Fires On Allotments Update

Question to Adam Brind and the Answer received on the 24th October 2019 

5) When will you formally verify the proposed changes re Bonfires on Allotments

I have circulated the revised text and only had three comments back, all asking about open fires and community events for bonfire night.  I think an additional line saying: "Open fires may be held on site for 5 evenings before or after 5th November to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night".

The text now reads as follows:

Policy P22

From 1st January 2020 open bonfires are not allowed on the council’s allotment sites. However waste material that cannot be disposed of by composting or other means may be burned in an incinerator or clean oil drum during the period 1st October to 15th March.  Fires should not be lit more than 2 hours before dusk and are not permitted on Bank Holidays during this period. Material that is damp or green must not be burnt until it dries out fully. See the allotment Gardeners Guidelines for more information on how to dispose of material without burning and never burn materials such as plastics that may cause pollution.

To allow for Guy Fawkes night celebrations, open bonfires are permitted on allotment sites for 5 nights before and five nights after 5th November each year.  Green, damp and plastic materials must not be burnt on open bonfires. 

Note that by law you could be fined if you light a fire and allow the smoke to drift across the road and become a danger to traffic.  If you cause a nuisance by frequently having fires or allowing smoke to drift into neighbouring properties the Council can issue an ‘abatement notice’ and you can be fined up to £5,000 if you do not comply with the notice.  In addition, failure to abide by this policy will result in termination of the allotment agreement. 

This Policy supersedes the guidance in Version 6 - 2018 of the Allotment Gardeners Guidelines.