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Allotments Committee Meeting Minutes

5th February 2007

PRESENT:

  • Cllr J Seward (Chairman)
  • Cllrs Morgan
  • Mrs Partridge-Hogbin
  • Ms L Bewsher
APOLOGIES

Cllr J Meakin, Mr M Greenyer

449/06APOLOGIES

Apologies were accepted and approved

450/06MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting held on 7th December 2006 were approved and signed by the chairman.

451/06DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest

452/06MATTERS ARISING

a) Quotation for provision of new plots

Ms Bewsher advised that the remaining land could provide 6 new allotments varying in size from 28’ x 30’ to 36’ x 32’, and one at 95’ x 24’. It was agreed two quotations should be obtained: one for cultivation and one for cultivation plus drainage through the site. Ms Bewsher undertook to meet with the contractors during the following week.

b) Replacement Gates

Ms Bewsher advised that the old contractor gates at Cliff Field Gardens were too small and too heavy to be utilised at the allotments. She said she was hoping to obtain alternative gates from a farm auction. She suggested that to overcome the problem of the public accessing the site walking their dogs and on occasions fly tipping, all tenants should be provided with a key to the gate on payment of a refundable £5 deposit. It was proposed to place this suggestion on the agenda of the AGM.

c) Replacement handrail over bridge

I

t was agreed that this was a job that could be undertaken by a working party of the allotment tenants.

d) Annual allotment competition

Ms Bewsher advised that Anne Swinthinbank had agreed to judge the allotments competition this year and would also present the prizes, subject to availability. Judging would take place during the first week in July.

453/06TO NOTE CURRENT WAITING LIST

It was noted that there were currently 21 names on the waiting list

454/06TO RECEIVE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

It was noted that the accounts currently stood at £228.73. This was mainly due to the excessive water bill for the previous summer. It was agreed that the cost of running the allotments could not be met from the public purse and the chairman pointed out that unless the allotments were self-financing, they would be lost. It was therefore agreed that at the AGM the proposal be put that:

a) a separate water charge be levied each year to meet the year’s water bill. The charge would be based on square footage of each plot;

b) the rent be increased to provide an annual income of £2,000. The current rate of 17p per square metre produced an income of £1525 only, which was insufficient to meet the running costs of the site.

455/06TO AGREE ITEMS FOR AGM AGENDA

The following items were agreed:

  1. To amend Rule 17 to exclude the lighting of bonfires during October and February half terms;
  2. To propose that the main gate to the allotments be kept locked and all tenants purchase a key, the cost to be refundable at the end of tenancy;
  3. To propose that an annual water charge be levied, based on size of plots;
  4. To propose that annual rents be raised to produce income of £2,000 per year;
  5. To propose that a new noticeboard be purchased;
  6. To amend Rule 11 to require the removal of all trees on plots other than fruit trees, and prohibit the planting of any trees other than fruit trees
  7. Amend Rule 11 to restrict height to 9 foot
  8. Simplify Rule 3 to read “The allotment shall be kept in a clean, decent and good condition, free from noxious weeds and properly cultivated. If the tenant fails to do so they will be issued with a letter stating that they have one month to comply. If they still fail to do so this will result in the tenancy coming to an end. Tenants receiving more than one letter in a year will also have their tenancy ended. In this case costs incurred in bringing the plot to a clean, decent and good condition to enable re-letting, must be met by the outgoing tenant”.

It was further agreed to distribute copies of the modified Allotment Guidelines to tenants from the Allotments Association, Mel Greenyer to provide an Allotments Association compliment slip

Members also agreed that the following the AGM, the amended Allotments Non-Statutory Rules should be placed on the Council website.

456/06SEATON IN BLOOM

The chairman advised that the Council’s Seaton in Bloom committee had requested the Allotments Association to consider taking part in this year’s Seaton in Bloom competition with weeding and watering the Council’s floral areas.

The meeting closed at 8.25

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