SIR,

I am massively in favour of people having

allotments. However, I am against the proposal to use the

Millennium Field for this purpose for a number of reasons.

Calling it the Millennium Field and having a

somewhat shadowy group to administer it is a

smokescreen to hide the fact that this is part of

Chippenham Mead Village Green and any further

incursions into our village green should be resisted on

principle.

Given that, under their Scheme of Regulation, the

Council are the self appointed guardians of our village

green, I feel that they should be doing much more in this

area to the benefit of townsfolk and visitors alike.

Allowing an extension of the present allotment site

simply gives the Council an opportunity to abrogate their

responsibility with regard to the provision of land under

the 1908 Allotments Act.

For the people of Osbaston, Wyesham and

Overmonnow, the current allotment site is easily the most

difficult place to get to. Forcing people into their cars in

order to grow healthy food is a contradiction in terms,

adding to our carbon foot print and defeating the object.

What a chance for our Town Council to act: that is if

they can get their heads out of their arsenal of grandiose

schemes for a moment. After all, this must be the perfect

subject for what community councils were set up to deal

with.

Colin Rodgers

(Monmouth)