Agenda item
Allotment Rental Charge 2026 & 2027
- Meeting of Cabinet, Wednesday, 30th October, 2024 5.00 pm (Item 212.)
- View the background to item 212.
Report attached.
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered a report of Councillor Kate Walsh, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Families, seeking approval for a proposed increase in allotment rent charges from the 1st January 2026 and 1st January 2027
Councillor Walsh provided a brief introduction to the report.
Approval of the report was deemed a key decision.
Reasons for Decision
It was recommended that from 1st January 2026 the allotment rent charge be increased from 28.5p/m2 annum to 30.0p/m2 annum, and the minimum plot charge be increased from £55.00pa to £60.00pa, and that that from 1st January 2027 the allotment rent charge be increased from 30.0p/m2 annum to 32.0p/m2 annum, the minimum plot charge be increased from £60.00pa to £65.00pa.
During 2012, the Council had consulted with the allotment tenants. 83% of those responding said that rent should be increased regularly in small amounts rather than single large increments at irregular intervals.
Since 2014, the Council had progressively increased the allotment rents in small annual increments to ensure that the annual rate of increase was kept reasonable, as shown below. Allotment rents were charged by calendar year.
2014 |
11p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £35.00. |
|
2015 |
12p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £35.00. |
|
2016 |
13p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £35.00. |
|
2017 |
14p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £35.00. |
|
2018 |
16p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £40.00. |
|
2019 |
18p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £40.00. |
|
2020 |
22p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £45.00. |
|
2021 |
23p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £50.00. |
|
2022 |
23.5p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £50.00. |
|
2023 |
24p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £50.00. |
|
2024 |
25p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £50.00. |
|
2025 |
28.5p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £55.00. |
|
2026 |
30.0p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £60.00. |
Recommended for approval. |
2027 |
32.0p/m2 annum. Minimum charge £65.00. |
Recommended for approval. |
The minimum charge was the lowest amount of rent charged per plot regardless of plot size.
Prior to 2014, the allotment rents had not been increased since 2006 and had been amongst the lowest in England (data supplied by the National Allotment Society). Between 2006 and 2014 the annual allotment rents had been charged 7.5p/m2 (Average).
The Council had a legal duty to notify tenants 12 months in advance of an allotment rent increase. To facilitate the 1st January 2026 rent increase, allotment tenants would have to be advised by the 31st December 2024.
The Councils allotment service was operated on a ‘cost neutral’ basis, without profit. Having taken into account inflationary pressures in financial years 2026-2027 & 2027-2028, and increased Council costs, the recommended rent increase would enable the Council to continue to provide the present ‘cost neutral’ service level.
The Allotment Act 1950 stated that an authority might charge such rent as a tenant might “reasonably be expected to pay”. The recommended rental increase had taken account of all of the following factors:
- Comparison with other neighbouring Local Authorities;
- Comparison with other local recreational activities;
- National Allotment Society Policy Document 103. Rents; and
- Consultation with the Hyndburn Federation of Allotments.
Comparison with neighbouring allotment authorities
The following information had been supplied by the various allotment authorities attending the North West Allotment Officers meeting held on the 16th October 2019. The following rents were charged in 2019, with the latest 2023 and 2024 rents provided for comparison:
|
2019 |
2023 |
2024 |
Bradford |
17p/m2 |
22p/m2 |
40p/m2 |
Bury (includes water) |
68p/m2 |
£1.25/m2 |
£1.25/m2 |
Cheshire West |
16.5p/m2 |
16.5p/m2 |
21p/m2 |
Colne Town Council |
36p/m2 |
36p/m2 |
36p/m2 |
Kendal |
37p/m2 |
37p/m2 |
41p/m2 |
Leeds |
29p/m2 |
31p/m2 |
31p/m2 |
Preston |
34p/m2 |
37p/m2 |
37p/m2 |
Skipton |
35p/m2 |
35p/m2 |
35p/m2 |
St Helens |
24p/m2 |
45p/m2 |
45p/m2 |
Tameside |
44p/m2 |
50p/m2 |
52p/m2 |
Trafford |
41.5p/m2 |
41.5p/m2 |
41.5p/m2 |
The average 2024 rent (excluding Bury) was 38p/m2.
The following rents were charged by the nearest neighbouring local authorities:
|
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Blackburn with Darwen |
28p/m2 |
28p/m2 |
28p/m2 |
Burnley |
30p/m2 |
30p/m2 |
31p/m2 |
The allotment rent charged by Hyndburn remained similar when compared to the rents presently charged by Hyndburn’s immediate neighbours Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley. It was reasonable to conclude that the proposed rent increase was consistent when compared to other local authorities.
There were no local recreational activities which were directly comparable to the allotments. The Council had introduced rents for the use of football pitches and bowling greens, set at an incremental rate to ensure that the use of these facilities became cost neutral. The increase in allotment rents had followed the same trajectory.
The National Allotment Society had produced Policy Document 103 – Rents. The National Allotment Society recognised within its Policy the significance of rent to the allotment provider as an income, and further added that rents should be reasonable and set in accordance with the legal requirement (as described in Section 3.11 of the report). When considering NAS Policy 103, the Council had taken the following into account:
- The long-term financial sustainability of the allotments;
- The nature, quality and cost of facilities provided, including the cost of maintenance; and
- Expenditure on management and administration.
With reference to the NAS Policy 103, it was reasonable for the Council to make the allotment service cost neutral. The demand created on the service had established the management cost to the Council, and therefore through necessity the level of rent charged onward to the allotment tenants.
The report included a summary of relevant legislation and case law to be taken into account.
The Allotments Acts 1908-1950 were prescriptive regarding the provision of allotments. The Council had had regard to the Allotments Acts when considering the rent on allotment sites. In considering Section 10(1) of the Allotments Act 1950, the Council had taken the following into account when proposing the level of allotment rent:
- The rate by which the allotment rent had been increased was comparable to that set by other recreational activities within Hyndburn;
- The tenant consultation during 2012 had established that allotment tenants were in favour of small regular increases, rather than large increases at irregular intervals;
- The allotment rent set by Hyndburn Borough Council remained comparable to that set by neighbouring local authorities;
- Consultation with the Hyndburn Federation of Allotments (HFA), had produced a favourable response, accepting that a rent increase was needed to enable the service to continue at its present level; and
- The rent increase took into consideration the rent policy set by the National Allotment Society.
Alternative Options considered and Reasons for Rejection
No rent change or reduced rate of rent increment:
Owing to inflationary pressures and increased Council costs the allotment service would become under-funded during 2026 & 2027 resulting in the need to achieve cost savings. In this event, the allotment service would reduce its ability undertake functions in compliance with its management role and that described within the allotment tenancy agreement.
In officers’ opinion, there were no other reasonable alternatives. Officers recommend that the alternative option be rejected on the grounds that the allotment service should continue to provide a cost neutral, effective and efficient service in its present format. The recommended option was reasonable to ensure that the allotment service continued to provide the level of service expected by allotment tenants.
Resolved - That Cabinet approves the increased allotment rent charges from 1st January 2026 and 1st January 2027 as set out in Paragraph 3.1 of the report, allowing for the statutory notification period, as noted in Paragraph 3.5 of the report.
Supporting documents: