COVID-19

Message from the Chairman: 'Many of you have asked either myself, or the BDAC what the advice is regarding allotments during the current Corona Virus outbreak. Our advice is to follow the Government Guidelines. You can also keep up to date with 'allotment specific' advice on the National Allotment Society website.  

Keys

Payment for New Keys, Padlocks and associated works.

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We have received a couple of queries from plot holders seeking a reduction in their suggested £10 contribution to improved site security and the cost of their new key based on the £5  'deposit' they made to obtain their old key.  The reality is that the £5 was not so much a "deposit" but the cost of providing a new or replacement key for the existing padlocks. The old locks and the  original keys for them were supplied by the council decades ago. They served us very well over the years and as such have provided plot holders with exceptional value for money. However plot holders have regularly and correctly stated that the old locks have come to the end of their useful life ,compromise site security and safety and lobbied the Committee to replace them. There is no funding provided by the Council to fund this replacement and like most site improvements in recent years it needs to be funded by the funds raised and contributions of plot holders.

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The £10 requested contribution will not go anywhere near covering all of the costs involved, indeed we would be requesting a larger contribution if it were not for the voluntary efforts of some plot holders.  However as previously stated we "recognise that there are some plot holders who for legitimate reasons in these challenging times may find £10 expensive and we hope to be able to issue such plot holders with a key at a lower or no cost" .If you are in this group then let us know when collecting your new key and we will deal with you as privately as possible. We rely on people not to take advantage of this situation and ask that the majority of plot holders who can afford to pay £10 to do so and reiterate that those who do not will in essence be asking their fellow plot holders to subsidise the cost of their new key and benefits of improved site security.

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JB

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Chair, MaDAHAL.