Gardeners will be forking out more money to tend their allotments this year after “mean spirited” council officers doubled charges for their plots.

Letters were sent out last week informing all allotment holders that fees for a ten-pole plot have doubled from £22 to £44.

The price rise was agreed earlier this year as part of Watford Borough Council's budget plans to reduce spending by £5million over the next four years.

Though the prices remain among the cheapest of any local authority for an allotment, gardeners are particularly unhappy that the 50 per cent discount for the over-60s has been withdrawn.

Concessions will still be available to anyone receiving one of eight income-related benefits, including housing and council tax benefits, income support and job seekers allowance.

But the changes mean allotment holders aged over 60 years old will see an increase from £11 to £44 per year – a 300 per cent increase – and help the council raise more than £13,000.

This is despite the council maintaining discounts for use of junior football pitches “to encourage sport participation” across the borough.

Watford's two leisure centres will also continue to offer discounts under the council's agreement with operator SLM.

Mary Reid, site supervisor for the Paddock Road allotment in Oxhey Village, said: “We've always had half price concessions. In the past, pensioners have been a large part of the community group of allotment holders.

“I feel this is quite mean-spirited because the council are not going to get a lot back from it. Yet they're putting it in action.

“One of the biggest problems is the council is not shifting its position on the two leisure centres. So if you happen to be a pensioner and you go to have a swim, you still get concessions but if you have an allotment, you don't. That's a bit unfair.”

Mary said the rise from £22 to £44 was “still very good value” but lamented the loss of the concessionary rate for the over-60s.

She said: “If you're a pensioner, you paid £11 but it's now jumped to £44. People will think that's not a big deal but everyone is affected by food, heating and petrol costs and most pensioners, I suspect, are on a modest income. They do have to watch their budget.

“Having an allotment is a way of encouraging older people to stay physically active and puts them in a place where they can meet other people. The allotment community's a very friendly community and some people are up there every day and it's their life.”

George Woodroofe, 78, the general secretary of the North Watford Allotment Society, has a 20-pole plot at the Callowland allotment, one of 13 across the borough.

He said: “For people in receipt of these concessions, it's a four fold increase. We're on a pension, which is basically a fixed income.

“There are people who have said they're going to cut down the size of their allotment. How many will do this I don't know but this is the sort of thing that's going to happen.”

Meanwhile, Paul Henley-Washford, from Oxhey, has had an allotment in Paddock Road for ten years.

“People will leave if [prices] go up,” he said. “They won't be able to afford it. We're talking about pensioners.

“They should be more imaginative if they're going to hike up rents on things, rather than hit the obvious. People have got quite cross about it.”

The new concessionary fees and charged was agreed by the council in January and will come into force on April 1 this year.

The council said there are about 1,000 allotment holders in Watford, while the average size of an allotment is five poles, with a cost of £4.40 per pole, up from £2.20. A pole is measured about five metres square.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “Our allotment fees still represent fantastic value for money and are well within the average across the country.

“The point here is that a means tested approach is fair and transparent – this new concessions policy aims to mitigate low income and poverty.”

Manny Lewis, Watford Borough Council managing director, added: “We feel the allotment fees are manageable. If people choose to have an allotment, the average cost will be £22 for a year (for a five-pole plot).

“Any resident over 60 or with a disability that also receives one of eight income related benefits will still be eligible for the concession.”

A survey this month on local allotment provision by the Association of Public Service Excellence found the average cost for a full plot or plot measuring 250 square meters (including water) was £43, ranging between £15 and £106.