Allotment Betrayal: Lee Anderson challenges Ashfield District Council and Angela Rayner

Ashfield District Council and the Labour Government cannot be trusted with our allotments.

Lee Anderson, Reform UK MP for Ashfield has written to the Leader of Ashfield District Council, Councillor Jason Zadrozny, and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, to call out their betrayal over our allotments.

Allotments are highly valued spaces providing several vital functions including green space, physical and mental wellbeing, education and many more. However, Angela Rayner has shamefully now given permission for councils to sell allotments to raise funds. Shockingly of the 8 allotments the Government have approved the sale of since they took office, 25% of them are in Ashfield.

Lee Anderson said: "When I was elected MP, I never expected to have to fight Ashfield District Council over our valued allotments." He has written to demand the council guarantee no more allotments will be sold, and that Angela Rayner will reconsider her shameful decision to allow councils to sell allotment land before any more allotment space is lost in Ashfield, or anywhere else in the country.

Lee Anderson MP's letters to Ashfield District Council and Angela Rayner MP

You can read the two letters here:

Ashfield District Council:

Dear Councillor Zadrozny,

Re: Sale of Allotments

Over the years I have contacted Ashfield District Council numerous times regarding

allotments.

Kingsway allotment was in a neglected state with overgrown pathways and disused pitches.

Strawberry Bank was not being maintained and the proposed building on the Wesley Street

allotment site was disgraceful.

As the Member of Parliament, I never expected to have to fight the council over preserving

and maintaining allotments. Allotments are a much needed, valued asset for residents. They

are great for fitness, mental health and healthy eating. They are a hobby families can enjoy

together, and lifelong friendships can be made. In this economic climate, they provide good

quality, cheap food. It is clear that this council has utter disdain for them. While I am not

surprised that this Labour government has given the nod to councils to sell them, the

government has approved 8 in total. I am shocked that 25% of these are in Ashfield. This is

nothing short of betrayal.

The Daily Express recently referred to ‘cash-strapped councils being given the green light to

sell assets, including allotment sites, to fund day-to-day spending’. I am constantly told that

Ashfield Districts Council’s finances are in a strong position, the envy of other councils. Why

has Ashfield District Council therefore chosen to do this?

I have 2 simple questions, can you guarantee that no more allotments will be sold off and are

our remaining allotments safe in this councils hands? The people of Ashfield deserve to

answers as it appears that the Ashfield Independents are working hand in hand with Labour.

Yours sincerely,

Lee

Lee Anderson MP

Angela Rayner

Dear The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP,

RE: The Allotment Betrayal

I am writing to express my outrage that you have given permission for councils to sell allotments to raise funds. Allotments provide so many important functions to people across the country, be this green space, mental and physical wellbeing or hands on education for children. These places are lifelines. The fact the Government deems it acceptable to sell these vital spaces, likely to build houses, is a disgrace.

Throughout my time as a Member of Parliament I have been a staunch defender of our allotment space fighting to ensure the sites in my constituency are adequately maintained, and I even fought alongside residents to oppose Ashfield District Councils shameful proposals to build on the Wesley Street allotment site. Allotments face enough challenges from developers and councils as it is, but the fact the Government are now giving their own backing to sell them is a dangerous step that threatens these vital community spaces that have been part of British society for centuries.

This policy is reminiscent of the 1981 Education (School Premises) Regulations of the Thatcher government that gave education authorities the right to sell school land they deemed surplus. The next decade saw 5000 school playing fields sold off to convert into other land uses, often housing. Have we not learned any lessons from this legacy? Given you have decided to issue new guidance to grant flexibility for local authorities to sell off council-owned assets, it seems the answer is a resounding no.

In what way are the actions your Labour government not identical to the policy of the Thatcher government, with the only difference being you are selling off allotments in addition to school playing fields? Is this not therefore even worse? Do you want to be responsible for the loss of even more precious green space and the potentially damaging societal implications that could follow?

Providing new affordable housing is important, but this should never be at the expense of vital community spaces like allotments. Unfortunately, your government appears to be showing utter contempt towards these cherished places. I hope you will reconsider this policy before any allotment space is lost in my constituency, or anywhere else in the country.

Yours Sincerely,

Lee Anderson MP