A VILLAGE allotment faces an uncertain future as members threaten to give up their leases following a string of vandalism and thefts.
A teenager’s shed was torched in the latest incident at Gainford Allotments and previously crops have been stolen and shed doors removed.
Now the allotment association is hoping to beef up security by installing two gates and repairing a wall because of fears that some members may abandon their gardens.
Association treasurer Sarah Hannan told Gainford Parish Council during its February meeting that at least three people have said they might not renew the leases on their allotments.
The treasurer, who is also a member of the parish council, said: “There have been a lot of break-ins. I keep getting emails every week and the police have been down several times. The allotments are just not secure. We have had several people say they do not want to renew their leases because of the problems. It is going to affect the viability of the allotments.”
Cllr Hannan said a number of dog walkers allow their animals to foul in the area which is an additional health concern because food is grown there.
She added: “We want to put gates in at the top end and the bottom, and the wall needs repair. We don’t have enough money to do that so we are coming to you, as our landlord.”
Cllr Hannan said the association was unable to apply for funding for the work because the land was being leased on a rolling basis.
She added: “As soon as we can get ownership of the land, or a 25-year lease as a minimum, we could attract all sorts of funding.”
Parish clerk Martin Clark pointed out that the council does not own the land but leases it from a property developer.
He urged the association to get quotes on the work that needs doing so that the issue could be looked into in further detail.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
