MY father is an 80-year-old old pensioner who has had an allotment within the Poole area for the last 15 years and is there every day tending to his veg, flowers and fruit etc.

This is a lifeline for him and many others not only to eat well and keep fit but also to socialise with others.

Like many of his fellow allotment holders he is outraged and disgruntled at the increased charges again this year from Poole Council, and is worried whether he can afford to retain the plot on a small pension!

There are also the additional costs of buying the essentials of manure, seeds, plants etc and most importantly slug pellets but the immense satisfaction, enjoyment and tastes are sublime, so to lose this would be a travesty.

To give you an idea of the increases since 2010/11, that year it was approximately 20p per metre – making it £51 per year – and has continually increased every year, until this year it is 66p a meter – making it £166.32 a year.

Furthermore, surprise, surprise, we have already been informed it will increase by a further 8p next year, making it 74p per metre. Ludicrous and downright unfair.

We should not be penalising our pensioners or anyone else for that matter who wish to grow their own veg but encouraging and supporting them.

Then to add insult to injury other councils i.e. Christchurch, Bournemouth, Blandford and Wimborne etc are charging just 20p a metre!

Why is Poole Council so expensive compared with everyone else? Why is there such a large difference in these prices? It is very hard to ascertain how these increases can possibly be correct or fair.

The council said they would be cutting costs down by not having skips on site any longer for rubbish but still the prices continue to increase. It will be very interesting if our local councils do amalgamate, as to the impact on plot holders.

Will Poole’s price per metre decrease? Doubt it, don’t you?

We would love to hear the opinion of other interested parties on this extortionate rate!

Enough is enough!

TRACEY TOBIA

Corbiere Avenue, Poole

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