The following motions have been received in accordance with Procedure Rule 16:

1.  The following motion has been received from Councillor Rosemary Dartnall and is supported by Councillor Kate Halliday and members of the Labour Group

Small Lots of Public Land and the Right to Grow Food

Shropshire communities face a perfect storm of escalating prices for food, for energy just as the evidence for the climate crisis is unfolding before our eyes. This motion requests the council to make available small plots of public land for community food growing.

This initiative seeks to help Shropshire neighbourhoods become more sustainable and increase resilience by making it easier for community groups to grow more food for local people on underused, or unused, public land, on plots as small as 4 – 5 m². Even contaminated land could be used for composting or beekeeping.

Under current rules, it can be complex and costly to access such land – for example, residents can request to take on responsibility for sections of road margin but this includes provision of public liability insurance and includes the obligation for costly tree and hedge management, if any are present.

However, there are great examples of groups that have pushed on with community growing despite the challenges, such as the Street Allotment Project* in Shrewsbury, Incredible Edible groups in Ludlow and Wem and Bridgnorth Community Garden Project, and this shows what can be achieved. The Shropshire Good Food Partnership is set up to support communities across the county to access the skills and resources they need to get started and sustain community growing activities.  However, more small lots are needed to take this excellent initiative forward and get more fresh food to more Shropshire people.

The Right to Grow Food will help communities help themselves in really difficult times. Successful projects have potential for even more benefits than nourishment. Through common purpose, improved mental and physical health, reduced loneliness and isolation and more connected and supportive communities can be achieved and this comes with economic benefits far beyond helping out with shopping bills. This is linked to a national initiative on the Right to Grow Food with a proposed Community Food and Land Bill at Westminster.

This council resolves to facilitate community growing in Shropshire as follows;

·         Establish and maintain a list of small lots of public land suitable for cultivation or environmental enhancement by community groups, for the medium or even short term

·         Community groups, locals and volunteer groups could apply for a certificate of lawful use to cultivate the land for an agreed period without rental charge or ownership change

·         The certificate of use should contain a level of standards which, if found to be breeched, would be removed or transferred to another community group

·         Councillors would be able to seek out land in their division available for community food gardens

·         Promote the initiative via the council’s website and signpost residents to access advice and land plots, as well as connecting with The Shropshire Good Food Partnership and existing community growing groups

Weblinks

Street Allotment Project

ABOUT US | SHROPSHIRE GOOD FOOD

Before and after images of the Street Allotment Project’s recent work in Monkmoor, Shrewsbury

The following motion has been received from Councillor Rosemary Dartnall and is supported by Councillor Kate Halliday and members of the Labour Group

Small Lots of Public Land and the Right to Grow Food

Shropshire communities face a perfect storm of escalating prices for food, for energy just as the evidence for the climate crisis is unfolding before our eyes. This motion requests the council to make available small plots of public land for community food growing.

This initiative seeks to help Shropshire neighbourhoods become more sustainable and increase resilience by making it easier for community groups to grow more food for local people on underused, or unused, public land, on plots as small as 4 – 5 m². Even contaminated land could be used for composting or beekeeping.

Under current rules, it can be complex and costly to access such land – for example, residents can request to take on responsibility for sections of road margin but this includes provision of public liability insurance and includes the obligation for costly tree and hedge management, if any are present.

However, there are great examples of groups that have pushed on with community growing despite the challenges, such as the Street Allotment Project* in Shrewsbury, Incredible Edible groups in Ludlow and Wemand Bridgnorth Community Garden Project, and this shows what can be achieved. The Shropshire Good Food Partnership is set up to support communities across the county to access the skills and resources they need to get started and sustain community growing activities.  However, more small lots are needed to take this excellent initiative forward and get more fresh food to more Shropshire people.

The Right to Grow Food will help communities help themselves in really difficult times. Successful projects have potential for even more benefits than nourishment. Through common purpose, improved mental and physical health, reduced loneliness and isolation and more connected and supportive communities can be achieved and this comes with economic benefits far beyond helping out with shopping bills. This is linked to a national initiative on the Right to Grow Food with a proposed Community Food and Land Bill at Westminster.

This council resolves to facilitate community growing in Shropshire as follows;

·         Establish and maintain a list of small lots of public land suitable for cultivation or environmental enhancement by community groups, for the medium or even short term

·         Community groups, locals and volunteer groups could apply for a certificate of lawful use to cultivate the land for an agreed period without rental charge or ownership change

·         The certificate of use should contain a level of standards which, if found to be breeched, would be removed or transferred to another community group

·         Councillors would be able to seek out land in their division available for community food gardens

·         Promote the initiative via the council’s website and signpost residents to access advice and land plots, as well as connecting with The Shropshire Good Food Partnership and existing community growing groups

Councillor Kate Halliday seconded the motion

By way of amendment Councillor Dean Carroll proposed

This council resolves to facilitate community growing in Shropshire as follows;

·         This Council will expand the group that considers Community Asset Transfer requests to receive Expressions Of Interest from town and parish councils on behalf of their residents and/or local community groups who have identified small parcels of land suitable for food cultivation.

·         If identified land is deemed to be appropriate and is supported by local people within the parish/town council area for the purpose of food production, a license to operate on the land covering insurance, risk, ground investigation surveys, tree impact assessment etc will be negotiated on a case by case basis with the town or parish council. 

·         Councillors would be able to seek out land in their division available for community food gardens.

·         Promote the initiative via the council’s website.

Councillor Dartnall indicated that she was willing to accept the amendment.

 RESOLVED

 This council resolves to facilitate community growing in Shropshire as follows;

·         This Council will expand the group that considers Community Asset Transfer requests to receive Expressions Of Interest from town and parish councils on behalf of their residents and/or local community groups who have identified small parcels of land suitable for food cultivation.

·         If identified land is deemed to be appropriate and is supported by local people within the parish/town council area for the purpose of food production, a license to operate on the land covering insurance, risk, ground investigation surveys, tree impact assessment etc will be negotiated on a case by case basis with the town or parish council. 

·         Councillors would be able to seek out land in their division available for community food gardens.

·         Promote the initiative via the council’s website.