Minutes of Allotments Working Group Meeting

Thursday,10th November 6.30pm at the Civic Centre.

Present: Mike Armstrong(in Chair), Honor Cooper, Sue Stokel Walker, Susan Pownall  Mark Todd,   Keith Rogerson, John Tucker, Donald Robinson, Matty Hall, Barry Jackson, Peter Horrocks, Also in attendance, Vanessa Gibson and David Pearce, Chair and Treasurer High Heaton Allotments Association.

Apologies:  Louise Hetherington, Peter Whewell,

Minutes:. Accepted as a true record.

Matters Arising:   . Little Moor Allotments are assured that the drainage works promised for 2011 will now commence in spring 2012, SSW will write to Moorside and Three Mile with a proposed schedule for drainage on those sites. The Health and Safety booklet is being revised and will be reprinted soon. Likewise, the strategy has been altered and is now available on the website.

NABG:. All site secretaries have been contacted by MT with a letter from the bee group being sent out. Some new members have appeared but site secretaries are encouraged to ensure that all bee keepers are registered with the bee group. A new group chairman has been appointed, Tony Turnbull at Three Mile allotments, contact details ???????????

Budgets: The balance for AWG stands at £5114.40. If anyone wants a small grant for a project on their site, please make an application to the NAWG (via Mark Todd). Only current major expenditure planned is £900 for a plot clearance at Beaumont Terrace Allotments. Their wildlife area has been cleared by the Prince’s Trust. Several neglectful gardeners are being removed from that site and the waiting list is being reduced.  Little Moor are investigating the cost of replacing their eight locks and 340 keys. So far this year we have spent £46718, with £18781 remaining in the budget.

AOB: We need a replacement area rep for area 7, any volunteers please make themselves known!

CAN WE LIST HERE THE SITES IN AREA &???????
The description of the area rep’s responsibilities and the general functions of the AWG have been laminated and are being circulated to all sites to be displayed in a prominent position, These posters give contact details of the area reps as well so all gardeners are aware of who to talk to should they need to contact their representative on the group.
The two representatives from High Heaton asked the group for advice over the conduct of their annual general meetings. These have descended over the years into a three or four person slanging match at the end of each meeting with the same three or four people using that section of the meeting as an excuse to indulge in long winded criticism of everything the committee have done or attempted to do throughout the year. A long discussion followed with advice given to ask for all matters to be put in writing a week before the meeting, It was felt that   ad-hoc questions should also be taken on the night, but the questioners should be satisfied with offers from the committee to reply to their questions in writing. To deal with several long running sagas, the committee were advised to write to the protagonists to tell them that the committee now consider the matters closed and that no further correspondence will be entered into and no further discussions allowed at AGMs. If these members continued as they have been doing, the committee should issue a written warning that they consider their conduct detrimental to the running of the association and if they continued in the same vein, their tenancies would be terminated. It appeared during the discussions that almost all sites have such awkward people among their gardeners. David Pearce asked for clarification of the functions of this group and asked that all group publications be available on the council website. Jim Lowery will check that this is in place. The members from High Heaton thanked the group for their advice and support. It was suggested and accepted that two members of the group should attend the next High Heaton AGM in February to see what goes on at first hand.
All members of the group are invited to send copies of their disciplinary letters to Mike Armstrong so they can be collated and a suggested form of such letters issued as guidance to all sites.  There will be an in depth investigation of the actual size of all city sites. There are wide discrepancies between the GPS determined areas and the areas stated on the leases. This should increase rental income for the group. A list will be provided to the next meeting.
The possibility of council arranged PLI insurance is almost in place, details should be circulated to all sites before the end of November.
 

PJH has visited the Rectory Road site to inspect and discuss their proposal for a grant towards the cost of a new communal building. It was recommended and agreed that they be granted £500 towards the £1500 cost of the new building.
KR raised the problem that the method of dealing with members on the waiting list versus those with half plots on a separate waiting list needs clarifying. It appears that there is widespread confusion on this. The majority opinion is that when a full plot becomes vacant, it is divided into two and let as two halves. The council then expect all sites to keep a separate waiting list of those members on half plots who would like a full plot. When a plot becomes vacant, the empty plot should be offered to those on the half plot waiting list if they are considered by their committee to be worth a full plot. They may also be offered an extra empty half plot if one becomes available, ahead of the newcomers on the general waiting list.  He also raised the problem of Japanese Knotweed on the Ouseburn sites, MT will reply in writing. Investigations continue into the cost of water provision to the Ouseburn sites.
MT advised the meeting that the new Denton Bank site would like a grant of £7000 to establish standard shed/greenhouse bases for all the plots on site using flagstones to ensure uniformity of position and layout. This was rejected by the group, but MH will advise in conjunction with BJ where flagstones can readily be obtained at a reasonable cost, including sand for the sub-base, as well as providing assistance in obtaining grant funding for the exercise.
DR asked if the problem of scurrilous anonymous e-mails regarding the alleged conduct of a committee in the city had been resolved. It transpired that a disgruntled site member had been using internet cafes and libraries to send these messages to various members of the AWG.  His tenancy has now been terminated after a physical assault on a committee member on site.
MT will circulate the details of those sites who failed so far to respond to a request for their waiting list details. Area reps please chase up these sites ASAP and offer to assist in obtaining post codes where possible.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.00pm

Next Meeting, December 8th, 6.30pm in Room 701