Matters Arising:
The Security Cameras have been acquired and will be placed in position on Sunday 8th March.
A Gully Trap and drainage piping have been acquired for plot 41. The plot-holders have yet to agree how the work will be done.
Financial Position:
Cash and Monies in Bank: £1,309
Of which - £543 are restricted funds i.e. money received as a grant which can only be spent on specific items
Of which - £ 766 are ‘free funds’
CVS Grant
£480 remains of the CVS grant – it was agreed that this money will be spent on
- A skip (estimated £180.00)
- A wheelbarrow
- An injection device for the Japanese knot-weed
- Printing for a) Spring Event and b) Open Day
We are still considering applying via the CEP for funds to acquire a sit-on mower or small tractor for site maintenance
Plot Tenancy Issues
Transfers
Owen Jeffery to plot 59
Veronica and John Burns to plot 25A
Plot 2 will now become available for a new tenant
Plot 3
Plot 3 is a community plot which has been allocated to Church Rd. School
The former plot-holders who were evicted by the Council in Autumn 2014 for mal-cultivation have contacted the council asking why they have not received a rent demand for 2014/2015. The reason is simple they were evicted. The Council is dealing with this.
Outstanding Notices
There are two sets of outstanding notices on the site.
It was agreed that the Secretary would remind these tenants of the deadlines for them to have carried out remedial actions and in the event of them not having complied with the agreements, the Committee will decide whether to ask the Council to reinstate the formal notices against them.
The Break-in
The Brew Room was broken into on the night of Sunday 1st March and Monday 2nd March. The thieves then broke into the shop by hacking through the breeze block wall. They have stolen the new strimmer and we have yet to carry out a proper invoice to see if anything else is missing / damaged.
The thieves also tried to break into the container but did not succeed. They also broke into the garages on the site and into a number of individual sheds. The Secretary reported the break-ins at the Amenities Building to the police but they would not accept reports of either the garages or the sheds saying individual owners must report each individually. If your shed has been broken into please ring the police and report it.
Parking
There have been problems of plot-holders parking on the top road whilst working their plots. Please use either the car park in front of the Amenities Building or the small car park near the Riefield gate.
There are still problems of the gates at the Church Rd. entrance being left open. Remember it is part of your tenancy agreement that you lock the gate after you when entering or leaving the site.
Meeting with M Russell (Neighbourhood Services) 02.03.2015
The Council wishes to use Harpers Lane as a pilot site to investigate the possibility of increased self-management of allotment sites. We have agreed (without any commitment to eventually accepting such a move) to investigate the feasibility / desirability with the Council.
The Council will now provide the Committee with:-
- The Annual Rental raised on the site
- The Annual Running Costs of the Site
- Water and Sewage
- Plus estimates of work done in recent years e.g. installing new drainage pipes on plot 1
- A Plan of the site showing Drains and Services.
The Council is also reviewing the position of the Garages on the site. If there is an empty site available along the road then the Council wishes to provide the concrete base to the Society so that a second container can be positioned to provide a secure store.
The SPRING EVENT
This will now take place over two days (9th and 10th May).
On the 9th of May we will have a food market in the double marquee erected in front of the Amenities Building and a Car Boot Sale on the top field. On the 10th May the Mikron Theatre group will present ‘One of Each’. Pev Evans is investigating catering for the theatre event
