Minutes of the OPEN Meeting of the Paignton Home Garden & Allotment Society held at the ROAB Club, Paignton on Monday 1 February 2016.

Present:  Keith & Jane Parker, Flis Cotton, Liz Barnes, Gary Buckingham, Alan Smith, Jacqueline Green, Philip Moore, Joe Wallis, Colin Weymouth

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
 
1.    Apologies:  Tracy Clark, Pat Messenger, Pat & Steve Marriott, Christine Guiver 

2.    Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved 

3.    Matters arising from the minutes:

• Oakleigh padlock – is still ok to use and in place on the gate.
• DR gate code had been amended and the gate was being used. However, due to some plotholders having difficulties with the code a padlock has been reinstated and all current plotholders have been given keys. The cost to the society for 2 padlocks and 40 keys was £109.
• New leases - no progress had been made and it is in the hands of the Council.
• Insurance subs have been paid to NAS for the coming year – there has been an increase in subs of 25p per member this year, with 75p overall increase in the past 2 years. The insurance subs have also been paid on the basis of 150 members across the 3 sites.
• Tree inspection report for LP has not been received but an amount of work has been done. An improvement was reported but there is still work to be done and it seems like only the minimum has been done. The remaining trees that need to be cut are still within the site borders.
• Chicken pellets – Lower Penns reported that they still have approximately 3-4 sacks left and it was discussed whether another order should be placed. The Chairman agreed to investigate prices from other suppliers and we would probably place an order of a pallet load. Sec is to ask all plotholders if they want to order some.

 
4.    Correspondence:

• Betty Freeman, plotholder on 26 Lower Penns has sadly passed away. The Society offers our condolences to her family.

5.    Chairman’s Report:

• All dealt with in ‘matters arising’

 
6.    Vice Chairman’s Report:

• Nothing to report

 
7.    Treasurer’s Report:

• Current account : £101.17
• Deposit account: £1,419.89      
• Cheques:
  • Shield insurance               £466.59
  • National Allotments        £398.75
  • Cobblers (keys)                  £105.00
  • Shield insurance                £34.00
  • SW Water (LP)                     £10.85

 
8.    Sites:
Derrell Road

• The apex ridge of the metal shed is dislodged and will need to be repaired when the weather improves.
• Disabled access to the site was discussed as the main path is very sloped. Disabled access to the site is possible, but only as far as the disabled plot, no further up the path, and definitely not as far as the toilet. All 3 sites do therefore have disabled access to a degree, which is a requirement of the council lease.

 
Lower Penns 

• The path just inside the gate is unstable. A quote has been received to shore it up, but the committee were not convinced that the work was urgent enough to warrant the expense. It was agreed that the site reps would inspect the area again before agreeing to the work.
• The condition of the LP toilet was discussed again and that the plotholder appears to be keeping personal items in and under the building. It was agreed that this was not to be allowed as the toilet is on site for the use of everyone on the site and it was in situ before the plotholder took over the plot, so she knew the terms before the plot was taken. The toilet will in any event have to be maintained in the spring, so all personal items are to be removed and it must be kept clear. Site reps agreed to monitor the position and possibly ‘have a word’ with the plotholder.
• 23        Sec is to write and ask plotholders intentions as he has not been seen a the site for some time
  

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Oakleigh

• 13        Sec to write and ask intentions
  
• 16b      Sec to write and ask intentions
  

9.    AOB:

• It was discussed whether it would be possible to apply for a grant for funding to deal with the uneven DR path, or repair the LP wall. The chairman reported that historically, grants were available only for new innovative projects and that the scope of PHGAS in the community was not wide enough.
• Vice chairman asked if plots could be handed on to family members if a plotholder was to give up and this was discussed.  Chairman thought that this was not the case and that they could only be reallocated as per the waiting list.
• It was discussed whether a deposit could be taken from new plotholders when they took over a plot, with this being refunded if the plot was kept in a reasonable condition when they left.  As this is not part of the lease or Constitution it could not be implemented immediately.  It was agreed that some of the plots had quite a lot of rubbish on them at the moment; to the extent that a skip would be required before a scheme like this could be implemented.  Chairman said that it worked well on other sites that he knew of.  Monitor position.
• Sec is to start sending out tenancy agreements ASAP.

 
10.    Date of next committee meeting:

• To be held on Monday 7 March 2016 at 7.30pm at the RAOB Club.

 
Meeting closed at 8.25pm