A ROW over the lack of allotments in Witney could see people being charged a £20 fee just for wanting to join the waiting list.

Witney Town Council is considering charging everyone who applies for an allotment “£15 or £20” after campaigner Richard MacKenzie posted a comment on the Witney Green Group forum, urging people to push up the number on the waiting list to 500.

There are currently more than 200 people waiting for an allotment in the town.

Mayor James Mills has accused Mr MacKenzie of wasting taxpayers’ money.

He said: “He is quoted on the green website encouraging people to apply for allotments to make the Witney list one of the longest in the country.

“As a result of this, Witney Town Council is having to use additional resources to deal with allotments, which is costing the Witney taxpayer a lot of money.”

He added: “Can I just assure people in Witney that the town council is doing everything it can to get more land to provide allotments.”

Mr MacKenzie wrote on groups.google.co.uk/group/ witney-green-group: “Currently there are just over 200 people on the waiting list for allotments in Witney.

“What would be great is if that magically shot up to more like 500.

“The reason for this is that it would then make Witney Town Council one of the worst offenders in the UK of not meeting their constituents’ needs with regards to allotments.

“This would be an easier story then to get into the national press, which in turn will put even more pressure on the council.”

When asked about the blog, Mr MacKenzie, 30, of Manor Road, said: “When I made this comment, I was passionate about highlighting the failings of the town council in regard to allotment provision for local residents, something that they have a legal obligation to provide.

“Obviously, if followed through, the suggestion would have been totally inappropriate.

“I’m not an elected officer, but a passionate local, who cares deeply that the people of Witney and I get a fair deal from those we elect and put our trust in.

“Shouldn’t we be able to question our council without having to go to extreme lengths to get them just to do their job?”

Mr MacKenzie denied it was politically motivated or that he was in any way wasting taxpayers' money. The suggestion, he said, was never supposed to get into the public arena.

Chrissie White, 56, from Witney, is one of the people on the waiting list.

She said “It’s absolutely outrageous and disgusting that the council is even contemplating this levy. It would be interesting to know how this money will be spent.

“I’m particularly concerned that it will unfairly disadvantage people on benefits and low-income families.”

Donna McDaid, the assistant national secretary for the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, was not aware of any other town or parish councils levying a charge on people applying for plots.

But she added: “I think it’s unacceptable for a local authority, which has a legal obligation to provide allotment provision, to make such a charge. Allotment provision is mandatory, not discretionary.”

witney@oxfordmail.co.uk