THE cost of Melksham’s allotment plots is set to increase, as town councillors vote to up the price for full and half plots in the 2024/25 financial year.
Current charges are £20 a year for a half plot and £40 a year for a full plot; the increase in rent that town councillors have voted to support is to be £25 for half a plot and £50 for a full plot.
Raising concerns in the asset management and amenities meeting on Monday 5th December, councillor Graham Ellis asked the question, “Are we sure that this increase in price won’t push people off the allotments?”
Reassuring councillors town council’s head of operations Hugh Davies said, “I don’t think this will be the case. I still think people are getting a really good price.”
Agreeing with this and suggesting the increase in price may encourage some people who currently do not use their allotment to give it up enabling others to take the opportunity, cllr Carl Houghton said, “Hopefully this might encourage people who aren’t using the space and have an allotment to give it up, allowing others to have a chance.”
The agenda item about allotments follows another discussion earlier this year at a town council meeting, where councillors voted to support a change in rule allowing produce grown at the allotments to be donated to the Community Larder.
