COLNE Town Council has appointed Diane Morville to the new part-time role of Allotment Officer. The role involves close liaison with Colne’s allotment tenants, to ensure full and proper use is being made of the plots. At this time of year, she will also be involved in the annual allotment inspections, as well as getting to know Colne Town Council Allotment Committee members.
Colne Town Council Chairman, Cllr. Sarah Cockburn-Price, commented: “We were most impressed by the standard of candidate we saw at interview. I know it is customary to say that, but this happens to be true: we were genuinely impressed. Any one of them could have done the job. Even so, the interview panel was unanimous in its choice of candidate, which was gratifying. I know the new Allotment Committee is champing at the bit to tackle the work backlog on Colne’s allotments, so Diane is likely to find herself rushed off her feet!”
Diane spent 25 years working for the Civil Service before accepting redundancy in 2013.
Diane said: “Having taken some time out of my career, I was looking for a varied, part-time role that was linked to my love of the Great Outdoors. This new role exactly fits the bill, so I am delighted I was offered the job. I’ll be reminding tenants that rents are now due for the year and that cultivation must be 85% of the plot where possible. I’m also responsible for letting our five new plots created at our Intake Site (at the top of King George’s playing field), as well as four other vacant plots.”
Diane is married and spends her spare time gardening, enjoying the local countryside, and walking further afield with her husband. She lives in Trawden.
Colne Town Council Clerk, Susan Graham explained: “I plan to work alongside Diane initially, but am supremely confident that she will soon be able to cope with all the responsibilities of administering Colne’s allotments on her own. I am very pleased to welcome my new colleague at this exciting time.”
Diane will work Friday mornings from Colne Town Hall. She will be available to meet callers to the Colne Town Council offices at the Town Hall between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon. The current waiting list time for a Colne allotment is two years, though this is fluctuating. Anyone who would like to register an interest in an allotment should contact the Town Council via e-mail: [email protected] and visit the allotment web page for more details: https://www.new.colnetowncouncil.org.uk/allotments/
