Local Government Committee, 28 Nov 2000

Meeting date: Tuesday, November 28, 2000

Official Report 99KB pdf

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Petition

Agenda item 3 is a petition on allotments. I declare an interest in the matter, as I have an allotment.

My wife and I rent part of a private allotment.

Does anybody else want to declare an interest?

I am sorry—I have just a garden.

I do not have anything.

You live in a high-rise flat, do you, Keith? You are one of the ones whom we are trying to help—deprived areas need gardens.

I moved into a flat to get away from gardens.

Petition PE280 asks that a working group be set up to consider the position of allotments in Scots law. Members will know that, although there are a few private allotments, most are owned by local authorities. That is why the petition has been referred to the committee.

The question is whether the committee wants to pursue the matter. If so, I suggest that the clerk and I get together to produce some proposals for a future meeting at which we can discuss the matter in depth. Does anybody want to say anything about that? The petition is a good one. It looks as though this is one occasion on which the authorities in England and Wales are doing slightly better than ours. I leave it to members to suggest what we should do with the petition.

I am an enthusiast of allotments and I have tried to help allotment groups in Edinburgh and Central Scotland. Allotments play an important role in the community, although they are low on most councils' lists of priorities and fall between several parliamentary stools. A working group, including people from the Parliament and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, might help to produce either a new bill to cover the issue, or regulations or guidance to engender more enthusiasm for allotments.

Allotments hit many environmental targets: they are green and grow healthy food. They also provide good community activities. I visited an allotment that was specifically designed for children in a fairly deprived area, which does a lot of good in the community. Allotments are in line with many of the Parliament's policies and they should receive more attention. A working group would be a good idea.

Does the committee agree that we should pursue the matter further, and that the clerk and I should consider how we can make progress on the issue?

Members indicated agreement.