In the spring of 2003 the Parish Council asked the plotholders on the council's allotments to administer the plots themselves. The administration of the plots was proving too time consuming for the council staff.
On the 1st April 2003 the Lambourn Allotment Society was set up and took over administration of the allotment site from that date. The Society is run by a committee of 5 people. The Society elects annually a chairman, treasurer, secretary and a further committee member; a councillor is appointed to the committee by the Parish Council. The committee is charged with administering the plots to ensure that as many as possible are used and is able to use the rents received to pay for water, insurance and maintenance costs such as rabbit control and fence repairs. Any surplus is used for improvements such as additional rabbit fencing and hard surfacing for vehicular access.
Long term plans (5-10 years) are limited as the security of tenure is only on an annual basis. However the Society's general aims are:
To continue to encourage maximum occupancy of the plots
To make improvements to the site as funds permit
To encourage an improving standard of husbandry and tidiness of the plots
There is currently a waiting list for plots but interested parties should firstly make themselves known to the Society's Waiting List Secretary, lambourn.allotments@gmail.com
Pierre Josling
Acting Chairman
Lambourn Allotment Society