ALLOTMENTS in Nottingham could fall into decline if plans to change the way they are run go ahead, it is claimed.
The city council wants to alter its agreements with allotment associations, which lease and self-manage some of the city's 40 allotment sites.
Possible changes to the lease agreements include a cut in the amount of plot rent that associations keep in exchange for helping to run the sites.
Or they could get a rise in their share in exchange for taking on more responsibility.
John Kidger, secretary of Clifton Garden Holders Lease Holders Association, helps run Merevale Allotments, Clifton.
He said one proposal involved dropping the associations' share of rent from 75 per cent to 50 per cent.
Mr Kidger, who has helped run the site since 1976, said: "The deal, as I see it, is detrimental to the one we have. The city council will have no liability to do anything on the site when currently they are responsible for major repairs.
"We just manage to run it on our income now but to be responsible for things like roadways and boundaries, it's financially bad, it's not viable."
Mr Kidger said he collects a maximum rent of £1,600 a year of which the association keeps 75 per cent, or £1,200, and the council takes 25 per cent, or £400.
This could change to the association keeping £800 while the council takes £800.
He said: "One or two secretaries fear it could drive people away. Some might still be interested in administering them, but how long is it going to last?"
The council is already raising rents for allotments to 20p per square metre by 2016, up from 7p as recently as last year, after a rise in demand.
Mr Kidger added: "With the rent increases coming on we are worried. We are dependent on people renting plots and if there's no rent, there's no income."
Fred Bailey, 70, secretary of the allotment site in Stockhill Lane, said: "The new proposals are up for discussion and are not set in stone, but it is confusing.
"There are 20-odd pages of consultation and I think it boils down to them wanting us to do more for nothing. No-one will want to. It's complicated and I don't understand half of it."
Associations could choose to stick to their existing deals until they run out.
A city council spokesman said: "We are consulting with allotment associations on proposed changes to lease agreements.
"One proposed changes is to increase the existing 75 per cent site rent rebate for associations to a 100 per cent in return for associations taking on more responsibilities in administering allotment sites.
"We understand associations will want to get together to discuss these proposed changes and we will listen to any suggestions they have."
The associations are meeting at Basford Hall Miners' Welfare on Thursday at 7pm.
