Council to change ruling on keeping bees on Birmingham Allotments

• Apr. 6 by Kellie Maddox (0)

Birmingham City Council is in the process of changing rules which currently prevent allotment holders from keeping bees.

Lisa Nelder of Walkers Heath Allotments recently said:

“Unfortunately, according to Birmingham Council rules, beehives are not allowed on allotment sites.

I think the health and safety and Public Liability risks are too high for the council to allow them on sites.”

Rule 7.4 of Birmingham City Council Allotment Rules – under Section 28 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 - previously stated that ‘beehives are not allowed on the allotment.’

However, discussions at the recent Birmingham District Allotment Council AGM seemed to suggest that the rule will no longer stand:

“It now appears that the council has backtracked on this particular rule and bees will once again be allowed on site, with certain restrictions in place.

Mainly, the beekeeper will have to be a member of the beekeepers association, who will in turn, ensure the bees are looked after properly, sited correctly on the allotment and appropriate insurance is taken out.”

Clarification

Adrian Stagg – Allotments Finance & Records Officer at Birmingham City Council – clarified the plans:

“We intend to change the Allotment Rules to accommodate bee keeping but are waiting for approval to the new terms. In the meantime we allow bees subject to the following conditions:

The siting of hives must be agreed with the Association and the Allotment Liaison Officer in advance.

Anyone keeping bees must have Public Liability insurance and must be a member of the British Beekeepers Association or affiliated society.”

It is unclear when the approval of the new ruling will be received and indeed what the new terms of the agreement will be.

Hotel vs hive

It appears that bees have been kept on allotments in the city, but under specific ‘housing’ rules.

Dave Harte – a local allotment holder said:

“You can have bee hotels on your allotment. There’s a few on ours. We need bees to pollinate stuff like pumpkins which is why you often see flowers planted on allotment plots.

It’s beehives you can’t have which are a different order of things altogether.”

The difference between keeping bee hotels and bee hives is an area for further consideration and something the Council may be able to clarify.

There will be more posts to follow on this topic following the new ruling.