WSHA July 2021 Minutes
Minutes of Witham St Hughs Allotment Committee meeting held on Wednesday 28th July 2021 at 7pm, in the village hall.
Present, Cllr Harrison – Chairman, Cllr Bell & Karl Gandy - Allotment Liaison Officer.
Rachel Popplewell - Clerk
Public Comment –
1 member of the public attended making comment about communication to allotment plot holders is often better verbally instead of letters or emails regarding the condition of plots. Plot inspections are carried out annually, with the Terms and Conditions clear as to what is required of each plot holder.
The Chair made comment that it isn’t always easy to catch people at the allotments, email being more convenient to contact people, the remaining rubbish will be cleared as soon as 2 more skips can be delivered.
Agenda Items
1. Welcome & Apologies
Apologies were received from Vanda Ward & Peter Rothwell, Committee members.
Cargills representative – absent.
It was Resolved to accept the reason for absence – All Agreed.
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.
K Gandy – Plot Holder.
3. Notes of the Allotment Committee meeting held on Monday 19th April 2021 to be approved as minutes.
It was Resolved to approve the notes as minutes – All agreed, signed by Chairman.
4. Update on the Allotment Inspection.
The allotment liaison officer made comment that several warning letters had been issued, after the recent plot inspections highlighted that plot holders were not adhering to the Terms & Conditions of the Allotments regarding cultivating and storing rubbish on the plots.
It was Resolved to re-inspect the plots 30 days after the warning letters had been issued with, enforcement notices to follow if the plots hadn’t been cleared. (As per the Terms & Conditions)
5. Report from Liaison Officer to include update on the clearing of the rubbish.
Two skips had been filled and have removed some of the rubbish, two more skips have been approved by the parish council, due to be delivered in the next month.
6. To review the Terms and Conditions to consider adding.
a. Control of Rats/vermin – deferred to the next meeting
b. Materials that cannot be used on plots – list of permitted material that can be used to be added to the T&C.
Action Committee.
7. Lease agreement Update.
Nothing to update.
8. To review Allotment Fees w.e.f. 01.04.2022
After discussions it was Resolved to propose to the Parish Council that the Allotment Plot fees w.e.f 01.04.2022 would be All Agreed – show of hands.
Half Plot £22.00
Full plot £40.00
Plot Deposit £50.00
Gate key £10.00
9. To review the Risk Assessment carried out in May 2021.
After discussion it was Resolved to carry out the following action points.
3 empty plots need to be strimmed – Chairman to ask the open spaces contractor
Hedgerow around the site and the gateway to be cut back by Cargills – Chairman to contact.
Access from the road to the gate to be inspected, regarding the drop each side, consider handrail?
Cargills to inspect.
10. Date & time of the next meeting
Tuesday 28th September 2021 at 7pm