Bucksburn Allotments Association

In my recent email kindly forwarded to you on my behalf by Councillor Adam, I commented on the report prepared by Council Officers and said  that the information supplied in the report prepared by Council Officers was seriously flawed and incomplete.

I used the word  incomplete because the information provided as part of the so called benchmarking exercise uses only Glasgow and Edinburgh as comparible authorities.  No data has been included for Dundee or any other Scottish Local Authority.

As an explanation of my use of the words seriously flawed Councillors are asked to note that

Council Officers also seek to represent the size of full sized plots in Glasgow as being 160 Squ metres. I have spoken to Glasgow's Allotments Officer and he confirms the Council there doesn't have a set size for allotments. As with most allotment sites, including those in Aberdeen, Allotments are made to fit the allotment sites. Glasgow has large plots and smaller plots approx half the size of the large ones. It is ridiculous to just assume a size of 160 squ metres for Glasgow. If assumptions are to be made, the assumption should be that full plots are 250 squ metres. A full plot was historically based on a size of 10 poles - 302.5 squ yards or approx 250 squ metres. That size of plot was determined to be the minimum required for a family of 4 to produce enough vegetables to be self sufficient. The SAGS figure used by Officers is probably the average of all plots in Scotland be they of whatever size and not the average size of full plots.

I ask myself why the data for Dundee and other Authorities was omitted from the exercise? Was it because it does not support Council Officers argument? Dundee charges by the pole, £3 per pole so a full plot of 10 poles 300sq yds/250 squ metres costs £30. This detail should be included in any benchmark information table.

Even the size used for Aberdeen's plots in the report is inaccurate. Full plots in Aberdeen are 300 squ yards not 300 squ metres. (Council Officers have confused the measurements.)  Within that of course are the vagaries thrown up by making allotments fit the particular sites. I have plots 14 and 16 at Sclattie which I have always known to be small for half plots but plot holders accept what they get. Plot 14 is approx 112 squ metres and plot 16 only 88 squ metres. Both much less than 125 squ metres and certainly much,much less than 150 squ metres.  Of course, other plots in the City may well exceed the standard half and full plot sizes but if that causes no problem to allotment holders, it  need not concern the Council. It will be a case of swings and roundabouts.

For the avoidance of doubt, the size of full plots in Aberdeen is stated in the Allotments Management Policy Document published last October as 250 squ metres.

The assumed plot sizes used by Council Officers resulted in  rent per square metre comparisons  as follows.

Using the more realistic plot sizes suggested for Edinburgh and Glasgow, using the actual plot sizes for Aberdeen and the data for Dundee  produces square metre comparisons which are radically different as can be seen

Aberdeen is 133% more expensive than Dundee, 115% more expensive than Glasgow and almost 17% more expensive than Edinburgh.

No information is given which reflects the comparatively poor services and facilities in Aberdeen. The Council Officer's report shows half a million pounds of capital Expenditure in both Edinburgh and Glasgow over the last 5 years but only £70,000 over the same period for Aberdeen. Councillors can draw their own conclusions from these capital expenditure figures. 

They may also care to reflect that the bulk of that £70,000 was spent on the south side of the City. The neighbourhood system has not served Bucksburn Allotments well. Sclattie Quarry Bucksburn has had a water supply only for a period of months but has no other facilities. There isn't even any boundary fencing. Bankhead has perimeter fencing which is less than waist high. The site is therefore not secure nor is it effectual as a barrier against pests such as rabbits and roe deer which are prolific in the area. Bankhead does not have a water supply.  To compare Sclattie's water supply with Edinburgh, Sclattie has one tap for 22 allotments. Edinburgh has a tap for every eight. No tenant in Edinburgh has to walk more than the length of two plots to access a tap.

 My aim in compiling the information in this email was to provide realistic information, disprove Council Officers assertions that Aberdeen's average allotment size is largest by a significant margin, cheaper than Edinburgh's and only slightly more expensive than Glasgow's. I think I have achieved those aims and also given a more complete picture by including the Data for Dundee.

I hope you appreciate that it would have been impossible to provide you with all the foregoing information and the necessary information on the other matters which give us concern in the ten minutes available to a deputation to a Council Meeting  and of course I am aware that our Deputation is not guaranteed to be heard. I anticipate using email at least once again, perhaps twice to inform you about the other matters in my original email. I ask you to take the time to read these emails when received

Frank Taylor

(Acting Secretary)

Bucksburn Allotments Association