Moss Lea Allotment Society
Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on
Tuesday 5th August 2014, 8 pm at Astley Bridge Cricket Club
Present:
Steve Barlow
|
Gwen Kinloch
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Andy Warburton
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Phil Almond
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Steve Richardson
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Geoff Liddicote
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Ray Hardcastle
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Derek Eccles
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Pauline Oliver
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Barry Ashton
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Joe Tarkowski
|
|
Apologies: Jeannie Bilardi
Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The Minutes of the meeting of 24th June 2014 were accepted
as a correct record.
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising from the previous minutes.
Secretary’s Report
Operational Management Agreement:
This has now been signed and the Society has received the waiting
list. Plots have been allocated to
newcomers, including half of the community plot. All(except the Community Plot) are on a two
month, rent free trial and will take on a formal lease after that period if
they wish to stay. The Community plot is
rent-free for a year with the plot-holder first in line for any future vacant
plot. Thanks were extended to Phil Almond and Steve Watson for helping to strim
the plots in preparation for the new tenants. The only ‘vacancy’ at present is
the remaining half of the Community Plot.
Vandalism: The fence was damaged where some tresspassers had
climbed up and over to access the site.
It has since been repaired and a tree that was being used to get into
the site has been cut back.
Maintenance Sundays: General maintenance will be undertaken on the
first Sunday after the monthly meeting. The
main task on Sunday 10th August will be cleaning out the amenity hut
in readiness for the Annual Show and to clear space for tools. All tenants are invited to give a hand. The Monthly Site Report will also be
completed around this date. Non-cultivation:
Steve has spoken to a couple of tenants whose plots were not being worked and
both members’ agreed to attend to this issue. This was the step before Stage 1
of the Council’s Breach of Terms and Conditions arrangements. Buddies: Steve has formally notified
the Council of Derek Eccles’ buddy.
Re-designation of Plots: Steve has received a request from a tenant
to re-designate two half plots as one full plot. He will submit the request to the Council.
Association of Bolton Allotment Societies: Steve and Phil attended
the recent meeting. Most Societies are
adopting the operational management agreement.
Show: Saturday August 30th at 2pm.
The various tasks that need to be done in preparation for the Show and
on the day were discussed and allocated.
In addition, Steve will extend an invitation to local ward councillors to
attend and contact the Bolton News. A
notice needs to be put up quickly to prevent any wood chip or manure being
delivered before the Show and reducing the area available for car parking. The
admission price is only 25p which also includes entry into the Lucky Ticket
draw…. Please encourage friends and family to turn out for this great ‘Day Out’
: you can pick up tickets from Steve Barlow or pay on the gate.
Steve will circulate the pro-forma for the Show competition via e-mail and arrange for spare entry forms
to be placed in each greenhouse. Please review what you are growing and see if
you can enter as many classes as possible. The deadline for returning the Entry
forms to Gwen is Friday 29th
August at 5pm. If you are not around then you can pass to Gwen, Andy Steve
Barlow or Phil Almond who will pass it on. Early returns are appreciated to cut
down on the late administration.
On the day of the Show, Saturday 30th August, all actual
entries must be in place on the tables
in the Amenity Hut by 10.45am so
that the Judge can make his rounds from 11am. Geoff Liddicote and Steve
Richardson have volunteered to accompany him.
If any member not sure about the classes, or how to present their
entry…. Please ask the more experienced plot-holders …
If the weather is fine and expected to stay fine overnight we will
erect the gazebo and awnings etc on the Friday late pm/early evening Friday. If
you able to help, please come along. If the weather is bad, it will be early
Saturday morning.
Greenhouses and Sheds:
Steve carried out a survey of tenants to get views on individual sheds
and greenhouses on plots with 26 returns. On Question 1 re. use of a communal tool
storage area, there was clear support for this. It was proposed and agreed that
asap the amenity hut should be used for tool
storage. Anyone interested in
using the hut would be asked to pay to have a key cut and to label the tools
with their plot number and/or name/mark. There will be several storage bins
where the tools can be kept. We will
evaluate how this system works next year to inform discussion on whether we
need a separate communal tool shed.
On Question 2 re. having a shed on individual plots, the results were not so clear cut. 13 plotholders
said ‘Yes’ to having a shed on an individual plot whilst exactly the same
number 13 said ‘No’ to having a shed. The meeting agreed that we would discuss
this issue later in the year, after seeing whether the availability of the
Amenity Hut might meet plot-holders storage needs.
On Question 4 re greenhouses : it was discussed that this question was
not particularly well phrased with some plotholders confused over what it was
actually asking. 8 said ‘Yes ‘ to wishing to erect a greenhouse and 13 said
‘No’ with one ‘maybe’. It was pointed out that the greenhouse issue is not
quite the same as the shed issue as no plot holder has a shed but the majority
of plot-holders do have a greenhouse space meaning that there will always be
some plotholders who miss out on the benefits of a greenhouse . We agreed that
we would come back to this issue immediately after the Show with a view to
allowing all members to vote on whether individual plot holders
without a greenhouse space should have the opportunity (if they wish)
to erect a greenhouse on their plot (with clear information
(on size, siting, construction material, conditions if a plot-holder left etc)
available for plotholders to read beforehand.
Any Other Business
There was no other business.
Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday 30th September 2014 8 pm
Astley Bridge Cricket Club
