Allotment owners in Barry are worried that a major rent increase proposed by the council could price them out of plots they have tended to for years. As part of its proposed fees and charges for 2023/24, the Vale of Glamorgan Council is looking at increasing the annual rent for allotments by 67% for Barry and Rhoose.
At the Old Pencoedtre Allotment on Eifion Close, Barry, many of the gardeners say their spaces have been invaluable over the years, especially during the cost of living crisis, in helping them to put food on the table and look after their mental well-being. Karen Glover, who has rented her allotment for 13 years, said: "Obviously we can't get 100% of our food from there. We wouldn't pretend to, but a huge portion of our food comes from the allotment.
"We go to the allotment daily. It is not just for the food side of it either. It is also for the mental health benefits that we get from it. I am a cancer sufferer. I was diagnosed during the pandemic and honestly, without the plot I don't know how I would have got through it." The council's proposed allotment fee for this year would see it go up from £6.50 per perch (25.3 meters squared) per year to £11.20 per perch per year.
