3.  Take your proposals to the Council, either arrange a meeting or write a letter. If six resident Council tax payers, or palimentary electors, each write in to state that such a need exists and each apply for allotments, then it is the duty of the council to 'take proceedings'. This is a demoratic way of bringing the Section 23 rule to the notice of the council.

Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments act 1908 states 'that if allotment authorities 'are of the opinion that there is a demand for allotments.....in the borough, district or parish the Council shall provide a sufficient number of allotments to persons...resident in the borough, district or parish and desiring the same'. In determining demand an authority must take into consideration 'a representation in writing by any six registered parliamentary electors or rate payers'.

With the huge number of people on waiting lists right across the country, how can councils argue that the demand is not there.

Section 25 of this act gives a local authority the power to compulsory purchase or lease land for allotments if land cannot be acquired by private agreement.

4. Join Us there is safety in numbers, larger groups of people have a larger voice and are therefore harder to ignore! SWCAA will be shaped by the needs and responses of its network of Friends who will, we hope, soon be able to provide intelligence in every locality and champion our cause.