Fierce debate between Hunstanton councillors over town’s allotment committee

A fiery meeting saw councillors, gardeners and committee members clash over the way their town’s allotments are managed.

In fact, Hunstanton mayor Cllr Michael Ruston was forced to temporarily suspend Wednesday night’s town council meeting so that a number of details could be ironed out.

This followed a joint report from Cllr Ruston and Cllr Robert Corby regarding issues at the Northfields Allotments Club plots, with the pair facing backlash after saying the club’s recent AGM had been cancelled.

Cllr Corby said this was down to a number of factors, including “nasty” comments directed via email, “misleading” statements and the spread of “disinformation”.

He and Cllr Ruston are both members of the allotment committee - and they were involved in a heated debate with Cllr Mark Fuchter, who said there was no evidence plot holders had been spreading misinformation.

“That is a big charge to make against the citizens of this town,” he said.

“All I see is members making points ahead of an AGM.”

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

At the heart of Wednesday’s debate was a proposal to re-write a ‘constitution’ for the allotment club which would require committee members to be “democratically elected”.

It currently has eight members, two of whom are from the town council.

Three non-committee members told the council meeting that the current rules say elected members must serve a “minimum of three years” - meaning there is no upper limit on how long they are allowed to stay in their position.

They therefore wanted to propose a new, amended document at the AGM - but Cllr Ruston told them it requires “topping and tailing”.

“Nothing has been refused. The AGM was cancelled for us to consider these points,” he said.

ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS

Cllr Fuchter argued that it is “not unreasonable” for people to be “surprised” when they contact the allotment committee regarding the Northfield plots, but receive a response from a council mayor email address.

He said that both Cllr Ruston and Cllr Corby have been corresponding with members of the public about the allotments using their councillor contact details, leading to confusion over who is responsible.

Cllr Fuchter also slammed the fact that some members’ aim to appoint a plot manager had been branded “mischief” ahead of an AGM.

Meanwhile, he claimed that the previous plot manager has been “really badly treated”.

However, town clerk Jan Roomes said she and Cllr Ruston had held a meeting with the former manager.

She said he had agreed to “quite happily step back” from the role.

After a few more heated comments, Cllr Ruston warned councillors about the presence of the press - before calling Cllr Fuchter out for “sniggering”.

A decision was subsequently taken to temporarily suspend the meeting.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

When the meeting resumed, Cllr Ruston said that while he did not want to come across as “rude”, there may be some people who regarded the allotment members calling for change as a “vociferous minority”.

However, a proposal to hold a meeting to discuss the agenda of an AGM was voted through, with seven councillors approving it and three abstaining.

An official date for the AGM has yet to be set.

Councillors also discussed a plan to purchase a £500 bench for the allotments.

Cllr Jonathan Barber joked: “I think a mini beer fridge might be a better idea by the sounds of it.”

Come the end of the meeting, resident John White praised the quality of the council’s debates.

“In my opinion, you have left Prime Minister’s Questions at the starting gate,” he said.