Arrangements about the Co-operative's role on the site

 

THIS SUMMARISES UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN BOLTON COUNCIL AND HARPERS LANE ALLOTMENTS LTD., AGREED 4^TH APRIL 2013.

 This document covers the matters discussed as part of the ongoing dialogue about the Harpers Lane Allotment Society (now Harpers Lane Allotments Ltd) having a greater role in the management of Harpers Lane Allotments over the next 5-10 years.

 The Council support the initiatives and projects envisaged by the Directors / Co-operative to adjust the balance between communal and individual plots on the site. The Council support the Co-operative’s projects to create new growing spaces / opportunities through joint working with the Woodlands Officer. The Council support initiatives such as training courses, mentoring and the provision of seeds, plants etc. to new and aspiring plot-holders. The Council sees this as an important element of the 5-10 year programme referred to above.

 The following section sets out the Council’s understanding of the roles currently carried out by the Society and the Council and the changes which will come into effect from 1st April 2013.

 Functions currently carried out by the Society:

•         Identify plots that appear vacant, and then proposing whether they should be let as ‘fullsized’ or ‘half plots’

•         Use the waiting list maintained by the Council to contact potential tenants, arrange for them to visit the site, and if they take the plot (or half-plot), helping complete their registration forms. These forms then go to the Horticultural Officer who arranges for a Tenancy Agreement to be drawn up.

•         On occasion arrange transfers between allotments on the site.

•         Register ‘buddies’, a buddy being a person who is helping an existing plot-holder with their plot on a consistent basis over a period of time and who thus acquires certain rights to take over that plot should the primary plot-holder discontinue.

•         Conduct a monthly inspection of the site and advising the Horticultural Officer of any problems relating to tenants’ cultivation of their plots.

•         Report to the Horticultural Officer any emergency actions required e.g. replacement of padlocks, repairs to toilet facilities or water supplies.

•         Refer any complaints or issues raised by tenants to the Horticultural Officer.

•         Clean the toilets and amenity building on site.

•         Pay for the electricity supply to the amenity building on site

•         Carry out minor maintenance of the site infrastructure and building, directly at the Society’s cost, or by providing volunteer labour to utilise materials supplied by the Council (within the constraints of the Council’s limited resources).

•         Refer urgent maintenance issues, which might have a health & safety implication, to the Horticultural Officer.

 

From 1^st April 2013 the following additional functions will be added to the role of the Society:

•         Cutting the grass on the communal areas.

•         Weed-killing along the roads and verges

•         Seeking grants to enable the maintenance and improvement of the site, as agreed with the Council if not covered by the existing agreement.

 

For its part Bolton Council will:

•         Register all applications for plots.

•         Maintain the waiting list.

•         Issue Tenancy Agreements.

•         Set & collect the rents.

•         Operate a permission system covering the erection of structures and the keeping of livestock.

•         Issue and Enforce Notices served under Section 146 of the Law of Property Act 1925, relating to breaches of tenancy agreements.

•         Carry out maintenance, which otherwise might have a health & safety implication, of the site infrastructure i.e. roadways, fences, gates (including providing replacement padlocks), mains water supply to standpipes & the Amenity Building and sewers, within the constraints of available resources.

•         Maintain the structure of the Amenity Hut and toilets on the site, within the constraints of available resources.

•         Arrange for the water supplies to the Amenities Hut, toilets and standpipes to be switched on at Easter and switched off in the Autumn (water is available for 26 weeks).

•         Pay the water bills submitted by United Utilities.

•         Respond to complaints and requests from tenants or the Society, within the constraints of available resources.

Theatre Production

April Minutes

MINUTES – 9.04.2013

Present: Rob Hellyer (Chair), Margaret Jackson (Secretary), David Jackson (Treasurer), Gill Chamberlain, Glyn Platt

1.       Matters Arising

a)      Bank Accounts - Skipton would not accept bank account application as we are a limited company. It was decided to have a second Co-op bank account instead. Co-op forms were available at the meeting (see item 6)

b)      Share Issue and Buddies Register – not yet done

c)       No Council reply on progress on Community Payback

d)      No action on poly-tunnel in container but see item 9

e)      No action on communal beds in woodland  but see item 9

f)       David has an address for a supplier from Florence Avenue – estimate for a new container – delivered on site - is £900

2.       Broken Window on Plot 61 – Mick C will make bars, Dave to measure and purchase glass

3.       Broken concrete panels on compost bays. Craig W has arranged a second delivery of muck – suppliers refuse to risk bottom road  - will dump at compost bins  – we need to remove broken posts – Working Party 28/4/2013

4.        State of bottom road (see above) now affecting deliveries and work by e.g. Woodlands Team – only hope is Business Sponsorship Initiative

5.       The Council has issued a new Letter of Understanding – it appears to meet the needs of most potential grant giving bodies.

6.       Banking – Forms distributed at the meeting, to be completed and returned to the Co-op Bank

7.       Fairhurst Trophy etc. – it was decided that there was little interest or enthusiasm for these contests

8.       Using Council money to buy strimmer / lawnmower – Committee would prefer to buy a lawnmower (unless we can arrange to borrow one) – Committee asked Dave to get the existing strimmer serviced, and to price an additional brush cutter as agreed at the AGM.

9.       CVS Visit – 17^th April 2013 – 11.30 – grants plus business sponsorship for projects. The Bolton Fund (also managed by the CVS) is now open. Council will support projects which address communal beds, mentoring, training etc. (not financially of course!)

10.   Toilet Cleaning – water is back on – new rota is being posted.

11.   Pallets – Margaret has asked for another delivery.

12.   Bonfire – The question was raised as to why a new bonfire is being built on the D-shape in March? Margaret is encouraging people to take prunings etc to the tip if they can’t store or dispose of them on their own plots.

13.   Dumping behind Brew Room – It is not known who is dumping doors, glass etc, behind the brew room.

14.   Theatre – ideas for fundraising at the performance were discussed. There will be teas and coffees and possibly cake. We could sell ice cream – Rob Jackson would supply Co-op at wholesale price. Rob Hellyer suggested the purchase of a set of Builders’ lights from Tool Station for use both at the Theatre Performance and on Bonfire Night. This was agreed, Dave J will sort this.

15.   The Committee has agreed to use the ARI funds to finance a fact-finding trip to Blackpool Allotments Federation (who have gone self-managing). Dave will contact their secretary to arrange a date. A notice giving details will then be placed in the Brew Room. 

16.   The next meeting will be on 14^th May – usual time and place

March Committee

COMMITTEE MINUTES – 19^th March 2011

1.       It was agreed to open two Bank Accounts in the name of the Harpers Lane Allotments Co-operative

2. Main Account – Co-operative Bank – signatories officers – Chair, Secretary, Treasurer
3. Grants Account – Skipton Building Society – signatories - to be unrelated and not sharing an address – from remaining Committee members

 

4. It was agreed that one £1 share will be issued to each member of the Harpers Lane Allotments Society who paid their 2012 subscription. Once this has been done others (e.g. buddies and joint tenants) will be invited to buy additional shares (one each) at a price of £1.

 

5. It was agreed that Margaret will update the Register of Buddies.

 

6. It was agreed that we will enquire what progress the Council are making to ascertain whether Community Payback intend to use their plot and whether that plot and its poly-tunnel could be made available for the new communal plot scheme.

 

7. It was noted that the Council have agreed to the use of the piece of land below the Riefield end car park for a communal poly-tunnel. No date was set for retrieving the bits from the container or attempting to erect the poly-tunnel. Any volunteers would be welcomed.

 

8. It was noted that the Woodlands officer has agreed to the use of plots between the trees as communal beds. The clearance of these plots would be down to the Co-operative.

 

9. It was noted that given the need to acquire additional equipment to carry out some of the work that is envisaged in the Council’s letter of understanding, we may also need additional storage. Dave will contact Florence Avenue to see where they got their shipping container from. It was also agreed that we may need to use the £250 purchasing power promised by the Council to acquire some of this equipment.

 

10. The next meeting will be on 9^th April 2013.