Minutes of the OPEN Meeting of the Paignton Home Garden & Allotment Society held at the RAOB Club, Paignton on Monday 4 November 2019

Present: Stefan Philpott, Flis Cotton, Gary Buckingham, Andrew Bibbings, Joe Wallis, Liz Barnes, Pat Marriott, Jackie Green, Christine Guiver, Melanie Philpott, Lynne Gibson.

The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1.    Apologies: Kay Mason, Jodi White, Libby Luke, Phil Moore, Alan Smith.

2.    Minutes of the previous meeting in September were read and approved.

3.    Matters arising from the minutes:

• Petrol hedge trimmer bought yet? (Phil Moore – not present but Christine will ask him so it could be used on Oakleigh – see correspondence)
• Repair of Batson Gardens wall – nothing has been heard from council or Tor2 – chairman to try and contact.

4.    Correspondence:

• 16a DR further email received after termination letter sent. Chairman attended site – see Chairman’s report.
• Events sub committee has arranged a Christmas Event – including pub quiz on Sunday 15 December at the Devonport pub – posters to be placed on all sites . Please can plotholders and friends and families support this fun event at the Devonport Pub – bring mince pies and nibbles to share around - £1 to Club funds.
• Plotholder on 3a has offered to make a noticeboard for Oakleigh – discussed and sec is to ask him to go ahead – very grateful.
• A Plotholder has asked if the hedge can be trimmed from the gate onwards at Oakleigh. Christine will check with Phil to see if the hedge trimmer has been bought and if so, please can we have volunteers to attend the site one Saturday morning to help – the more people who help, the quicker it will get done. Please contact us if you can spare a Saturday morning when the weather improves…

5.    Chairman’s Report:

• The Chairman attended Derrell Road with his daughter and the Hon Vice President to see what remained on plot 16a, the subject of many emails over the past months. Despite several phone calls the former plotholder once again declined to attend and was now not answering his phone. The plot was in a very poor condition as was the unsecured and rotten shed. There were no tools in the shed and the chairman took photos. There was a bag that the former plotholder had said was ‘priceless’ and so the chairman took this home with a view to posting it to him by registered post. The former plotholder had previously agreed that there was no lock on the shed.
• The Chairman has bought new combination locks for the site as plotholders seem to be leaving without keys being returned. It was agreed that new locks would be put on the DR gate when the new tenancy agreements were sent in February next year and the combination would be disclosed to those who had paid their subs. Anyone who had not paid would effectively be locked out of the site.
• The Chairman raised the dangerous state of the ladder between Oakleigh and DR site. Improvements to access was discussed and the Chairman said he would speak to the plotholders either side of the wall who would be affected by any changes.

6.    Vice Chairman’s Report:

• None – not present

7.    Treasurer’s Report (not present):

• Monies in bank:
  • Current account: £392.65
  • Deposit account: £3,662.75
• Outgoings:
  • Wasp killer £4.99
    
  • Chairman - BBQ food - £42.29
    
  • Gary B - £82.90 - rat poison

8.    Sites:

• Requirement for man with van or skip was discussed for Oakleigh. Prices to be obtained. Skip was decided as the best way forward – ONLY non-combustible stuff to be put in the skip which will be placed just inside the gate. Access to the site by car will be blocked while it is there but so be it!
• No site visits done as weather has been too bad.

9.    AOB:

• Lower Penns – a tree had been reported as having collapsed into the field. It didn’t pose any danger to anyone on the site tho. Chirstine would have a look and possibly alert the Council.
• The tap in the loo on LP was said to be dripping – committee member to have a look and possibly repair if necessary.
• A sign was required for the LP site gate to warn of ‘no vehicular access’ as the path was so dangerous for cars. A laminated sign is to be printed and put on the gate.
• The issue of the DR path was discussed as it is so dangerous at the moment. What has happened to the matting that was bought to repair the DR path a few years ago? Sec is to contact Steve Fry as it was thought that this would be in his shed
• Tree roots on 31 Oakleigh were discussed as these go over the water mains to the site and if they impact on the pipework, would be a disaster. The plot was to be inspected with a view to possibly removing the trees.

10.    Date of next committee meeting:

• To be held on Monday 2 December 2019 at 7.30 pm at the RAOB Club.

Meeting closed at 8:25pm.