GARDENERS will see their allotment rent increase by 50 per cent due to Luton Borough Council’s latest cost-cutting scheme.
In a move Liberal Democratic Councillor David Franks called “mean-minded” and “penny-pinching”, plotholders over 60 will lose their 50 per cent reduction on their first plot and will have to pay the full £26.50 a year rather than £12.50 from October.
The issue was discussed at the council’s executive meeting on Monday when the East Luton Area Committee requested the Executive to reconsider its previous decision.
Leader of the council Hazel Simmons said: “We will be a lot more penny-pinching and mean-minded. There’s a 40 per cent reduction to be made to the council budget. This is quite minor really.”
The additional income the council will receive as a result of this decision is £8,400 a year.
The meeting heard that the request from the area committee was a result of a passionate plea from a pensioner allotment holder. The area committee was unanimous in its agreement that it did not seem unreasonable to ask the executive to reconsider the decision as for a 50 per cent increase to the plotholders, the additional income the council would receive is small.
The proposal to end the over 60s’ concession is part of the budget savings required to be made by the council.
The council has blamed the Coalition Government’s cuts for the decision.
Deputy leader Councillor Robin Harris said: “While I have every sympathy with the individual involved, realise how difficult the position is that this government has left us in.
“Percentages can make a very small increase look very large if you play around with the percentages. It’s not a significant amount of money.”