Work pressing ahead on new vision for allotments in Hartlepool

Earlier this year it was agreed to develop a new allotment strategy looking at priorities for the area and seeking to “build bridges” between holders and the council.

At the latest Hartlepool Council adult and community based services committee, officers provided an update on the consultation plans for the strategy following questions on the issue.

Council chiefs said all allotment holders in the region will be consulted to help shape the process, which has been “received very positively” since it was announced earlier this year.

Jill Harrison, director of adult and community based services, said: “We’ve been very clear that we will involve all allotment holders.

“Whether that’s through written communications, whether people want to participate online, whether we do have some small focus groups.

“I think we’ve got some real positives to build on and actually the team are doing a really good job at widening that consultation with allotment holders and involving more people.”

Cllr Sue Little, vice-chair of the committee, noted there are 1,000 allotment holders in Hartlepool and the council is working hard to ensure they all are heard in the strategy going forward.

She said: “We need to give time for the officers to get the new process underway.

“It’s going to be a long process, a hard process, but it’s going to be a better way to go forward.”

Gemma Ptak, assistant director for preventative and community based services, added they are currently compiling a consultation plan which will inform the strategy going forward.

She said: “We want to make sure it’s suiting the needs of everyone in terms of the scope that people want to engage with us, so it won’t all be digital, it won’t all be online, some of it will be face to face conversations.”

She added they are also waiting for further lifting of Covid-19 restrictions to see other possible consultation methods, and updates will be provided to the committee at a future meeting.

The consultation also includes postponing the implementation of previously discussed rule changes until 2022, to allow for further consultation.

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