Held at Astley Bridge Cricket Club, 10th July
2017 starting 8.00 p.m.
Present: 19 people representing 10 sites
Minutes of June
meeting
The minutes having been posted on the Association’s blog
site and members invited to submit corrections etc. The Committee asked whether there were any points anyone
wished to raise. There being no such matters it was moved that the minutes be
accepted.
Outstanding Matters
Specific issues from the June meeting had been submitted to
the Council on 12/06/2017
The replies are as follows:
·
Plot
Splitting at Smedley Avenue – due to the size of plots at SA any division
would result in at least one plot being less than 125 sq metres – this is
against policy. The Committee discussed situations where an existing plot that
is less than 125 sq metres becomes vacant – our
advice is that if such a plot cannot be amalgamated with another, then it
should simply be re-let.
·
Voluntary
Terminations of Tenancy – the Council regard the effective date of
termination and the date by which the tenant must remove his / her property
from the plot as being either the date the tenant communicates with the Council
or such later date as he / she may stipulate in their termination letter or
email. MR is looking the need to reinstate confirmation letters.
·
Poultry
on Plots – Societies cannot refuse permission for tenants to keep poultry
only the Council can do this.
Previous backlog
·
Pigeons
on Plots – no further response – abas
advice would be that if such a request is presented to a Society then the
application should be refused with the tenant being advised of their rights of
appeal to the Council. Such appeals should help establish an effective policy.
·
Probationers
– the May meeting made a number of suggestions to the Council – no response to
date
·
Revolving
applications – The Council has found Rawlyn Rd’s suggested way of dealing
with these acceptable
·
Assistance
with Security – there has been no response to the points made about site
security
·
Fundraising
– the Council has stated that any events must be clearly linked to promoting
allotment gardening and local food growing – simply raising funds for the
society is not acceptable. Abas are
concerned at this restriction on societies’ ability to raise much needed funds
and wishes to discuss this with the Council.
·
Waiting
Lists – waiting list supplied to secretaries will in future always have
phone numbers
Abas – future
strategy
Abas remains concerned that there is an undercurrent of
dissatisfaction amongst our members, both with communications with the
Allotments section and with responses from that section.
Abas is concerned that our email to the Council warning of
dangers to the continuation of the OMA project has not received a reply.
The Committee has
therefore decided to circulate all Society Secretaries with a questionnaire
asking them to tell us – what has worked well, what isn’t working well (with
detailed examples). These
questionnaires should be returned to abas after which we shall collate the
replies and use them to form the basis of a Progress Meeting with the Head of
Neighbourhood Services.
Freedom of
Information requests
Florence Avenue have received a reply to their FoI
Abas received a reply to its FoI on Weds 5th July. The
replies were discussed at a Committee Meeting on Thursday 6th July. Initial
feelings are that further detail is needed, and that the Secretary should seek
that information from the Council.
The following summary
sheet was provided by the Council.
Allotments
|
||||
2015/16 Actuals
|
2016/17 Actuals
|
2017/18 Budget
|
||
20100
|
Day To Day Maintenance
|
18,117
|
9,114
|
7,151
|
20504
|
Signage
|
200
|
||
21100
|
Electricity - General
|
1,401
|
(542)
|
1,515
|
22003
|
Ground Rent
|
25
|
51
|
|
22200
|
Water Charges - Metered
|
9,789
|
7,921
|
10,100
|
22201
|
Water Charges - Unmetered
|
493
|
518
|
2,020
|
25103
|
Purchases - Keys Etc.
|
1,406
|
||
26106
|
Refuse Collection
|
320
|
||
29100
|
R&M Property Services Dso
|
71
|
530
|
|
Total Premises
|
31,822
|
17,540
|
20,837
|
|
40601
|
General Materials
|
20
|
1,010
|
|
Total Supplies & Services
|
20
|
0
|
1,010
|
|
52200
|
Contracted Services
|
10,827
|
9,551
|
9,090
|
Total Agency
|
10,827
|
9,551
|
9,090
|
|
77215
|
Legal Services Devolved Charge
|
780
|
1,515
|
|
Total Support Costs
|
780
|
0
|
1,515
|
|
Gross Expenditure
|
43,448
|
27,091
|
32,452
|
|
92612
|
Donations
|
(1,500)
|
||
93308
|
Agricultural Rent
|
(30,265)
|
(30,001)
|
(32,452)
|
Total Income
|
(31,765)
|
(30,001)
|
(32,452)
|
|
Net Expenditure
|
11,683
|
(2,910)
|
0
|
|
Site specific figures
were supplied by the Council for water charges.
Site
|
metered water
|
unmetered water
|
|||
15/16
|
16/17
|
15/16
|
16/17
|
||
1
|
Ainsdale Road
|
£497.75
|
£315.80
|
||
2
|
Avondale Rd
|
||||
3
|
Back Plodder Lane
|
||||
4
|
Cemetery Rd
|
£361.83
|
£450.17
|
||
5
|
Chequerbent
|
||||
6
|
Clammerclough
|
||||
7
|
Cross St
|
||||
8
|
Crown Lane
|
£98.13
|
£365.17
|
||
9
|
Dealey Rd
|
||||
10
|
Firwood Lane
|
£29.83
|
£117.69
|
£123.34
|
£129.48
|
11
|
Florence Avenue
|
£347.61
|
£440.56
|
||
12
|
Garstang Avenue
|
||||
13
|
Glebe Street
|
||||
14
|
Green Lane
|
||||
15
|
Hall Lea Bank
|
||||
16
|
Harpers Lane
|
£155.81
|
£376.12
|
||
17
|
Hatfield Rd
|
||||
18
|
Lever Park Avenue
|
£48.31
|
£238.37
|
||
19
|
Longworth Rd, Egerton
|
£203.92
|
£887.42
|
||
20
|
Longworth Rd, Horwich
|
||||
21
|
Lowndes St
|
£37.40
|
£153.09
|
||
22
|
Manningham Rd/ Haslam Park
|
£127.37
|
£272.57
|
||
23
|
Moss Lea
|
£121.50
|
£332.80
|
||
24
|
Nasmyth Street
|
£66.03
|
£89.95
|
£123.34
|
£129.48
|
25
|
New Street
|
||||
26
|
Rawlyn Road
|
£365.60
|
£240.48
|
||
27
|
Sapling Rd
|
£160.50
|
-£56.36
|
||
28
|
Settle Street
|
-£257.85
|
£1,016.41
|
£123.34
|
£129.48
|
29
|
Seymour Road
|
||||
30
|
Shepherd Cross Street
|
£7,254.82
|
£971.08
|
£123.34
|
£129.48
|
31
|
Smedley Avenue
|
£114.45
|
£171.96
|
||
32
|
Thicketford Road
|
£59.57
|
£60.63
|
||
33
|
Tippings Rd
|
£61.92
|
-£73.84
|
||
34
|
Tonge Fold
|
||||
35
|
Tonge Moor Rd
|
-£232.79
|
£1,322.36
|
||
36
|
Westhoughton Central
|
||||
37
|
Willows Mercadale
|
£78.99
|
£37.95
|
||
38
|
|||||
Dene Bank Allotments, Turton
|
£87.69
|
£190.28
|
|||
TOTAL PLOTS
|
£9,788.39
|
£7,920.66
|
£493.36
|
£517.92
|
|
On Summary Sheet
|
£9,789.00
|
£7,921.00
|
£493.00
|
£518.00
|
|
The Budget for 17/18 is
|
|||||
Metered
|
£10,100.00
|
||||
Unmetered
|
£2,020.00
|
||||
The meeting requested
that the Secretary ask for similar site specific data on the other headings
within the summary.
GM Spatial Plan
Don Booth (Salford Federation) is convening a meeting of the
Federations in the GM area to discuss the current status of the Plan.Abas (Terry and Jeff) will attend
Abas Allotments
Competitions
Some 29 entries have been received from 6 Allotment sites.
Second Judging is week commencing July 10th
Abas Onion, Leek and
Vegetable Show
The Show will be held at Trinity Church, Tonge FoldThe date is Saturday 12th August
The list of classes is given on the blog-site
Terry has copies of the Show Schedules – some were
distributed at the meeting. Terry can be contacted at 0786 393 3064. Terry has
offered to assist societies in explaining to potential exhibitors exactly what
is needed.
We are hoping that there will be a large number of entries
and from a wider spread of sites.
Stalls - There is space available
for any society wishing to have a “stall” in the front hall at the show e.g. to
sell honey, produce etc. Contact Terry if you are interested.
What’s on?
JULY 29TH – TONGE FOLD ALLOTMENTS OPEN DAY
AUGUST 5TH – SAPLING ROAD ALLOTMENTS OPEN DAY
AUGUST 26TH – MOSS LEA ALLOTMENTS OPEN DAY
SEPTEMBER 3RD – HARPERS LANE ALLOTMENTS OPEN DAY
SEPTEMBER 9TH – FLORENCE AVENUE ALLOTMENTS OPEN DAY
SEPTEMBER 9TH – SETTLE STREET ALLOTMENTS OPEN DAY
Details of all these
events are being circulated through the NWCAA
NWCAA
Jeff and Terry gave an account of the Regional Meeting on
25/06/2017. Minutes will be published by the Regional Secretary on the NWCAA
web-site.
Key points were:-
·
Small Grants Scheme
· Insurance – Shield may no longer offer the most competitive rates and societies should look at the market, but be careful to ensure quotes are Like for Like
· Anti-Bullying Policy on Allotments – NWCAA has asked the NAS to provide more information on anti-bullying policies
Grants and Funding
Opportunities
There are details of potential funding from TESCO for projects such as
meeting rooms, chemical toilets, site and land improvements on the NWCAA
web-site (Blackpool Federation has secured £13k so far with a possible £5k to
follow)
Societies (and abas) need to look seriously into future
fund-raising since support from the ‘Big Bolton Fund’ / CVS has diminished and
is likely to be further cut in future. In addition many funders are refusing
repeat applications within a set period.
CVS grant advisors are advising even medium size groups to
look at designating a fundraising officer or committee and to make maximum use
of e.g. the Fundraising portals that Bolton CVS and GMCVO operate
Any other business
Members discussed what the advantages are of continuing
paying subscriptions to the NAS if they are no longer a way of obtaining
cheaper insurance.
The Chair informed the meeting that Dave Morris (NAS
Treasurer) is actively seeking a new mechanism for obtaining insurance for NAS
members, but this has not yet come to fruition. A number of members referred to
access to excellent legal advice. The Secretary and Treasurer stressed the
importance of being part of a wider movement when things ‘get rough’. The Secretary argued that the NAS is a kind
of insurance policy, we may not use them much in good times, but we can call on
them if matters get difficult.
Dates
Our next meeting is on Monday August 14th and will be
followed by:-Monday Sept 11th
Monday October 9th
And the AGM on Monday November 13th
All meetings start at 8.00 p.m. at Astley Bridge Cricket
Club
