Jams, Pickles and Cakes
As the harvesting of this season’s fruit and veg gets underway spare a thought for the October Celebration. It would be great if you would set aside a few jars of jam and/or pickles that we can put on the GAF stall. Courgette and carrot cakes, blackcurrant muffins, summer fruit drizzle cakes etc will also be most welcome to supply the café. If you think you can help please contact us through this website (Contact).
New Guidelines for Managing Allotments
Don’t forget that the draft guidelines for local authorities on the provision and management of allotments 9 (Allotments – Further Guidance for Local Authorities) are up for consultation until 20thAugust (see this item under Events on the Resources page).
We think the new guidelines are generally very helpful – particularly in the recommendation to work collaboratively with stakeholders at local level . We have two concerns:
- Under the heading Section 110 – Offer to lease an allotment paragraphs 1.7 and 1.8. The waiting list information should be designed to allow those who wish to change the size of their plot (up or down) to be at the top of the waiting list for their site. (Many applicants want to start on a half plot or smaller and then, if they find they have the skills and enjoy it, they move up to a full sized plot. If they have to go back on the central waiting list for the larger plot then they may decide to go for a full plot initially which could lead to problems). The local authority should work in partnership with the allotment associations to sort out the needs of their members in terms of layout of site, allocation of plots and movement.
- We think some further clarification is needed under heading 5 – Section 115 – Allotment site regulations paragraph1. We think the differences in the relationship between the local authority when delegating to an unincorporated or an incorporated allotment association need to be made clear so that liabilities in the case of disputes are transparent and properly understood by both parties. (Most of our sites are managed by unincorporated associations where individual members are potentially liable in any dispute.)
Let ScotGov know what you think.
Funding Discussion – GAF meeting on July 5th
Funding was the subject for discussion at our last GAF meeting on July 5th (see GAF minutes on the Resources page) and we will shortly publishing a report on the topic once those attending the meeting have had a chance to respond to the first draft.
The gist of the report will be about how to tackle the practicalities of obtaining funding from a variety of sources whether these come through grants, sales, pitching in person, in print or on the web and advice on the various ways in which you can access and use available support.
We have also attached a link to Sandy Paterson’s latest report (see under GAF minutes on the Resources page) which provides a list of grant funding sources. This report also contains information about what GCC is proposing to do with regard to the implementation of Part 9 of the Community Empowerment Act. Both this report and the New Guidelines for Managing Allotments will be relevant to our next meeting on Thursday September 6thwhere the discussion topic will be Rules and Regulations on Allotment Sites.
Science – Call for Cabbage Aphids
Rachel KeIhoe at Exeter University has written to us saying:
“I’m currently doing PhD looking at using cabbage aphids to look into the impacts of climate change on insects. As such I need a number of cabbage aphids. I was wondering if any of your allotment plot holders would be willing to check their brassicas and send any aphids they might find in the post to me? I would be happy to reimburse any costs and will naturally include them in the paper that comes from this data. I can send around an info sheet if that would be of interest.”
If you think you can help you can contact her at rk378@ex.ac.uk