Allotment holders bid to overturn bonfire ban (From Bucks Free Press)

Allotment holders bid to overturn bonfire ban

8:00am Sunday 23rd September 2012 in News By Dave Peters

Allotment holders bid to overturn bonfire ban

MARLOW allotment holders are claiming a case of mistaken identity as they bid to overturn a bonfire ban.

New restrictions on them burning their garden waste at the Hanging Hill Allotment site were imposed following residents’ complaints of smoke.

But some of the allotment holders say they did not cause the problem. They claim it was down to Marlow Cemetery workers who brought their laurel leaves to burn at the allotments and that the fire smouldered for three days.

Marlow Town Council admit burning some of their green cemetery waste at the allotments but say they wouldn’t break their own rules – and point the finger back at the gardeners – claiming that one bonfire ‘wasn’t just burning allotment waste’.

Now they have introduced restricted hours for bonfires on the site saying that during the summer they can only be lit between 6pm and 8pm on weekdays. There are no restrictions in the winter.

Wayne Price, one of the allotment holders admitted there was an incident where one tenant burned rubbish that did not come off the plot but says this is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

He said: "They are punishing everyone for that one person. It’s petty rules being brought in and it’s unfair on the older generation who go up in the morning and now have to come back again in the evening if they want a fire."

But Katherine Joy, the deputy clerk at Marlow Town Council, which is also responsible for the Foxes Piece allotment site, where the restrictions have long been in operation, said: "We are bringing it into compliance with the other sites."

Marlow Town Council has promised to look into the matter again and says their tenancy conditions will be an item on the agenda of their Finance Services and Administration Committee on October 24 following a petition from 40 of the 150 gardeners.