Present: Keith Parker, Jane Parker, Flis Cotton, Liz Barnes, Gary Buckingham, Alan Burgess, Jacqueline Green, Alan Smith, Pat Marriott
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
1. Apologies: Joe Wallis, (belated – Philip Moore)
2. Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved
3. Matters arising from the minutes:
Site Notice Boards: new board has been bought from Newton Abbot recycling and put up at Lower Penns Road. Prices are to be obtained in due course. Priority job is the Oakleigh shed though.
Broken padlocks – we will move to combination locks when the time for replacement comes. This will save costs on keys.
4. Correspondence
· Sec has been alerted to the fact that the shed from Oakleigh 34a has been moved to another plot as the current tenant has relocated. Discussion followed about whether this was allowed and it was agreed that the tenancy agreement did not specifically provide for this. It was agreed that it was not helpful that the shed had been moved, especially as it had been on site when the plotholder took over. The shed was therefore the property of the Society and as such, should remain where it had been placed. Sec was asked to write to the plotholder in the strongest terms to ask that the shed be put back and the debris that had been left on the plot be removed (metal railings/water tank etc) as these had been brought on to the site by the plotholder.
It was agreed that the Society would consider amending the tenancy agreements at the next AGM to reflect that sheds/greenhouses/equipment on site when a plot was taken over, remain the property of the Society for use by the tenant and to be maintained by the tenant while they remained a tenant.
Currently, Section A para 6 of the Tenancy Agreement states: Construction of buildings, structures, erections, notices or advertisement of any description will not be permitted without the written authorisation of the Society or its Site Representative. Moving the shed in question to a new plot could be construed as erection as it had been placed in a new area of the site without reference to the Society.
· Sec has also heard from a plotholder on Lower Penns asking for clarification as to whose responsibility it was to maintain the paths down each side of the plots. Again, reference was made to the Tenancy Agreement Section A, para 2 where it states ‘…these paths must be kept reasonably free from weeds provided always that where a path is bounded by two or more allotment gardens the responsibility for maintenance of that pathway shall be borne equally by all those tenants’. All paths are therefore deemed to be shared paths to be maintained by both parties that border them.
5. Chairman’s Report
· Chairman has received the NAS newsletter in which it was advised that a (suspended) rogue member of the NAS Management Committee had been emailing people and making serious allegations as to management issues. They are currently taking legal advice on this. It was agreed that all members email addresses should be private, but some may ‘slip through the net’.
· Numbers on plots: the plotholder on 16a DR had made a good job of displaying his number and the Chairman agreed to speak with him as to whether or not he could do the others on site.
· Work had started on clearing the trees on plot 20 as plot 19 had complained about the overgrowth.
· Chairman mentioned the BBC allotment programme and said that the deadline for entries had been extended, but no interest in applying had been shown by anyone on any of the sites.
6. Vice Chairman’s Report
· We discussed the Oakleigh shed and it was confirmed that no discount on the price quoted of £986 (without the floor), would be given. Free delivery was included. The shed was not after all being built from scratch as this would take too long. The monies had been allocated so it was agreed just to get on with it.
7. Treasurer’s Report
· Current Account £530.11
· Deposit Account £2543.66
· Cheques: 5: (1) Sec, stationery £92.74, (2) SWW – lower penns £7.21 (3) SWW, Derrell Road (4) Devon Garden Machinery – Strimmer Oakleigh £325.00, (5) SWW Lower Penns £9.84.
· Fees received: £2469.80
Chairman commented that the Society appeared to benefitting from having meter readings as Lower Penns Site as we were paying significantly less than before.
8. Sites.
A number of plotholders had not paid their rents yet and there was a discussion as to how long they should be allowed to remain unpaid. It was agreed that the Tenancy Agreement provided 40 days before termination of the lease.
Site reps were to do site inspections and report to Sec on any plots who appeared to still be unworked as maintenance/clearing for this growing season should have started by now.
Sec was handed all the TA’s for plots paid to date and agreed to prepare a list of unpaid plots for the next meeting. (although this would not take account of those paid in April)
Derrell Road - Sec will write to 8A to ask intentions as nothing seemed to have been done by way of clearing and rent has not been paid
Lower Penns – nothing to report
Oakleigh
· Concerns were raised about the condition of number 16 and sec agreed to write to him asking his intentions as equipment appeared to have been removed and there was a large amount of weeds.
9. AOB - none
10.Date of next meeting to be held on Tuesday 6 May 2014 @ 7.30pm at the ROAB Club.
Meeting closed at 8.15 pm
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
1. Apologies: Joe Wallis, (belated – Philip Moore)
2. Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved
3. Matters arising from the minutes:
Site Notice Boards: new board has been bought from Newton Abbot recycling and put up at Lower Penns Road. Prices are to be obtained in due course. Priority job is the Oakleigh shed though.
Broken padlocks – we will move to combination locks when the time for replacement comes. This will save costs on keys.
4. Correspondence
· Sec has been alerted to the fact that the shed from Oakleigh 34a has been moved to another plot as the current tenant has relocated. Discussion followed about whether this was allowed and it was agreed that the tenancy agreement did not specifically provide for this. It was agreed that it was not helpful that the shed had been moved, especially as it had been on site when the plotholder took over. The shed was therefore the property of the Society and as such, should remain where it had been placed. Sec was asked to write to the plotholder in the strongest terms to ask that the shed be put back and the debris that had been left on the plot be removed (metal railings/water tank etc) as these had been brought on to the site by the plotholder.
It was agreed that the Society would consider amending the tenancy agreements at the next AGM to reflect that sheds/greenhouses/equipment on site when a plot was taken over, remain the property of the Society for use by the tenant and to be maintained by the tenant while they remained a tenant.
Currently, Section A para 6 of the Tenancy Agreement states: Construction of buildings, structures, erections, notices or advertisement of any description will not be permitted without the written authorisation of the Society or its Site Representative. Moving the shed in question to a new plot could be construed as erection as it had been placed in a new area of the site without reference to the Society.
· Sec has also heard from a plotholder on Lower Penns asking for clarification as to whose responsibility it was to maintain the paths down each side of the plots. Again, reference was made to the Tenancy Agreement Section A, para 2 where it states ‘…these paths must be kept reasonably free from weeds provided always that where a path is bounded by two or more allotment gardens the responsibility for maintenance of that pathway shall be borne equally by all those tenants’. All paths are therefore deemed to be shared paths to be maintained by both parties that border them.
5. Chairman’s Report
· Chairman has received the NAS newsletter in which it was advised that a (suspended) rogue member of the NAS Management Committee had been emailing people and making serious allegations as to management issues. They are currently taking legal advice on this. It was agreed that all members email addresses should be private, but some may ‘slip through the net’.
· Numbers on plots: the plotholder on 16a DR had made a good job of displaying his number and the Chairman agreed to speak with him as to whether or not he could do the others on site.
· Work had started on clearing the trees on plot 20 as plot 19 had complained about the overgrowth.
· Chairman mentioned the BBC allotment programme and said that the deadline for entries had been extended, but no interest in applying had been shown by anyone on any of the sites.
6. Vice Chairman’s Report
· We discussed the Oakleigh shed and it was confirmed that no discount on the price quoted of £986 (without the floor), would be given. Free delivery was included. The shed was not after all being built from scratch as this would take too long. The monies had been allocated so it was agreed just to get on with it.
7. Treasurer’s Report
· Current Account £530.11
· Deposit Account £2543.66
· Cheques: 5: (1) Sec, stationery £92.74, (2) SWW – lower penns £7.21 (3) SWW, Derrell Road (4) Devon Garden Machinery – Strimmer Oakleigh £325.00, (5) SWW Lower Penns £9.84.
· Fees received: £2469.80
Chairman commented that the Society appeared to benefitting from having meter readings as Lower Penns Site as we were paying significantly less than before.
8. Sites.
A number of plotholders had not paid their rents yet and there was a discussion as to how long they should be allowed to remain unpaid. It was agreed that the Tenancy Agreement provided 40 days before termination of the lease.
Site reps were to do site inspections and report to Sec on any plots who appeared to still be unworked as maintenance/clearing for this growing season should have started by now.
Sec was handed all the TA’s for plots paid to date and agreed to prepare a list of unpaid plots for the next meeting. (although this would not take account of those paid in April)
Derrell Road - Sec will write to 8A to ask intentions as nothing seemed to have been done by way of clearing and rent has not been paid
Lower Penns – nothing to report
Oakleigh
· Concerns were raised about the condition of number 16 and sec agreed to write to him asking his intentions as equipment appeared to have been removed and there was a large amount of weeds.
9. AOB - none
10.Date of next meeting to be held on Tuesday 6 May 2014 @ 7.30pm at the ROAB Club.
Meeting closed at 8.15 pm
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