Nasty nasty Swanley Town Council

[MrsKP]

Gardener ordered off allotment by Lizzie Thornton, Kentish Times 13/3/08

A woman who has tended an allotment plot for more than 10 years has been forced off the land.

Swanley town council said christine Ford, 47, of Claremont road, Hextable, was told she would have to quit the plot when Hextable breaks away to form its own parish council as Swanley gives priority to its own residents.

The mother-of-two, who transformed the allotment near swanley Park took over in 1997, had the support of Swanley plot-holders who signed her petition last year.

But at a council meeting last thursday she was told her bid to keep the plot had failed and she must vacate the land.

She said "At the moment I just feel very disheartened.  I'm not sure I want to start again on another allotment.

"Yes, it is reasonable for Swanley residents to have priority but it is totally unreasonable to kick me out after 11 years.  I also think it is a petty, political decision because Swanley councillors are bitter about Hextable breaking off.

"When I first got the plot it was covered in perennial couch grass, which is a very nasty, persistent weed.  I eventually gor rid of it all and turned it into a healthy, productive patch of land.

"For someone else to just come and pick up where I left off is very unfair.  I don't know the procedure as to whether I can appeal but I probably will, in time".

Mrs Ford, who produces organic food for her teenage children from the plot, has been told she can stay on the land until December.

Gravesham council and Bexley council were among six authorities which wrote to Swanley in support of Mrs Ford.

Independent councillor Dee Morris said "it's outrageous the council could do this to the poor woman.  She's been here for 11 years!".

But Conservative councillor Robert Woodbridge said:  "The council have a policy on allotments and we have to stick to it.  The point is that Swanley Town Council has a waiting list of 12 people for allotment and it's not fair when there is somebody from hextable taking up a space.  it's not a political decision.

"The other councils that say they're supporting Mrs Ford don't have waiting list and that's the difference.

"Mrs ford was told in July 2006 that she had to move when hextable becomes independent so she's had enough time to find somewhere else".


Wouldn't you like to meet Mr Woodbridge on a dark night with a bucket of cow poo ?  Forward, open thinking man of letters that he is.

I know what I'd do ................ Move !  or at least change address.

The swines!  :-X

[MrsKP]

[Deb P]

Not a political desicion my ar**! How ridiculous! :(

[saddad]

Dreadful behaviour...  >:(

[kenkew]

She's a victim, nothing less. I could understand handing the plot to a local after she finished with it, but to take away the land she has transformed is criminal.
What a pathetic bunch of pratts!........ :P

[pg]

Life as a Swanley Town Councillor must be difficult  ;) as their heads seem to be full of so many end-of-the-world worries.

[artichoke]

Our newly formed allotment committee has a similar problem: with so many on our waiting list, we have decided to close the list to people outside the immediate area.

BUT we made exceptions for one or two people already there. One man has coached village scout group for years, although he comes from somewhere else, and has done wonders with his plot, which used to be under a very messy dump (mattresses, club root cabbages, barbed wire, old carpets etc).

Can Christine Ford make an appeal based on local connections of some sort? It is very unreasonable to turn people off who have worked well for so long. The new rule should clearly not be retrospective, but should apply only to new applications.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Is there an actual rule which says that plots can only be let to residents of Swanley? If nit, they don't have grounds to throw her off unless there's something else we don't know.

[manicscousers]

sorry to be vidictive, I'd be salting the land but that's just me..mean s*ds  >:(

[calendula]

I know what I'd do ................ Move !  or at least change address.

The swines!  :-X

I'd be campaigning to rename them Swinely Town Council - it's either that or swearing rather badly which I won't on here  :o

[MrsKP]

sorry to be vidictive, I'd be salting the land but that's just me..mean s*ds  >:(

It had occurred to me too but that would be just mean  :P

Don't know the lady personally, but came across the article in one of the freebie newspapers that was delivered this week.  She's got plenty of backing from the other councils so I'm sure she's been well advised.

Just another sign that the world is barmy ......... well in Swanley anyway.

Having spent a few months down here now, I've spied quite a few allotments dotted around.  Am running out of time now, but should have gone for a wander really.

[betula]

How mean can you get :'(

[Ian Rashbrook]

Just to let people here know the background to this situation.

Hextable is currently part of Swanley parish and people from Hextable can therefore access the full range of services provided by Swanley Town Council. Those services are very extensive compared to typical town councils and include Senior and Youth Passport schemes providing trips to facilities not available in the town, sports pitches, parks, bars and restaurants as well as allotments. Some of the services are provided for Swanley residents only while others can be accessed by anyone.

Following a campaign by Hextable Residents Association and the Hextable ward councillors for a separate parish, Hextable ceases to be part of Swanley on 1 April 2008. We warned Hextable residents about the loss of access to Swanley services if Hextable became a separate parish but residents backed the separation in a consultation regardless.

I feel very sorry for Mrs Ford and for the people who can no longer access other Swanley services after 1 April this year. Unfortunately it is an inevitable consequence of the choice that Hextable residents have made.

I suspect the main reason why people backed the separation of Hextable from Swanley was because they were told by their Hextable Independent councillors that it would mean lower council taxes. In reality the council tax in Hextable will go up by 15 per cent. Residents were also told by Hextable Independent Councillors that they would get the same services. The claims made by the Hextable Independents about council tax and services are both now shown to be untrue.

Rather than getting uptight about Swanley Town Council, people should really be directing their criticism at the Hextable Independent councillors who campaigned for a separate parish and misled Hextable residents into supporting it.

[betula]

All very interesting Ian but surely sometimes people have to act honourably and with Grace.The world will not end if this lady is allowed to keep her plot.
Good to think outside of the box sometimes. :)

[Barnowl]

I'm sure most of what Mr Rashbrook has written is accurate but I do think when posting on a political matter people should declare an interest.

Irrespective of any allegedly misleading statements by the independent councillors (good heavens, politicians not telling the truth) , it does seem a vindictive decision - couldn't they do a swap by letting Swanley have the right to one Hextable allotment?

I would expect a Labour councillor to support someone in this position.

[Robert_Brenchley]

It sounds as though the Swanley lot have a grudge, and the plotholder is sufficiently powerless to be used as a sacrifice to their spleen.

[OllieC]

Just to let people here know the background to this situation.

Hextable is currently part of Swanley parish and people from Hextable can therefore access the full range of services provided by Swanley Town Council. Those services are very extensive compared to typical town councils and include Senior and Youth Passport schemes providing trips to facilities not available in the town, sports pitches, parks, bars and restaurants as well as allotments. Some of the services are provided for Swanley residents only while others can be accessed by anyone.

Following a campaign by Hextable Residents Association and the Hextable ward councillors for a separate parish, Hextable ceases to be part of Swanley on 1 April 2008. We warned Hextable residents about the loss of access to Swanley services if Hextable became a separate parish but residents backed the separation in a consultation regardless.

I feel very sorry for Mrs Ford and for the people who can no longer access other Swanley services after 1 April this year. Unfortunately it is an inevitable consequence of the choice that Hextable residents have made.

I suspect the main reason why people backed the separation of Hextable from Swanley was because they were told by their Hextable Independent councillors that it would mean lower council taxes. In reality the council tax in Hextable will go up by 15 per cent. Residents were also told by Hextable Independent Councillors that they would get the same services. The claims made by the Hextable Independents about council tax and services are both now shown to be untrue.

Rather than getting uptight about Swanley Town Council, people should really be directing their criticism at the Hextable Independent councillors who campaigned for a separate parish and misled Hextable residents into supporting it.

Your comments make you sound like yet another clipboard-wielding jobsworth, out to prove a point and happy to make the lives of others a misery in order to prove your point. Can't you get a propper job?

[caroline7758]

If you google him you'll find he's a town councillor (surprise!)

[DenBee]

Was a town councillor (Labour).  Was beaten at the last election by a Conservative.

I think this whole murky thing is grubby politics, with people being used as pawns in the game.  I have no idea except what I've read here about the situation regarding Swanley and Hextable separating.  But I don't think either side should be quite so keen to throw their teddies out of the pram.  This kind of behaviour has a tendency to backfire.

[cambourne7]

as parish councilors they are supposed to be fair and impartial she could take them to the standards board if she feels that there is something wrong.

There obviously worried if this Ian Rashbrook registered just to see what were all saying, i would go to the daily mail they love this middle england bashing.

[Uncle Joshua]

Was a town councillor (Labour).  Was beaten at the last election by a Conservative.

I hope thats going to happen lots very soon.

I think this is ridiculus and so is the ex councillor for trying to justify it.