ALLOTMENT holders and Callington Town Council are working together to tackle the fear of increased crime at the two sites in the town.

Plot holders were concerned with the incidents of anti-social behaviour and vandalism that was alleged to be increasing at the allotment sites in Haye Road and Launceston Road.

The most recent incident was a fire at the Haye Road allotments on Monday, September 26, which is being treated by police as an arson attack. Council workers who discovered the fire felt the need to call the fire brigade to put it out before it spread any further. Other incidents have included theft and vandalism.

As a result of these issues, the town council held an open meeting for allotment holders, to which more than 30 people attended.

Town clerk Helen Dowdall said: ‘The allotments allegedly get broken into quite a lot and as a result the council held an allotment gathering where a large proportion of allotment holders came and the town council listened to their concerns. Now we are in the process of working with holders to set up an allotment association.

‘While the council does carry out regular checks of the sites, the holders themselves can keep a better eye on what is happening, so it was felt that having an allotment association would keep more eyes and ears on the ground.

‘An environmental audit was completed to highlight areas of anti-social behaviour. The idea is for us to be more vigilant in these areas and work with all relevant agencies to keep it safe.’

The town council is now writing to all allotment holders inviting them to a dedicated meeting following a meeting of the full council on October 25, to discuss the initiation of an association and gather ideas of how to work together to tackle anti-social behaviour at the sites.

Despite the allegations of increased vandalism at the allotments, the town council said that there had only been one crime reported to police so the crime statistics did not mirror the same picture. Anyone who witnesses or experiences any vandalism or anti-social behaviour is asked to report it to the police.