Labour policy is to expand allotments

I am writing as chairman of the town council’s asset management committee, with responsibilities, among other things, for allotments.

I have been approached by a number of allotment holders who have been concerned by an extremely misleading leaflet circulated by another town councillor in which he implies that the town’s allotments are under threat – the implication being that we would look for developments on these sites.

Under Labour stewardship of Otley Town Council, more allotment land is being sought to satisfy the long waiting list that has built up over the past few years.

So let me categorically put on record that, while Labour runs the town council, no allotment land will be sold off for development – on the contrary we are actively seeking more allotments!

It is clear that the present Lib Dem/ Conservative Government is wanting to relax planning rules so that there is a presumption in favour of developers – something that has been condemned by a number of national charities, including the National Trust.

The aforementioned town councillor would do well to challenge his own Government’s laissez-faire approach to planning matters, rather than attempting to suggest that locally we are up for developments on our allotment sites.

However, to reiterate, it remains the Labour Party’s policy locally to expand allotment provision in the town.

Coun Nigel Gill

Labour, Manor Ward, Otley Town Council

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