New Objectives

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Objectives as amended and agreed by vote at SGM, 16th May 2012

The overall Aim of the Allotment Federation is to protect and promote the rights of allotmenteers in Brighton and Hove.

The Federation will carry this out through pursuing the following objectives:

1)     To protect the interests of allotmenteers and represent them effectively to Brighton and Hove City Council and all allotment landowners. In particular, to protect and represent allotmenteers on allotments administration, rents, rules, facilities and site management, ensuring that participatory and non-discriminatory principles are followed, with transparency in all activities.

2)     To monitor the provision of, and maintain the security of tenure, of all lands designated as allotments, promoting an increase where necessary and actively resisting any proposed decrease or change of land use, whilst ensuring that Brighton and Hove City Council meets its statutory obligations, as stated in the 1908 to 1950s Allotments Acts and other legislation.

3)     Establish effective communications with local statutory and non-statutory bodies, and those officers of Brighton and Hove City Council whose responsibilities include any matter relating to allotments and leisure gardens. To participate in local planning reviews and develop an allotments strategy in partnership with other bodies.

4)     To encourage the effective use of allotments and the adoption of good practice in sustainable management of the land, including the provision of information and the promotion of events and training.

5)     To work to ensure that allotments are and remain affordable to all. In particular, to support allotment-holders wanting sufficient allotment land to provide themselves and their families with a year-round supply of food crop, and to challenge any allotment rules which prevent or restrict this ability.

6)     To promote and protect diverse gardening practices, organic cultivation and the conservation of allotments as places of great bio-diversity and as wildlife corridors within and around the city, and press the council to observe its own wildlife policy, as well as its national statutory obligations, in relation to biodiversity and habitat conservation, in management of allotment sites.

7)     To encourage, advise and support the formation of allotment societies and associations, encouraging the sharing of site resources, skills, knowledge and equipment, and to recognise said groups as partners in the Federation’s work, whilst recognising the autonomy of management committees in regard to their own affairs.

8)     To act as the focal point for “site representatives” providing advice and support, especially to allotment tenants on sites without allotment societies or associations. In addition, to act as the liaison between site representatives and individual tenants in matters of dispute.

9)     To take measures to ensure that funds raised from rental income, grants or by other means are used efficiently and effectively in the management and development of sites to the benefit of all allotment holdersand to scrutinise maintenance and improvement of facilities, including site protection and the provision of plots for people with disabilities and special needs.

10)  To work in partnership with local community food projects, environmental organisations, community organisations and city residents, among others, on matters of mutual interest, promoting a greater understanding of allotment gardening and food growing within the local community, with emphasis on the health and environmental benefits of local food growing and leisure gardening.

11)  To research, inform, educate and report on matters relevant to allotments and leisure gardens both locally and nationally, and to actively inform and consult Federation members about issues which impact on allotments, keeping plot holders informed via the BHAF website and other means.