Two Column Layout Newsletter December 2nd 2025
Committee meeting
Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on Thursday 27th November 2025
PRESENT: J.Hodges, A. Redfern, M.Hubball, J. Pile
C Jones. J. Carter-Bown, P Jones, G.Cross, A. Linnecor, R. Harrison
Meeting opened at: 7.34pm
1.CHAIRMAN’S OPENING ADDRESS
Chairman welcomed everyone to the November meeting.
2. APOLOGIES
D. Bonner, J. Mills
3. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Read and agreed.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
Jason awaiting a reply regarding a meeting with a plot holder to discuss plot maintenance issues.
Tree damage insurance…Allan has been in touch with Peter Weston as Sutton Town Council are now taking care of our maintenance. The Ash and Oak tree ( half way down the site) are protected, we’re continuing to keep them well maintained to avoid any problems.
5. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Jason and Allan were asked to attend the AGM of the BDAC.
We received a gold certificate for Hill allotment site- a great result everybody! 2 plot holders received silver gilt certificates for their individual plot….Eileen and Dennis Roberts and Dr Bob Tyler. This means that they have also jointly won the best standard plot on our site.
6. SECRETARY’S REPORT
I thank Mike for getting in all payments of rent for the coming year from our plotholders and thank our plotholders for paying them on time.
The 0.6 of a person working on the administration of Birmingham allotments (Berni) still has 975 outstanding . She also has 215 Emails to read.
I attended the Social Club AGM on Sunday, a successful meeting when, in my view, more people attended than there have been in recent years. May be an offer of a bacon sandwich upon arrival helped to boost the numbers attending this AGM.
All is well with the Social Club where a few hard working individuals are keeping it going.
Bob and Janet Tyler, Jason and I attended the Half Yearly Meeting of the BDAC at Bordesley Green Allotments last Saturday. This will probably be the last meeting of the BDAC that I/ we will attend, hopefully we will be totally part of Sutton Coldfield Allotments and have no further connection with the BDAC. The reason we did attend this meeting was to hear the results of various competitions that we could enter probably for the last time this year.
Bob and JanetTyler and Eileen and Denis Roberts entered the best plot competition and both were awarded with a Silver Gilt award for their plots.
Hill Allotments entered the best site competition and were awarded the GOLD award certificate for our efforts. I thank all plotholders for making this possible.
I`ve had an Email from Sutton Coldfield Town Council regarding a talk at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall titled
Building Healthier Lives in Sutton Coldfield. This concerns “ Falls and Mobility” How can we help to promote this?
7. TREASURERS REPORT
Main Account
Shed Sales for October were £56.32 YTD £2010.43
The Main account balance was £5342.64 at the end of October.
No major expenses during October
I have just paid the Website hosting charge for the next 12 months. £100.66. This will show up in the November balance statement.
I've bought some weed supression fabric as we are getting low.
Maintenance Account
Maintenance account balance was £852.30 at the end of October.
I have left out the rental payments (see below) from this figure to avoid confusion.
At the beginning of November we, at last, received our annual budget money from BCC. £959.92. This is for water, general maintenance etc. It included £40.22 for cleaning toilets I sent this money to the Social club and they have sent an acknowlegement and thanks.
This brings our current balance to £1772.08.
As we are now 8 months into the current financial year, it is worth a look at the figures for this account so far.
Our total income from the Council, was £959.92 as mentioned above. Our total outgoings, so far, are £1273.35 i.e. a deficite of £313.
This year we have had some major expenditure.
The water charge totalled £602 against our allowance of £388. (Obviously this was. an exceptional year due to the drought during the summer). Let's hope we have some reasonable rainfall next year.
We spent £290 on a skip and £250 having our doors repaired/replaced. This latter charge was a one-off, of course.
Rent Payment
I am pleased to report that the rent money has been received, on time, from all plotters.
The rent collected, total £4749, was sent to the Council on 10th November, as instructed.
8. SITE MAINTENANCE
Water reading at 1st November was 2133 cubic meters up 4 on last month.
Water is now turned off and the system drained.
Total water used this year is 318 cubic meters, last year it was 99. Evidence of a very dry Summer this year.
1 cubic meter is an IBC!!
9. PLOT MONITORING SUB COMMITTEE REPORT
Allan is going to pursue possibility of work experience people with Peter Weston.
Can we remind plot holders that Autumn/Winter are times to prepare the allotment and the soil for the following growing season. Plots are never ‘put to bed.’
Next monitoring will be Spring 2026……date to be confirmed.
10. SHED SCHEDULE
N/A Committee members to fly their red flag when on their plot.
11. SHOW SUB COMMITTEE AND COMPETITIONS
Dates for Shows, AGM and Plot Luck Supper were discussed. Dave Hubball (our judge for the Annual Shows) gets booked up quickly.
12. SITE REPORT/HEALTH AND SAFETY
Nothing to report.
13. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
There is now a barrier by the main gate to help Social Club attendees when leaving the site especially in these dark evenings. Feel free to move it to access plots but please put it back in position.
14. AOB
- Christmas gin to be given to’ horse manure ladies’
- IBC’s by store shed- these can be cut in half and used as planters for example. If anyone is interested, please tell a Committee member. The cages will be used to store excess leaves.
- Allotment noticeboard is in progress.
- Discussion of plot size names. Judith and Jacqui to look into this. To be discussed further next year.
- Peter Weston has visited the site looking at the hedges. Some hedges have trees growing in them …these can also be cut as long as the trees are in the hedge and not in someone’s garden. They will be cut in January.
- Wall flowers are ready to be planted in Margi’s garden..Jason asked if someone could clear it of the Summer bedding plants. Window boxes are now cleared, the corms are stored in Jason’s greenhouse.
- Please make sure empty horse manure bags are put inside each other and placed behind the leaf mould bunker NOT back on the full horse manure bags!
- Provisional dates for next year's committee meetings etc were discussed. These will be submitted to the Social Club Chairman for confirmation.
CLOSURE
Meeting closed at 8.37 pm. Chairman wished us all a Happy Christmas!!
The next Committee Meeting - February 12th.
That's all for now.Mike
Committee meeting
Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on Thursday 27th November 2025PRESENT: J.Hodges, A. Redfern, M.Hubball, J. Pile
C Jones. J. Carter-Bown, P Jones, G.Cross, A. Linnecor, R. Harrison
Meeting opened at: 7.34pm
1.CHAIRMAN’S OPENING ADDRESS
Chairman welcomed everyone to the November meeting.
2. APOLOGIES
D. Bonner, J. Mills
3. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Read and agreed.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
Jason awaiting a reply regarding a meeting with a plot holder to discuss plot maintenance issues.
Tree damage insurance…Allan has been in touch with Peter Weston as Sutton Town Council are now taking care of our maintenance. The Ash and Oak tree ( half way down the site) are protected, we’re continuing to keep them well maintained to avoid any problems.
5. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Jason and Allan were asked to attend the AGM of the BDAC.
We received a gold certificate for Hill allotment site- a great result everybody! 2 plot holders received silver gilt certificates for their individual plot….Eileen and Dennis Roberts and Dr Bob Tyler. This means that they have also jointly won the best standard plot on our site.
6. SECRETARY’S REPORT
I thank Mike for getting in all payments of rent for the coming year from our plotholders and thank our plotholders for paying them on time.
The 0.6 of a person working on the administration of Birmingham allotments (Berni) still has 975 outstanding . She also has 215 Emails to read.
I attended the Social Club AGM on Sunday, a successful meeting when, in my view, more people attended than there have been in recent years. May be an offer of a bacon sandwich upon arrival helped to boost the numbers attending this AGM.
All is well with the Social Club where a few hard working individuals are keeping it going.
Bob and Janet Tyler, Jason and I attended the Half Yearly Meeting of the BDAC at Bordesley Green Allotments last Saturday. This will probably be the last meeting of the BDAC that I/ we will attend, hopefully we will be totally part of Sutton Coldfield Allotments and have no further connection with the BDAC. The reason we did attend this meeting was to hear the results of various competitions that we could enter probably for the last time this year.
Bob and JanetTyler and Eileen and Denis Roberts entered the best plot competition and both were awarded with a Silver Gilt award for their plots.
Hill Allotments entered the best site competition and were awarded the GOLD award certificate for our efforts. I thank all plotholders for making this possible.
I`ve had an Email from Sutton Coldfield Town Council regarding a talk at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall titled
Building Healthier Lives in Sutton Coldfield. This concerns “ Falls and Mobility” How can we help to promote this?
7. TREASURERS REPORT
Main Account
Shed Sales for October were £56.32 YTD £2010.43
The Main account balance was £5342.64 at the end of October.
No major expenses during October
I have just paid the Website hosting charge for the next 12 months. £100.66. This will show up in the November balance statement.
I've bought some weed supression fabric as we are getting low.
Maintenance Account
Maintenance account balance was £852.30 at the end of October.
I have left out the rental payments (see below) from this figure to avoid confusion.
At the beginning of November we, at last, received our annual budget money from BCC. £959.92. This is for water, general maintenance etc. It included £40.22 for cleaning toilets I sent this money to the Social club and they have sent an acknowlegement and thanks.
This brings our current balance to £1772.08.
As we are now 8 months into the current financial year, it is worth a look at the figures for this account so far.
Our total income from the Council, was £959.92 as mentioned above. Our total outgoings, so far, are £1273.35 i.e. a deficite of £313.
This year we have had some major expenditure.
The water charge totalled £602 against our allowance of £388. (Obviously this was. an exceptional year due to the drought during the summer). Let's hope we have some reasonable rainfall next year.
We spent £290 on a skip and £250 having our doors repaired/replaced. This latter charge was a one-off, of course.
Rent Payment
I am pleased to report that the rent money has been received, on time, from all plotters.
The rent collected, total £4749, was sent to the Council on 10th November, as instructed.
8. SITE MAINTENANCE
Water reading at 1st November was 2133 cubic meters up 4 on last month.
Water is now turned off and the system drained.
Total water used this year is 318 cubic meters, last year it was 99. Evidence of a very dry Summer this year.
1 cubic meter is an IBC!!
9. PLOT MONITORING SUB COMMITTEE REPORT
Allan is going to pursue possibility of work experience people with Peter Weston.
Can we remind plot holders that Autumn/Winter are times to prepare the allotment and the soil for the following growing season. Plots are never ‘put to bed.’
Next monitoring will be Spring 2026……date to be confirmed.
10. SHED SCHEDULE
N/A Committee members to fly their red flag when on their plot.
11. SHOW SUB COMMITTEE AND COMPETITIONS
Dates for Shows, AGM and Plot Luck Supper were discussed. Dave Hubball (our judge for the Annual Shows) gets booked up quickly.
12. SITE REPORT/HEALTH AND SAFETY
Nothing to report.
13. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
There is now a barrier by the main gate to help Social Club attendees when leaving the site especially in these dark evenings. Feel free to move it to access plots but please put it back in position.
14. AOB
- Christmas gin to be given to’ horse manure ladies’
- IBC’s by store shed- these can be cut in half and used as planters for example. If anyone is interested, please tell a Committee member. The cages will be used to store excess leaves.
- Allotment noticeboard is in progress.
- Discussion of plot size names. Judith and Jacqui to look into this. To be discussed further next year.
- Peter Weston has visited the site looking at the hedges. Some hedges have trees growing in them …these can also be cut as long as the trees are in the hedge and not in someone’s garden. They will be cut in January.
- Wall flowers are ready to be planted in Margi’s garden..Jason asked if someone could clear it of the Summer bedding plants. Window boxes are now cleared, the corms are stored in Jason’s greenhouse.
- Please make sure empty horse manure bags are put inside each other and placed behind the leaf mould bunker NOT back on the full horse manure bags!
- Provisional dates for next year's committee meetings etc were discussed. These will be submitted to the Social Club Chairman for confirmation.
CLOSURE
Meeting closed at 8.37 pm. Chairman wished us all a Happy Christmas!!
The next Committee Meeting - February 12th.