Allotments guidance for local authorities: consultation

Vision – of the authority's strategy. The authority's food-growing strategy will set out the overall vision of what the particular strategy is to achieve over the next 5 years in that authority's area.
The vision may be that the authority plans to make more growing space available in its local area to meet the requirements of section 112 of the Act, or to provide additional support and training to those undertaking or wishing to undertake grow-your-own activities who lack the necessary skills to do so, or to target specific health / social improvements in its area through promoting grow-your-own.

The vision of the strategy will be tailored towards the needs of that particular authority, and will identify and set out how needs or gaps identified by the authority will be addressed.

Any relevant background – to the authority's particular strategy approach which is not captured in other areas of the template, such as background to particular local issues it addresses, approaches to stakeholder engagement, or how the food-growing strategy links to other local authority health / biodiversity / social / economic policies etc.

(10.1-10.6) Impacts and benefits to be realised – Consider social / economic / health / education / environmental benefits to be gained from current / future plans set out in the strategy.

(9.1-9.4) Goals – consider how the goals are being met by the strategy.

(8.1-8.10) Planning – interactions / outcomes with local authority planning partners e.g. inclusion of allotments or other growing spaces on Local Development Plans / master-plans for areas of development / housing expansion etc.

(11.1-11.5) Identification of land – consider whether all forms of land and growing spaces are being considered. Include explanation of why certain types of land are excluded or why it is not appropriate to consider them

(11.6-11.16) Outcome of the land audit – audit and map sites of growing space and locations of demand.

Authorities should audit and map all existing allotment sites and other growing spaces so that the authority can set out its current position. The authority should also map newly identified / future proposals for growing land/growing spaces.

Authorities should map demand, both current and anticipated future demand to take account of planned housing developments etc.

Details of the audit and mapping activities should include processes used / not used / outcomes.

(13.1-13.3) Stakeholder engagement – details of the stakeholder engagement or consultation carried out to implement the steps set out in the strategy.

(8.1-8.10, 11.1-11.16) Reasonable steps – if required to take reasonable steps under section 112(1), the steps the local authority has taken or intends to take to increase its provision of (i) allotments and (ii) other grow-your-own sites where there is an identified need.

(iii) Particularly whether, and how, the authority will increase suitable growing space in communities which experience socio-economic disadvantage.

(13.3, 14.1-14.3) Assistance to community growing groups – detail any assistance (financial and non-financial) provided to local community groups and details of information and training opportunities for people who want to get involved in allotments or grow-your-own.

Other information – the authority should include any further information relevant to their local area which should be included in their food-growing strategy. This may, for example, include any training programmes, sources of help or other assistance available.

Review date – the date the authority's strategy as a whole is to be reviewed. If there are any actions or steps to be reviewed before the next strategy review date, how and when they will be monitored and reviewed.