garden plots for rent

Have a friend in england who rents a garden plot from his local government; pays like 20# a year plus water service. talking to him it is like the victory garden that the USA did during WW1 and WW2. Would be nice is localities would have area's for people, who would want to, set aside land to rent out for people that would like to have a garden but not the room or in addition to their own home garden.

thinking about it may not just work, there may be too much bickering. like why should our taxes be wasted so a few green thuumbs can have a garden plot.