A POLICE crackdown on people driving to their town council allotments in Wellington has been relaxed after an intervention by Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens.

It follows a row where local police initially told the council to close the allotments at The Basins because it was not an appropriate activity during the coronavirus crisis.

After protests by allotment holders and town councillors they accepted the Government had said tending allotments was good for people’s health and well-being during the partial lockdown but instead banned anyone from using their cars to get there.

Now, Ms Mountstevens has spoken to Somerset area commander Supt Mike Prior, who accepted people could use a vehicle to attend their allotment ‘provided it was only a short drive’.

She said: “When tending to an allotment, social distancing should be observed throughout, and anyone aged over 70 should be mindful of the specific advice provided to their age group.”

The commissioner became involved after town councillor John Thorne wrote to complain the police were overreaching with their new emergency powers.

Cllr Thorne said: “I am pleased that common sense has now prevailed and this issue has been quickly resolved.

“It clearly did not make sense for people to be allowed to use their cars to drive to a supermarket or a pharmacy but not to an allotment.

“There are several allotment sites in Wellington and Rockwell Green and I was concerned to make sure people did not start receiving £30 fines for driving to them.”

Cllr Thorne, who is also one of Wellington’s two county councillors, said it was important for allotment holders to understand that tending to their plots was their ‘one daily exercise activity’ and that they did not leave their home again on the same day except for essential food shopping or to collect prescriptions.

“It is a confusing and anxious time for us all at the moment but the core safety message to remember is that we all need to keep away from contact with other people wherever possible,” he said.

Wellington Mayor councillor Janet Lloyd has now written to all allotment holders to advise them the police would no longer stop people driving to the Basins site.

Cllr Lloyd, who is chairman of the council’s allotments committee, also told them: “Please note, however, that in all allotment visits and activities social distancing is observed to the letter.”