On 11 Jan, 14:23, "Jeff Layman" wrote:
Does any council insist on chemical-free gardening for an allotment holder?

Not that I know of, sadly. It is something many are talking about at
the moment. Also isn't it the whole point of having an allotment so
that we can grow our food stuff free of chemicals?! I know of 3
allotments in Greater Manchester that started from scratch in the last
3 years and which are entirely organic, by general rule, one of which
is from Stockport Council via the work of the WEA.

It's usually easier to do this from the starting point of creating the
plots. You will also find that all 'community plot' within an
allotment are all organic even if the whole allotment is not (which
makes little sense to me). This is on the basis that local school/
organisation/retirement homes/health group etc. are using it.

Can an allotment committee insist on it even if the council doesn't?

Off course! Now, having said that it's only a directive, not a rule,
yet. We have discovered that there's still 2 plots using insecticides
on ours but no weed killers. Any new plot let out is targetted and
given advice with clearing the plot, pampered and given lots of help.
I can't remember anyone trying glyphosate - not on a 10 rods plot. At
one time you could tell who used weed killers, their front row of
flowers didn't interest much wildlife and their leeks where the
biggest ones, but not necessarily the tastiest )