IN your story about a shortage of land for allotments in Thirsk (Echo, some editions, June 22) reporter Ian Noble quoted town councillor Freda Roberts as saying: “It’s unfortunate that people seem to think we are bound as a council to create allotments.”

Earlier in the month, there appeared a letter from Walter Thompson, of Bishop Auckland (HAS, June 6), stating: “Every council is duty-bound to provide 20 allotments per 1,000 residents…”.

Perhaps Mr Thompson can advise us which piece of legislation places such an obligation on local authorities and in what section of the Act the obligation appears.

S Reeve, Stockton.