Committee Meeting

Thursday, May 17, 2018

 

Minutes of CAGA Meeting on 17th May 2018

Present : Ged Wells, Pete Bowler, David Shaw, Diane Troye, Stuart Harding, Steve Colley, Mike Ibbet, Frans Lytzen, Alan Brawn (guest)

 Apologies :  Steve Bowker, Jeanette Hyland, Neil Lambourne

 

Minutes

Minutes of the last meeting were approved. 

 

Finance

Accounts:  In the bank £9790.50 and takes into account servicing of alarm, rotavation work and stock for shop

 

Shop

Shop is once again well stocked.  Should there be anything further needed then please advise Steve Bowker the shop manager.

 

Shop Rota

Sunday 20th May -   Mike

Sunday 27th May  – Ged

Sunday 3rd June  – Steve Colley

Sunday 10th June – Diane & David

Sunday 17th June - Frans

Shop duty rota to be placed on the notice board.

Other dates to note: Next Allotment Social Get Together Sunday 1st July everyone welcome.

Working Party – Saturday 26th May at 9.30am – volunteers needed please to clear all the rubbish located at lower car park into a skip

 

 

 

 

 

 Ged

Compost Heap

It would appear there are conflicting notices on the site indicating whether it is open or closed for use.  Alan advises that the heap is working well and is ready to be turned over as the bottom part is now well rotted down after 2 years and could now be used.

The heap will therefore remain for the time being with better signage placed on the site clearly showing open or closed and what can be put on the heap.

 

 

 

Alan

Vacant plots & Waiting List

Plots 13F & 13B can be re-let once skip work and weed spraying has been done.  Plot 16 will also be sprayed and strimmed before reletting.

There are currently 4 vacant plots available with 6 people on the waiting list.

 

Website

Frans reports that there has been some feedback including a request for an events calendar which he will look into creating.

Members’ photos are also to be up loaded on to the website as soon as possible.

Confirmed that the new GDPR rules are not relevant to CAGA. The privacy policy is not applicable as we are not signing people up via the website.

 Frans

 

Frans

Skip Hire

A skip will be delivered to the lower car park on Saturday 26th May at 10am in order to remove the rubbish located in that area following the plot clearance works undertaken recently. Volunteers are required to help with this and would ask anyone with a spare hour to attend at 9.30am on the 26th May to get this done. Once the clearance work is done then the skip will remain for 1 week allowing plot holders to put any rubbish from their own plots into the skip.  Once full then no further rubbish must be placed on or around the vicinity of the skip.  

All plot holders

Communal  Equipment

 

As well as a lawn mower there is a strimmer and a heavy duty rotavator for use by plot holders.  

Plot holders wishing to use them can approach any of the committee members to arrange access.  Users are reminded to return the item in a clean condition ready for the next plot holder to use. A small voluntary payment is also welcome to go towards the cost of petrol.

It should also be stressed that use of the equipment is solely at the users own risk and that they are not covered by any insurance in the event of an accident. In order to make plot holders aware of this a notice is to be created which each user will have to sign before using the equipment. Ged is to approach a solicitor to obtain appropriate wording for the notice.  At the same time this will include a paragraph stating if an item is returned damaged then the person who used it will be liable to pay for repair.

REMINDER:  Plot holders are reminded that as well as keeping their pathways mown those with allotments adjoining the main access lane should also mow the grass out to the centre of the lane. Those who have rear plots then they need to keep the 1m boundary area tidy and free from waste and to mow it.

 

 

 

 

Ged

 

 

 

All Plot Holders

Boundary Maintenance

A contractor has quoted £1,200 for doing boundary fence / hedge work and for clearing the orchard waste. In view of the high expense the committee will look at raising a further volunteer working party in the near future to get some of this work done and keep costs down.

Ged

Unlettable plot rotavation work

Over the weekend of the 5th & 6th May work was carried out by Handyman Adam to service the allotment tractor and rotavator attachment and plots requiring rotavation where done.  Sadly the rotavator suffered damage after hitting a hidden tree stump.  Repairs are now needed, if found to be beyond repair then a replacement second hand one will need to be sourced. Diane to contact Adam regarding this.

 

 

Diane

Summer BBQ and Plot Judging

Mike confirmed that the initial judging of the plots will now be undertaken between the 2nd and 6th June with the final judging to be done between the 18th and 20th June.

Frans is to produce a notice for all plot holders detailing the criteria the judging is based upon and will be published on the website. The criteria can also be found on the notice board in the D.C

 The Summer BBQ will be held on the Saturday 28th July at 7pm. Invites are to be sent out to all plot holders requesting their response no later than 2 weeks prior to the event along with payment of £5 per person. This will be an adult only event with no children under the age of 16 years permitted. Ali and Oli have offered their assistance with the BBQ.

 

 

Frans

 

Mike, Frans & Ged

Working Parties 

The next date for a working party is Saturday 26th May at 9.30am.  All volunteers are welcome.  The aim is to fill a skip with all the rubbish from abandoned plots.

 

Tool Sharpening Event

Sadly due to personal reasons Terry Travis was unable to attend the tool sharpening event set up for Sunday 13th May. Diane was only advised after the event so it was not possible to let plot holders know beforehand.  Apologies are made to all those plot holders who turned up on the day.  Diane will contact Terry again to see if a further date can be booked for the event to take place.  Date of the event will be emailed to all plot holders and poster put up in the DC and on notice boards.

Diane

Village Scarecrow Competition 2019

Alan has been approached by Jackie Gunn to see if CAGA would allow the Allotment to be used for the judging of a “Best Village Scarecrow Competition” that is planned as part of the Chinnor Open Gardens weekend event in June 2019. An agreement in principle has been made subject to further detail and consultation.

 

Associate Member Forms

It is agreed that with effect from the new renting year ie. Oct 2018 a new Associate Member card is needed in order to monitor and record associate members better.  A card will be produced and given to all those paying the appropriate £2 fee thereby allowing them to buy goods from the shop.  Associate members are those who do not currently have a plot.

 

Coffee & Cake Morning

The first of these social events was held on Sunday 6th May and was organised by Jeanette.  It is agreed the event was a success and thanks go out to Jeanette for running it.  It is hoped more allotment holders will attend future events.  It is a great way of meeting fellow likeminded people and a chance to swap ideas and thoughts on all things “green”.

The next one is planned for Sunday 1st July between 11am -12noon.  Why not come along for some refreshment and biscuits.

 

 

 

All Plot Holders

 

The Distribution Centre Hut

Matters ongoing:

Work has yet to be undertaken on the Hut to strengthen the walls.

In the meantime Jeanette is looking to paint the toilet doors and to get the toilet facilities updated in due course.

 

 

 Other Items :  

 Next meeting will be on THURSDAY 21st June 2018 at 7.30pm in the D.C