Allotment hopes to be dashed in transfer

Hebden Royd Town Council is set to take over the running of six sought-after allotments on the Banksfield Estate in Mytholmroyd from Calderdale Council.

The 0.15 hectare site will be subject to a 125-year lease to Hebden Royd Council, at no cost, in order to give greater control to local communities.

If the land is transferred, Hebden Royd Town Council will become responsible for the management of the waiting list and is obliged to only select applicants from Hebden Royd, meaning that one person in six on the waiting list will no longer be eligible as they live outside the area. Of those, a third have no other choice of allotment.

Applications from Hebden Royd residents will not change.

Currently 60 people are on the waiting list for the council’s only allotment site in Hebden Royd.

The transfer was supposed to go through in January, but confusion over the size of the land in question meant that the deal has had to be delayed until Monday, when it will be discussed at a Calderdale Council cabinet meeting.

Calderdale Council cabinet member, Councillor Pauline Nash, said: “Transferring the allotments to Hebden Royd Town Council means that local people will have a say in running their allotments.

“Hebden Royd Town Council has been really positive in trying to develop allotments in the area and it is right that they are involved in running the Banksfield allotments.”

Further tests are to be carried out at the Milner Royd allotment site in Sowerby Bridge, which earlier this month was revealed to have elevated levels of metals including lead.

Consultants are to dig trial pits and further food samples may also be tested. A report is due in July or August. The advice remains that produce should not be eaten.