Worthing and District Allotments and Gardens Association

How do I get an allotment?

With some difficulty in most parts of the country and a great deal of patience. In recent times demand has far outstretched supply resulting in some pretty long waiting lists but the important thing is to get your name on the list. In the Worthing area the council has contracted allotment matters out to a firm called Continental Landscapes and you are supposed to go through them, so to arrange to be added to the waiting list please contact them. Here are their contact details:

Continental Landscapes
Telephone: 01903 227070
Fax: 01903 227076
E-Mail worthingsports@continental-landscapes.co.uk
Postal Address and Location:

They will probably send you a form to fill in but if you want to save a bit of time you can download one yourself by clicking here.

Once you have reached the top of the list you will be contacted by an overseer at one of the sites or a member of Continental Landscapes. A site meeting will be arranged and, with a bit of luck, a suitable plot agreed upon. The agreement can now be completed and the tenancy granted. A key for the allotment site and a copy of the Rules and Conditions will be given to you.

Allotment rents for the forthcoming year are due each January; proportionate bills will be calculated for part years. At the moment the annual rent is £30 for a 5½ sq rod plot. You get a discount of 30% if you are 65 or over .

If you want to go through the council ring them on 221067. They also have an Allotment Web Page and a bit about our association but the best way to contact us is via this site (Membership page) or by clicking on the Contact Us button above.

If you get an allotment it's a good idea to join the Association (£5 for the first year, £3 in subsequent years). One of the main aims of the Association is to champion the allotments cause, working with the council, the police and other bodies. For other benefits see our membership page. The Association is affiliated to both the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Vegetable Society and at present we have around 600 members.

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Looking after your plot

Once you've got your plot it's your responsilbility to keep it up to scratch. Here's a few tips to keep you the right side of Worthing Borough Council and neighbouring allotmenteers.

WORTHING ALLOTMENTS TOP TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD DO & KNOW

1. DO - Keep your plot in a tidy and productive condition at all times.

2. DO - Think of your neighbours and don't export your weed and grass seed to their plots.

3. DO - Take a pride in the whole site, keeping all surrounding paths cut and clear of any obstructions. Safe and easy access around the site is important at all times.

4. DO - Compost all green waste; your soil needs all the compost it can get. Every plot MUST have a compost bin or heap and don't forget to read the Worthing Borough Council document "How to Make Compost".

5. DO - Dispose of any rubbish that cannot be composted responsibly. (Please note ALL bins are to be removed from April 2009). If you do have large items that need removal, i.e. old sheds, etc. please contact Continental Landscapes Ltd in the first instance on 01903 227074.

6. DO - Let your overseer know if you know of a plot holder who is unable to tend their plot due to illness. Whilst in its infancy there is a scheme whereby help can be given to plotholders in genuine need of help.

7. DO - Keep the gates locked at all times, to discourage thieves and vandals.

8. DO - Read the notice boards regularly, and discuss any problems with your overseer or ring Continental Landscapes Ltd on 01903 227074.

9. DO - Park your vehicle at all times responsibly, and where it will not cause a nuisance or obstruct any roadways or pathways.

10. DO - Join the Worthing and District Allotments & Gardens Association. The organisation works hard on behalf of the whole allotment community, to improve all aspects of the allotment scene in Worthing. Visit their website www.worthingallotments.co.uk for the latest local allotment news. Allotments are a great hobby. You get healthy exercise and you get to eat fresh fruit and vegetables that have only been treated with what you choose to use but REMEMBER: TENANTS WHO BREAK THE RULES MAY LOSE THEIR PLOTS.

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Looking for Help

The best people to ask for advice in the first instance are those on adjacent allotments. Allotmenteers are by and large a friendly bunch all too willing to share their wisdom and knowledge of local soil and climate conditions. They'll know what grows well and what doesn't and you won't go far wrong if you follow their advice in the early years. Later on, of course, you'll want to experiment and see just what you can do. A very useful first contact is the Worthing and District Allotments and Gardens Association, not just this website but the whole caboodle; go the whole hog and become a member for the princely sum of £3 a year (+£2 joining fee for first year).

Books on allotment gardening and growing your own abound. I have a couple myself: The Allotment Handbook by Caroline Foley and my gardening bible, Food from your Garden by Readers Digest. The Dr Hessayon "Expert" books are also very good.

If you have a computer, as is quite likely if you are reading this, there are loads of websites out there. We have quite a few suggestions on our Links page but a couple I would single out to start with are the BBC Gardeners' World site and the West Sussex Green Club site.

Once you've got going, you may get the show bug. The first time I tried I was delighted to come away with a few prizes but something even better was meeting fellow exhibitors who are only too willing to share a few tips if not necessarily all their secrets. And they know about local problems and how to overcome them so even if you don't show yourself it may be a good idea to go to the show and ask a few questions. Most growers are very friendly and keen to help. For a few tips to get you going try our Showing page.

Co-worker Scheme

New “Co-Worker” Initiative

Worthing Borough Council has recently introduced a “Co-Worker” initiative. Firstly I’d like to stress that tenants cannot assign, sublet the whole or part of their allotment.

However, a tenant may now share the cultivation with another party by registering a named person as a co-worker. Co-workers must sign a co-worker agreement, which has to be countersigned by the tenant and sent to the Continental Landscapes. Agreements are available from Continental Landscapes, overseers or from our allotment stores.

Co-workers will have the authority to tend the allotment plot on their own. Co-workers will also have the right to be in a possession of an allotment gate key. Co-workers are obliged to abide by the Allotment Rules and Conditions. Any breaches of the Allotment Rules and Conditions will result in a review of the tenancy. The tenant therefore is responsible for the co-worker’s actions at all times and both would have to vacate the plot if the tenancy was terminated.

Co-workers or tenants may end a co-working agreement at any time but only the tenant can relinquish the plot. The Council or Continental Landscapes must be informed in writing in either case. Should the tenant decide to relinquish the plot, preferential consideration will be given to the named co-worker's having first refusal of taking over the tenancy, but only if they have been a recognised co-worker for at least twelve months. It is the responsibility of the tenant to inform the Council or Continental Landscapes if it is proposed that the Tenancy of the plot is transferred to a named co-worker; however, any proposal to transfer a tenancy to a co-worker must ultimately be agreed by the Council or Continental Landscapes.

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