Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Paignton Home Garden & Allotment Society held at the RAOB Club, New Street, Paignton on Monday 5 October 2015 at 7.30pm

Present: K & J Parker, F Cotton, E Barnes, P Messneger, C Guiver, M & J Webber, S Luscombe, A Smith, P Marriott, R Cambray.

Hon Vice President, Joe Wallis welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1.    Apologies: P Moore, C Weymouth, S Chappell, B Luscombe, G Buckingham, T Clarke, J Green, K Mason, Liz & Anthony Rayner.

2.    Minutes of last AGM held on Monday 6 October 2014 were read, agreed and signed.

3.    Correspondence:

• Applications for waiting list.
• Hon Vice President reported that the plotholder on 3b Oakleigh has extended his plot boundary fence without permission.  Hon VP suggested that the plot be properly measured and either the rent reviewed or the boundary fence put back to where it was.
  • It was reported that the plotholder has been spoken to and asked to reinstate the original boundary.
• Hon VP asked for a discussion on the possibility of electing a Show Committee.  There is a lot of work involved in preparing and setting up a show – he felt it was too much for one person.  An independent judge may be required, who should not enter the exhibition area prior to judging and all exhibitors had left. Hon VP offered to help and advise wherever was required.
  • Discussion followed and the Chairman said that we should try and keep any show ‘fun’ as people may be put off if they thought it was too serious.  Thought will be given to calling for volunteers for a ‘Show sub-committee’ – this would hopefully lead to shows being a little more organised than this year’s.
• There has been correspondence with Torbay Council re:  renewing the Leases.  So far new leases have not been finally agreed.  The hedge maintenance issue appears to be a sticking point. 
  • The hedges have, however, now been cut back by the Council. 
• The Secretary had a long discussion with Martin Smith at Torbay Council re: bonfires on Oakleigh. They are still receiving complaints from residents about smoke from bonfires. This is a statutory offence if a nuisance is created to surrounding properties. He reminded us that a nuisance is a nuisance at any time of the day or night, regardless of the times allowed in the tenancy agreement or leases. He has inspected the Oakleigh site as there were reports of material being brought on to the site to be burned (planed softwood). This is not allowed under any circumstances. The Council may seek redress against the offender in question, or failing this, against the Society (more likely). He asked that we deal with this quickly and effectively. If necessary, the relevant lease will have to be terminated, for breach of conditions. He will write to the complainant for further information as he is required to do. Council ref: 222009.
  • It was then reported by the site rep that the plotholder concerned has given notice to leave and will be leaving when his crops had finished.
• Please can all plotholders be vigilant & considerate when lighting a bonfire.
• Plotholder on Lower Penns had reported that the toilet/shed had been cleared and that her personal possessions had been removed.  Despite assurances from the site rep that no clothing had been removed, plotholder wanted the matter raised at the AGM.
  • Much discussion followed and it was reported that the plotholder had been offered an alternative shed to use on another plot, but this had been turned down as she wanted to keep using the one on her own plot.
  • The secretary is to write to the plotholder and confirm that it has been agreed that she can keep her boots and a change of clothing hung up (only) in the shed and that this would be entirely at her own risk. The toilet was after all, open to all plotholders to use.
• Hon VP thanked the Secretary for her hard work over the past year.

 
4.    Chairman’s Report:

• The monthly water meter readings at Lower Penns Road had now been extended and the bills had reduced considerably.
• It has overall been a fairly quiet year, but a lot of work has been done.  The Oakleigh toilet has been finished.  This has been thanks to a lot of hard work by key people on the site.  The Chairman thanked them all.  A society shed has also been acquired on Oakleigh near to the toilet.  This is now a nice open area for a show or barbecue.
• Health and Safety equipment has been purchased and placed on all 3 sites.  This includes a first aid kit and an accident book.   This will keep the Society within H&S guidelines.  We are all to maintain responsibility for our own safety when on site and children on the site are the responsibility of the accompanying adult.
• An Asset Register had been compiled.

 
5.    Treasurer’s Report:

• Income:
  • Rent/membership                       £3,766.00
  • Bank interest                                          £1.48
  • Chicken pellets                                  £426.75
  • Sub-total                                       £4,194.23
    
    
• Expenditure:
  • Refunds                                                    £23.00
  • S W Water                                              £879.74
  • Stationery/postage                             £15.00
  • Pellets                                                     £460.80
  • Subs                                                        £810.87
  • Maintenance                                        £460.91
  • Oakleigh toilet                                    £413.07
  • Assets (new strimmer)                     £300.00
  • Fuel (for mower/strimmer)               £22.19
  • Sub-total                                        £3,385.58

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• Surplus for year:                                         £808.65

• Monies in bank:
  • Current account                                   £60.45
  • Deposit account                             £2,669.47
  • Cash in hand                                             £9.97
  • Total:                                                £2,739.89

​​

• There is still stock of chicken pellets in hand so there has been no loss here.
• The Hon, VP thanked the Treasurer for her hard work over the past year.

 
6.    Motions and Proposals:

• None

 
7.    2016 Election of Officers:

• No resignations so all current officers were proposed / seconded / agreed en bloc.

1. Chairman: Keith Parker
2. Vice Chairman: Alan Smith
3. Secretary: Flis Cotton
4. Treasurer: Jane Parker
5. Web Master: Leigh Burns
6. Wildlife Officer: Jacqueline Green
7. Fundraising Officer: (none)
8. Site Reps:
   1. Derrell Road: Pat Messenger, Tracey Clarke, Jacqueline Green
   2. Oakleigh: Gary Buckingham, Pat Marriott, Liz Barnes
   3. Lower Penns: Phillip Moore, Colin Weymouth, Christine Guiver

8.    Representatives on Other Organisations:

• National Vegetable Society - Alan and May Burgess and Joe Wallis  –  Joe Wallis agreed to report to PHGAS on NVS matters.

9.    Closing Comments and Forthcoming Events:

• CG on Lower Penns asked if all plotholders of those adjacent to the top path, ((a) plots), could please also strim the top path when they were dealing with the side paths. This would eradicate the need for anyone to specifically strim the whole path as a separate job. Please could plotholders bear this in mind and be thoughtful of others on the site?
• A plotholder asked if the committee inspected all the sites across the board? Do site reps look at plots on the sites other than their own?
  • Hon VP confirmed that yes, the site reps did sometimes visit other sites and that he also did. He felt this was useful to cast a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ across the sites that the Society were responsible for.

10.    Any Other Business:

• Hon VP has confirmed the use of the RAOB club throughout 2016 – the first Monday of every month with the exception of May (Bank Holiday) when it will be held on the Tuesday.
• Hon VP has recently visited all 3 sites to judge them and reported that generally, levels of cultivation were good.  He made the point that many plotholders would have been successful if they had entered the summer show.
• The summer show had been very good and Hon VP thanked the committee and the workforce for their efforts and for building the Oakleigh toilet (despite the weather).

 
11.    Date of next Annual General Meeting:

• To be held on Monday 3 October 2016 at 7.30pm at the RAOB Club.

12.    Date of next next Committee Meeting:
To be held on Monday 2 November 2015 at 7.30pm at the RAOB Club.


Meeting closed at 8.30pm.