WSHA April 2021 Minutes
Minutes of Witham St Hughs Allotment Committee meeting held on Monday 19th April 2021 at 7pm.
Meeting was conducted via zoom to comply with current Covid guidelines.
No Public Comments were received.
The Chairman welcomed everyone, apologising for the delay in arranging a meeting due to the COVID19 pandemic.
Agenda Items.
1. Introduction of the Committee & Apologies.
Present – Cllr Harrison (Chair), Mr S Traves (Cargill Representative), Mr K Gandey (Liaison Officer), V Ward, P Rothwell, Cllr Branagan.
Clerk – Rachel Popplewell.
2 members of the public.
2. TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interest and requests for dispensations.
P Rothwell, K Gandy & V Ward as plot holders, S Traves – Cargills (agenda item 7)
3. Notes of the Allotment Committee Meeting held on Wednesday 4th March 2020 to be approved as Minutes.
It was then Resolved to approve the notes as minutes, All Agreed, signed by the Chair.
4. Finance Sheet Update to include
a. The Clerk made comment that all but 2 invoices had been paid for the year to March 2022.
b. The current bank balance as at 31.03.2021 £5077.81.
Earmarked Deposits for plot & key refunds being £1300.00.
5. To review the Definitions, Terms & Conditions of the Allotment Committee.
Amendments as follows: -
Definition 3 – remove ‘resident within the parish of Witham St Hughs’. None residents can now be plot holders.
Definition 6 – child age is under the age of 18.
Definition 7 – Adult is anyone 18 and over.
Terms & Conditions.
7 – remove as it covers residents moving away.
10d – add ‘Bees’.
Allotment April 2021 Page 2 of 2
10e – change age to be 18.
10l – add ‘ensuring any structure does not cast a shadow on adjacent plots’.
11c – add ‘deposit will be kept to bring the plot up to standard’
Additional points to be added.
The parish council are not responsible for insuring the contents of Allotment Plots.
Communal areas only are covered by the Parish Councils insurance.
Any Accidents/Incidents are to be report to the Allotments Liaison Officer (K Gandey), to be recorded in the Accident book. Action Clerk.
The Clerk was asked to source a template for a risk assessment to be carried out.
Action Clerk
6. Report from the Liaison Officer to include.
a. There are 3 full plots and 2 half plots vacant.
b. No warning notices have been issued or inspection carried out in the previous 12months due to the pandemic. These will be carried out after the rubbish has been cleared.
c. Two skips would be required to clear away the rubbish at a cost of £440. To be ordered as soon as possible. Action Karl Gandey.
The Chair passed her thanks onto Karl for being the Liaison officer and being the point of contact for the plot holders.
7. Lease agreement update
The Chair made comment that the lease was now able to be signed at the next meeting of the Parish Council, after the map/plan of the allotments had been corrected to now include access and the middle walkways.
8. To review the Terms and Conditions of the Allotment Committee to propose to set spending limits.
The Chair proposed that the Terms of Reference be amended to include - an annual spending limit of £500, to be used without Parish Council agreement. All payments must be approved on a majority vote at an allotment committee meeting. It was Resolved to accept the proposal. Terms of Reference amendment to be considered by the Parish Council.
Action Clerk.
9. Date and time of the next meeting.
28 July 2021.
Meeting Closed 8.30pm