council request email]

VERITAU EMAIL DISCLAIMER

Veritau Ltd is a company jointly owned by North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council.

This communication is from Veritau, a company providing internal audit, counter fraud and information governance services and other related assurance service to the public sector. Any opinions or statements expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual and not necessarily those of Veritau, or its clients.

The information contained within, and in any attachment(s), is confidential and legally privileged. It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient(s), please note that any form of distribution, copying or use of this communication, or the information within, is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Equally, you must not disclose all, or part, of its contents to any other person.

If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender at the above address, then delete and destroy all copies of it.

Veritau's computer systems and communications may be monitored to ensure effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes.

Although we have endeavoured to ensure that this e-mail and any attachments are free from any virus we would advise you to take any necessary steps to ensure that they are actually virus free.

Veritau disclaims any liability for action taken in reliance on the content of this communication.

Veritau Limited, Company number 6794890, Registered Office Douris House, Roecliffe Business Centre, Roecliffe, YO51 9NE.

Dear Margaret Campbell

Your FOI request has been forwarded to me for attention.

1) How many allotment sites are there in the Council area for which the council has access to waiting list data?

City of York Council owns and directly manages 16 allotment sites, so has access to data on these sites. We hold general information on other allotment sites in York but do not have access to the details of their waiting lists.

2) How many plots are on these sites?

In total there are 870 full-sized (10 rod or 300 sq. yd) plots or equivalent on these sites. A considerable number of tenants rent half or smaller plots so as at 01.01.10 there are 1025 tenancies on these 16 sites.

3) How many people are on these waiting lists for an allotment?

Early January is not a good time for reliable figures, particularly this year. Old tenants tend to give up plots at the end of the year or in the first two weeks of January when the new year's bill is received. Site secretaries normally invite the next person on the waiting list (if still interested) to view a vacant plot as soon as it comes available. Viewings can't go ahead when plots are covered in snow, so new tenants won't be taking plots until the weather changes. I will forward an estimate of our waiting list totals at the end of January.

4) Are any of these waiting lists closed to further applications?

None of these waiting lists are closed.

5) How many new council allotment sites were brought into use in 2009?

CYC was not able to open any new allotment sites in 2009 but some 20 plots have been brought back into cultivation following a land drainage scheme. A disused piece of land adjacent to one site will be fenced and brought into cultivation this year. Several possible small new sites are still under investigation.

Please contact me if you require any further information.

Judith Ward
Allotments Officer
(01904)553399
18 Back Swinegate
York YO1 8ZD

show quoted sections

Dear Margaret Campbell

Combined figures from 14 of our 16 direct-managed allotment sites show that, allowing for people on two or more waiting lists, 212 individuals were waiting for a plot in January this year. I'm still waiting for figures from one large site with a considerable annual turnover and one medium site. On past figures I'd estimate a total of 50-60 extra people on these lists, not otherwise accounted for.

I'm sorry I was not able to provide this information sooner. We rely on our volunteer site secretaries to do a lot of work around the turn of the year, when plots tend to change hands, and can't insist that they comply with requests to update us with information by a given date. I hope these figures provide an adequate snapshot of an ever-changing picture.

Yours sincerely

Judith Ward
Allotments Officer
(01904)553399
18 Back Swinegate
York YO1 8ZD

show quoted sections