Minutes 24/02/24

Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on Thursday 8th February

PRESENT: J.Hodges, A. Redfern, P. Jones, J. Mills, J.Pile , J.Carter-Bown,
D. Bonner, M. Hubball
Meeting opened at: 7.35pm

1.CHAIRMAN’S OPENING ADDRESS
Chairman welcomed everyone to this first meeting of the year.

2. APOLOGIES
A.Linnecor, C. Jones

3. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Read and agreed

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
Shed light- Have had some problems, all ok now.
Enovert Funding- Paul has heard nothing more from the Social Club. Will ask at their next committee meeting.

5. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Jason thanked everyone for their kind messages of sympathy after the passing of his father. It is a difficult time, he is grateful for the support of Committee and Plotholders.

6. SECRETARY’S REPORT
The visit planned for today of the Btec Students came out of the blue following a recommendation from Warmley Ash Allotments. This was for 10 or so students to be involved in a real situation, on site which would go towards their experience of working practically on a project. This would go towards their overall grade as part of their course. This was cancelled ‘at the last minute’by the college involved when all students were grounded for some reason. The organisers have confirmed that they will be in touch with us, in the future .

We have had 5 applications for a plot since we last met. Each has been told that there is a waiting list and they may have to wait approximately 2 years.

‘ I Verdi’ the company brought in by Sutton Coldfield Town Council to maintain the allotment sites have carried out some maintenance around the site. The agreed hedge work to the hedge below the gate and across the bottom of the site is still outstanding.
Plot 34B is now a mini plot leaving a new plot 34C. The resulting mini plot , I felt could not be let due to the presence of a unusable shed and a pile of debris left by a previous plotholder (not Alan). The contractors involved in a project at a neighbours garden had asked permission to access the garden via the allotment site. In gratitude they offered to help with a project on site so I suggested that they could demolish and remove the shed and anything else that they could. They did this for us. There remained a massive amount of debris still on site. A skip seemed to be the only answer. I spotted,3 3x2 slabs. I asked Paul if he could move them down to the store shed for resale if anyone wanted them. This was done. I approached I Verdi asking if they could help with the rest of the clear up. They could. They brought three large trucks and filled them. Paul spotted some slabs buried where the shed was situated. He uncovered 18 (I think) 2x2 slabs which he moved down to the store shed. Brilliant. We can now let the plot.

I have raised a basic order for the store shed which should be delivered next week together with the potato order.

Jacksons Fuchsia Nurseries have now closed. The people involved have retired. They have been the suppliers of of the Fuchsia cuttings for our competiton for many years. Anne has arranged an alternative supply via William Wheat on the Chester Road . I will follow this up.

A vehicle has driven over the front of plots 4 and 5 at the bottom of the site causing some damage. We must consider a solution to this problem.
7. TREASURERS REPORT
The Management account stands at £2063.24.
Since the last meeting we have received the remainder of our annual budget allowance from the Council (£444.18).
Our outgoings since the last meeting were replacement lightbulbs in the storeshed (£25.89), thanks Colin, the remainder of the toilet cleaning money (£18.61) and a replacement wheelbarrow tyre (£15), thanks Laurence.
I finished the rent collection for the coming year in early November and sent the money off to the Council as instructed by them. The total collected was £4,147.45.
The rent collection was complicated this year by a number of errors from the Council. As you know, the rent is collected during the period late September to early November. I send the paperwork to Bernie every couple of weeks. She queried the first set of receipts saying that my figures were wrong - I rechecked my figures and confirmed I was correct. She appears to have left 3 people off the list when she did her sums. Then, when she recieved the second set of receipts she appears to have omitted to enter the information into her data base. This resulted in her sending letters of non-payment to around 20 plotters. They were threatened with a £10 fine plus further action. A number of plotters were distressed by this and in a couple of cases sent money to our account. I contacted these people and refunded their money. I contacted Bernie and suggested she should send letters of apology to those people who had received her non-payment letters - she refused as she was very busy
Hopefully everything has now been sorted by the Council.

As we appproach the end of the financial year it is worth a quick look at our situation regarding the balance of this account.
The total income was £888.36. Total expenditure to date is £606.32. Leaving us with a balance of £2063.24 as reported above. The financial year ends on March31st.

The Main account balance stands at £5837.88.
Storeshed sales for October to the end of January were £387.81
Year to date sales are £2416.67

Expenditure since the last meeting was £5 for paper plates and napkins, £22.47 for printer ink, £18 for a bottle of gin for the manure ladies and £39.99 for trophy engraving.

Since the last meeting I have opened an additional acount with our existing bank (Lloyds Banking). This account pays interest.

8. SITE MAINTENANCE
Bio washing powder has been used on the build up of moss on the road way, in addition Sutton Town Council have been on the site doing various jobs.
In view of support from Sutton Council is there a need for for the plot tidy up day?
This was discussed... maybe make it more of a social time.

9. PLOT MONITORING SUB COMMITTEE REPORT
1st monitoring took place at the end of November. There had been no change since September. The end of year monitoring was rained off.
A Jan 14th walk about some plots showed improvement. It was suggested that these plotholders are acknowledged. Those who show no sign of improvement will also need to be contacted.
24th February- possible plot monitoring after breakfast at the Social Club.
By March there should be signs of work on all plots. Any plotholder with difficulties should liaise with Jason, Allan or a committee member.
10. SHED SCHEDULE
No rota for storeshed.
Committee members to fly their red flag when on their plot to be available.

11. SHOW SUB COMMITTEE AND COMPETITIONS
Dates for Shows etc have been agreed by the Social Club.
Plant Sale - 19th May
AGM - 21st May
Early Show - 14th July
Late Show - 11th August
Plot Luck Supper - 15th October
The Chairman confirmed that the judge (Dave Hubball) will be available for the 2 shows.

The Show Secretary said that there will be a change to the wording in the schedule re tomatoes in order to prevent the large number of "not as scheduled" entries that occured last year.
Denise has provided the scone recipe for the early show (this replaces the fruit cake).

12. SITE REPORT/HEALTH AND SAFETY
Nothing to report

13. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Nothing to report

14. AOB
• Breakfast in Social Club- £6.50 -24th February
• Social Club are booking dates 12 months in advance so we need to get our dates for the future organised well in advance in the future.
• Notice board in the foyer of the Social Club no longer shows the Plotholder title. This is useful for Plotholders information. It should also show our certificate of insurance .
• Discussion re constitution update - agreed. Mike to email final draft, to be ratified at the AGM.
• Trellis replacement by Jacqui’s plot-this is needed to contain the horse manure bags etc. It was agreed to replace it.

CLOSURE
Meeting closed at 9pm