A TOWN council is threatening to oust a band of volunteers who have run a set of allotments for nearly 30 years.

Loughton Town Council is demanding the managing committee of the Roding Road allotments make improvements to the council-owned site - or face the chop.

But the voluntary Roding Road Allotments and Leisure Gardens Association, a team of locals who have overseen the plots since 1984, claim they are being 'got at' and are refusing to comply.

Allotments secretary Maureen Boatman, 66, said: "We are doing this on a voluntary basis and we have saved the council lots of money over the years.

"We are not cabbage heads - we do know what we are doing. I feel we are being got at."

Councillors who inspected the allotments in June reported a large number of untended plots, building materials, unauthorised sheds and patches infested with brambles.

After writing to the managing committee four times inviting them to meet Cllr Caroline Pond and receiving no response, the council has given volunteers 28 days to explain how they plan to improve the site.

Cllr Pond said: "We want to work with the present managers so as to secure improvements, but they have refused to come to talk to us.

"However, if no suitable plan is forthcoming, or if an approved plan fails to be implemented, we may start a process to appoint new managers."

Mrs Boatman said her husband Eddie, who is chairman of the committee, did not intend to meet Cllr Pond or agree to the council's 'totally unreasonable' requests.

She said: "On that particular visit there were no real issues at all.

"We have managed the plots and they do look good. She saw a few that had been overgrown because people couldn't get out because of the rain over the summer."

She said only three lettable plots were vacant and the allotment had no waiting list.

"They should be grateful we are still doing it. I don't know why they are doing this now."

Robert Tong, 66, of Roding Road, has rented a plot for 30 years.

He said: "We have always had a good committee, very low key, very friendly. It just works - and if it works why change it?"

He added he believed a few disgruntled plotholders had complained to the council, but that their grievances were unjustified.

"There are a few people who disagree with the committee, as people do. They've obviously found some town councillors with a sympathetic ear," he said.

"I honestly don't see where these people are coming from. It's born out of spite.

"I have full faith in the committee, I can assure you."

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