Bristol community gardeners shocked by £7k rent hike

Volunteers have turned the derelict bowling green into a community garden

A community group has said it is shocked by a council's plan to increase its rent by £7,700.

The Redcatch Community Garden group in Knowle, currently pays Bristol City Council £300 a year, and was initially asked to increase that to £16,000.

The council has since halved its offer to £8,000 - which is still 26 times more than the amount it pays now.

A councillor would meet with the not-for-profit group to try to find a "fair resolution", Bristol's mayor said.

Five years ago, the volunteer-led group began transforming a derelict bowling green in Redcatch Park into a community garden.

It is asking the council for a community asset transfer, the The Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councillor Ellie King and Mayor Marvin Rees visited the garden last month

Mr Rees faced questions from the group during a full council meeting on Tuesday.

Lesley Powell, director of Redcatch Community Garden said: "The space stood empty and barren and is now hugely valuable in the community, yet costs the council nothing.

"We cover overheads with income from events and the café so that we can subsidise projects which the public sector struggles to deliver.

"We are also subsidised by around 250 volunteer hours per week.

"So here we have a not-for-profit organisation that has little in reserves, has created 16 jobs, provides an estimated £1m per year in social value to the community, and is now being asked to increase its rents from £300 a year to £16,000."

Mayor Marvin Rees said Ellie King, who is cabinet member for public health and communities, would discuss the situation with the group's organisers next week.

Mr Rees said the resolution would need to allow the authority to be financially responsible for council land and assets.