ALLOTMENT holders in Cockerton village will come a step closer to managing their own plots when councillors discuss the issue next week.

Members of Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet will discuss plans for a new self-managed lease for Cockerton Allotment Association when they meet next Tuesday (July 7).

The allotments were previously spread over three sites and managed by the authority, but the association now wish to become self-managed and have asked for a new 20-year lease.

By becoming self-managed, it will enable plot holders to seek external funding, which, if granted, should result in improvements to the allotments.

There are currently six self-managed allotment associations in Darlington - Barmpton, Bellburn, Dodmire, Glebe, Hummersknott and Smithfield Road.

These associations will also surrender their existing leases, which have about five years left before they expire, and will also receive new 20-year leases.

A report prepared for councillors said: “The Cockerton allotment sites comprise three separate areas which have now decided to combine to form one association.

“That association has effectively taken over the management of the sites in anticipation of being able to reach agreement with the council regarding the terms of a self-managed lease.

“Upon achieving self-managed status, no further rents from individual allotment holders would be receivable by the council.

“This loss in income is more than offset by the reduction in maintenance, water charges and officer time which the directly managed sites incur.”

The association recently hit the headlines when allotment holders at the Sugar Hill site, in Cockerton, were forced to get rid of or destroy cockerels kept on their plots following complaints about the birds.

Allotment holders are allowed to keep hens and rabbits on their plots, but a blind eye had been turned to the keeping of cockerels on the site since the 1950s.

However in recent years, new housing has sprung up around the allotments off West Auckland Road, and complaints about the birds were made to the council.

This prompted the authority to issue letters to all plot holders reminding them they were not allowed to keep the cockerels on the site and to remove any that were being kept there.

The cabinet meets at 5pm on Tuesday at the town hall.

Members of the public are welcome to attend.