Town hall bosses have approved a scheme to start charging new allotment tenants deposits following complaints over untidy plots.

Hyndburn council spent £2,600 in the last year removing waste from allotments in the borough and between ‘40 and 60’ tenants a year are evicted due to rent payment failure or due to a failure to maintain standards on plots.

In response to the cost of maintaining allotments Hyndburn council has approved a scheme to start charging new tenants a deposit as a ‘deterrent’.

The scheme will come into force from September and will require all new tenants to pay a deposit equivalent to the first year’s rent of their plot.

In a report to cabinet, a Hyndburn council spokesman said: “A trawl of the internet had shown that a number of other councils had introduced a repayable allotment deposit scheme.

“In each case the deposit was levied at the onset of the tenancy agreement and was repayable upon termination of the tenancy.

“This was on the provision that the allotment plot was passed back to the local authority in reasonable condition in accordance with the tenancy agreement.”

He added: “In a small but significant number of cases the allotment plot is left in a such a poor condition that the strewn debris and waste must be removed, either by the council or by the incoming tenant.

“It is not expected that the deposit scheme will fully recover the cost of waste removal, but its implementation will act as a deterrent.”

Cath Holmes, chairperson of the Hyndburn Federation of Allotments, agreed that a deposit scheme was a positive step forward.

She said: “The idea of an allotment deposit scheme for new tenancies was put to the March meeting of the HFA.

“All those present agreed with and supported the idea. The condition some allotments are left in has been a top complaint since the HFA formed.

“It is unfair and off putting for new tenants and a strain on the ever reducing allotment budget if the council have to pay to clear a plot. We hope the scheme will act as a deterrent.”

For more information about allotments and how to take up a tenancy contact the allotments manager on 01254 356180 or e-mail allotments@hyndburnbc.gov.uk.