A FAMILY looking for an allotment to tend with their disabled children have been told they don’t fall within the catchment area for any in their town.

There are five allotment sites in Bicester but because Leon Du Plooy lives just outside the parish boundary in Caversfield he can’t use any of them.

Mr Du Plooy has called for a change in the “ridiculous” system, which means he lives minutes away from allotments in London Road but is not allowed a plot.

He said: “I am not particularly green fingered myself but my partner has two mentally disabled children so we wanted an allotment as a place to take them at the weekends.

“There aren’t many things to do where we can take them where people won’t look down on us.

“An allotment would be a perfect controlled environment.”

Mr Du Plooy, father offive-year-old Elli, has lived in Caversfield for nine years.

His partner and her children visit at weekends.

He added: “There are five allotments in Bicester and they all fall between the OX26 postcode. There are no other options for us.

“It is just ridiculous, being in Caversfield it means every one of Bicester’s allotments would mean we have to drive.

“But it would be an opportunity to get out at the weekend with the kids.”

Mr Du Plooy has been in touch with Bicester Town Council officers, North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis and various councillors who have agreed to put the issue to the full council.

Bicester Town Council is now looking into whether it can change the legal requirements linked to the boundaries who can be offered a patch outside the parish of Bicester.

Council officer Susan Mackrell said: “Allotments are not allocated by postcode, but by parish in local government terms.

“Therefore we at Bicester Town Council have a responsibility to allocate allotments to our own residents – those that live in the parish of Bicester – as a priority.

“It is my understanding that Caversfield does not have any allotments to offer to its residents.

“It is for this reason that Bicester Town Council are considering the possibility of offering allotments, if and when there are significant numbers of vacant ones that are not required by own parishioners, to those living nearby who are unable to access them in their own parish.

“This is not a requirement for Bicester Town Council to do, but nevertheless is something that is being looked at.”