Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the Paignton Home Garden and Allotment Society held at the RAOB Club, Paignton on Monday 7 July 2014

Present: Keith Parker, Flis Cotton, Liz Barnes, Alan Smith, Jow Wallis, Gary Buckingham, Jacqueline Green, Lin Cane, Kay Mason, Alan Burgess, Colin Weymouth, Philip Moore, Philip Mason, Pat Messenger, Tracy Clarke, Pat Marriott and Steve Marriott.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1.    Apologies: Christine Guiver, Jane Parker.

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

3.    Matters arising from the minutes:

• Site issues dealt with by site below
  

4.    Correspondence:

• Several requests to be added to waiting list. Secretary replied to all.
  

5.    Chairman’s report:

• Chairman has received a complaint from a householder in Langdon Road about being smoked out by a bonfire on Lower Penns Road site. 

          - Homeowner was very angry and said that when he went to the site and confronted the plotholder concerned, a fracas followed. 
          - Homeowner had threatened to complain to the Council. 
          - Discussion followed about the timings bonfires were allowed and it was pointed out that if a general homeowner within the Bay, a bonfire was allowed at anytime of the day. 
          - PHGAS consitution/tenancy agreement provided that bonfires were only to be lit
             AFTER 7pm between 1 MAY and 31 AUGUST
             and
             AFTER 4pm between 1 SEPTEMBER and 30 APRIL.
          - Secretary agreed to do notices for all sites to ask plotholders to
             PLEASE CONSIDER THE NEIGHBOURS
             when lighting a bonfire and make sure they are fully extinguished before leaving them.

• Chairman mentioned that the water bills for LP site had reduced significantly since the meter was being read on a monthly basis. The previous bill for 2012/13 between Nov and Oct had been £903, but this year 2013/14 Nov to July, so far it was only £183 with a few months remaining. It was agreed it has been a very cost-effective move despite that it had cost the Society £70 pa to switch to SWW readings.
  

6.    Vice Chairman’s report:

• No progress to report on the toilet block as VC had been under the weather. Sec agreed to email plotholders on Oakleigh to ask for volunteers to do a bit of general maintenance – paint the new shed, strim some unused plots etc. If people could give say ½ hour of their time it would be very helpful and keep the site tidy.
  

7.    Treasurer’s report:

• Current account         £128.60
  
• Deposit account       £2843.99
  
• Cheques:

         - £34.60           Chairman – mower fuel and strimmer wire
         - £32.65           SWW – Lower Penns
         - £100.50         SWW – Lower Penns

8.    Sites:

   Derrell Road

• 8a – still to be let
  
• 10b – minimal work done and overgrown again. Send letter 1 re progress or termination
  
• 15 - not much cultivation – Letter - suggest reduce to ½ plot if no significant progress
  

   Lower Penns

• 19 – Letter 2 re: intentions. Suggest drop to half a plot.
  
• 24b – letter re: intentions as no cultivation
  
• Site strimmer has been stolen. Value in excess of £400. Society will make an insurance claim after getting a crime reference number. If insurance claim is not paid, then the site will do without a strimmer. It was agreed that due to the value of Society equipment, one person should be responsible for it and it should be locked away so it can be accounted for at all times.
  

   Oakleigh

• 3b – has asked to take over 3a.  Discussion followed and it was agreed that due to the exceptional circumstances (that 3a is an un-lettable plot) and that 3b is currently being cultivated, the Committee would be prepared to allow 3b to take it over for a probationary period to see if it was to be cultivated.  This was only to be allowed on the basis that it would not be used for storage and must be cultivated.
  
• 7a - letter 1
  
• 7b – letter 1
  
• 41/42 – has been strimmed but still not cultivated.  Letter 2 (1 last month?)
  

9.    Any Other Business:

• A request was received from a plotholder on Derrell Road for funds to buy wood to make benches for a communal area near the clay oven on the site. Discussion followed as to costings and how the figure of £50 had been arrived at or whether it would be enough to build benches. Funds had already been given to build the clay oven, although it was noted that it had been built for far less than its‘ value.

       It was proposed that an additional maximum of £50 for the bench project would be allowed – this was seconded and duly agreed.

• Site rep at LP said that a new basin tap for the site shed was required.  He agreed to look out for one and report to committee about costings.
  

10.    Date of next meeting:

• Monday 4 August 2014 @ 7.30pm at the RAOB Club
  

Meeting closed at 8.45pm