Angry allotment holders in Kingston have lost their fight to stop their rental charges being increased by 12 per cent, after Kingston Council’s executive committee gave the plans the nod on September 29.

More than 100 residents made use of council rules to call-in the hike for scrutiny by opposition councillors, who recommended the increase be put-off until the effects of the recession on household budgets had eased.

But Councillor Bob Steed, executive member for the environment, sustainability and climate change, said he had heard nothing which would persuade him the increase was not justified.

He said the rise was the first for 20 years, and pointed out the 12 per cent “headline figure” worked out at an extra 2p per day for a full plot and 1p per day for concessions.

Declan Terry, who represented allotment holders at the meeting, described the council’s stance as “irresponsible” because residents already had to pay the highest council tax in London.

He said: “We’re talking about a period where there is a credit crunch on, and people ought to be encouraged to grow their own.

“The council ought to not only be reconsidering charges of 12 per cent, but thinking whether they wanted to subsidise (allotments).”

Council leader Councillor Derek Osbourne said: “Even in a credit crunch situation these are small sums of money in terms of the pressures on people’s budgets.

“I understand that people don’t want to pay the extra. I understand that we are in a difficult financial situation across the country - individuals are and so are the council.

“There are a humungous amount of other things that community groups come to us and say ‘this is only x’, and when you add them all up it’s a tremendous amount.”

The new charges of £69 for a full plot and £34.50 for a half plot, with reduced rates of £34.50 and £17.50 respectively for over 60s, will come into force from April 1, 2010.

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