Minutes of C.A.G.A. Annual General Meeting on 20th October 2021
Present: Bryan Roebuck (Chairman); Peter Greenway (Treasurer); Diane Troye (Secretary)
The minutes of October 2019 AGM were agreed as a true and correct record, proposed by Peter and seconded by Mike. There were no matters arising.
Apologies: Sue Ashdown from Chinnor Parish Council, Robert Davis plot holder and Ray Shurrock plot holder
Attendance: 23 members
Chairman’s Report:
Report given by Bryan Roebuck
The growing season has been a good one with most plot holders reporting medium successes in everything grown.
A site clearance and tidy up project was currently undertaken on the allotment and a lot of rubbish including plastic sheeting has been removed improving the overall appearance of the site. A skip was hired for the removal of the rubbish. Thanks go out to all those plot holders who gave up their time to help. Further working parties will be held in due course which will be clearly advertised by the committee and all plot holders are welcome to attend. The next one is being planned for January 2022.
Plot 30 – Compost Heap & Bonfire
The compost heap is now closed and is in the process of being demolished leaving only the bonfire. It is expected the bonfire will be set alight in the next couple of weeks in the run up to bonfire night. Due to the abuse of the compost heap and bonfire this facility will no longer be available. Once the bonfire has gone Plot 30 will be returned to a working plot and will be re-let in the near future.
The Committee’s thanks go out to Alan Brawn who took on the job of monitoring it and maintaining it.
Bryan stated he will be stepping down as Chairman following the AGM and thanks all those who helped make his time as Chairman a happy and eventful one, special thanks go to Diane, Pete G and Sandy.
Treasurer’s Report:
Report given by Peter Greenway
The accounts as detailed in the handout provide figures for both 2020 and 2021.
The figures show that the shop did well in 2020 as a result of the “click and collect” service offered to all plot holders during the period of Covid-19.
At the request of the Chairman the accounts have been reviewed and following this, recommended changes to the way the accounts are formulated have been adopted.
Pete has now chosen to resign as treasurer wef October 2021. Stepping into the role of treasurer will be Sandy Russell with immediate effect and is duly elected by a majority show of hands.
The financial statement of income/expenditure are approved and agreed as a true and correct record, proposed by Alan and seconded by Mandy. The accounts require independent auditing.
Plot Letting Secretary Report:
Report given by Rod Lavers.
Rod has been in the position of Plot Letting for one year.
During that time 20 new plot holders were welcomed to the Allotment with 5 out of the 20 having already handed back their plot.
There are currently 23 people of the waiting list.
With the start of the new letting year (Oct 2021) there are 14 plots expected to be re-let in the forthcoming months which will reduce the waiting list considerably.
Going forward there will be stronger enforcement of the rules towards those plot holders who allow their plots to fall in to a poor condition.
Plot inspections will be carried out by Rod and Bryan and reported to the committee accordingly.
The subject of “mentoring” for new plot holders was discussed and this will be explored by the Committee.
Shop Manager Report:
Report given by Pete Bowler.
The period during Covid-19 presented some issues with suppliers. This for the most part has now been resolved post lockdown with only a few issues remaining such as obtaining chicken manure and compost. With regard to compost the delay in getting supplies has been exacerbated by the preferred supplier switching to peat free compost and rebranding the stock accordingly. It also took 13 months to get a supply of netting roll.
Thanks go out to Pete G for running the “click and collect” service which proved most profitable for the shop. Plot holders were also served on an ad hoc basis as and when committee members were approached by a plot holder for shop goods.
A seed and potato order is now due to be submitted. Stock for potatoes will however be limited and will be sold on a first come first served basis.
The meat raffle recommenced in August and has been a success generating additional income for the shop. There are now 2 joints of meat for sale weekly. It was re-iterated that the draw is open to both full plot holders and associate members and will be promoted in the next newsletter.
There is currently a good amount of canes in stock however future supplies may be affected as they come from China and prices are set to rise.
Election of Officers:
The position of Chairman remains vacant following no expressions of interest. This will be discussed again at the next committee meeting.
The position of Treasurer is passed to Sandy Russell by majority vote of those present in the room.
The nomination of Michelle Strauss Plot 17B is duly received for the post of Secretary, proposed by Bryan and seconded by Mike. The retiring secretary will aid Michelle in the transition period to ensure smooth handover. The Committee express their thanks to Michelle and welcome her to the team.
Stepping down from the committee are Diane Troye, David Shaw and Jeanette Hyland.
Going forward the following committee members were re-elected: Graeme Pierce, Mike Ibbett, Peter Greenway, Peter Bowler, Sandy Russell (Treasurer), Rod Lavers, Brian Collins and Bryan Roebuck.
AOB:
Future plot letting policy and joining deposit: Going forward it is proposed to offer smaller plots to people who have no previous experience of running an allotment and therefore quarter plots will be offered.
The existing policy on allocating a new plot continues: namely, the holder will be charged £25 to “get-started” – this is the price of the annual rent, plus key money and includes rotavating where appropriate.
With effect from the 2021/22 year, in addition to the “get-started” fee, all new plot holders will be asked to lodge a £50 returnable deposit, on condition that when they leave their plot it has been left in a state equivalent to when they took it on. The deposit will be held in a separate escrow account to ensure the money is safeguarded. The decision on the state of the plot and whether the deposit is returned will reside with the plot letter. Photographic records will be provided and used for arbitration. Any plot which is vacated due to long term illness or incapacity through injury will be handled sympathetically by the committee when it comes to assessing whether they are eligible for the £50 refund.
Questions from the floor:
Q: Concern raised about the affordability of the deposit for those on low income?
A: The deposit is needed to act as a deterrent and stop the plots being left in an unlettable state. The case of affordability will be looked at on an individual basis if raised and discussed with the Plot Letter prior to the plot being let.
Q: Could there be a restriction put in place detailing prohibited items that can be brought onto the allotment site?
A: This would prove impossible to police. Regular plot inspections are now taking place and should help in spotting those plots that are falling into misuse much sooner.
Use of plastic materials: Going forward it is proposed that the use of plastic be reduced by plot holders in particular plastic sheeting used for the suppressant of weeds.
Q: Could it be made clear what plastic can and cannot be used?
A: In the main the use of plastic sheeting for covering areas of ground for long periods of time is to be stopped. This results in land going uncultivated and looks very unsightly and bad for the environment.
The proposal is made to define the type of plastic that should not be used e.g. ground covering. Majority show of hands taken with one abstention.
DC facilities & refurbishment plan: In 2019 it became evident that a full replacement of the DC was not going to be viable at this time for all sorts of reasons, however this does not mean it has been a wasted exercise, it is hoped to revisit this issue again in the future as the hut will not last forever.
In the meantime, the toilet and kitchen area will undergo improvement. The current 2 toilet situation will be reduced down to one larger self-contained toilet cubicle with built in hand washing facilities with hot water provision. The kitchen will remain the size it is now but will be dedicated to the use of drink and food preparation. Some of the materials are being sourced from current plot holders and by charitable donation. The work is expected to take 3 to 4 months to complete and all being well open to plot holders use in the New Year. The current gate key will allow access to the toilet & kitchen area.
Other questions from the floor:
Q: Are there any plans to lay gravel on the car park area near Van Diemen’s Close as parking is very difficult in the wet winter months?
A: Could look at putting scalping’s down which has been used near the DC historically. It is agreed the committee will look into the cost of this and report back.
Q: Query raised by Ray Shurrock – what is the situation/status regarding upkeep & maintenance of the Derek Howlett memorial bench seat near the DC ?
A: It is proposed that the bench will be replaced by a more weatherproof bench in the near future on which the dedication wording can be transposed.
Q: Could metal benches be placed around the car park area for plot holders to sit on and a gazebo erected to encourage greater community spirit during periods of inclement weather?
A: It is agreed this matter will be discussed at committee level in view of the previous question. The matter of council grant money being available for such items as mentioned by Alan Brawn will also be looked into however there may be qualifying criteria that must first be met. With regard to a gazebo this will be discussed by the Committee.
Q: Will the sale of manure be offered again?
A: This was previously sold by Princes Risborough Young Farmers raising money for charity and has not been re-run since 2019. No word has been received from them indicating they will do this again. The committee will investigate alternative supply options.
Q: Is the Committee aware of the worsening condition of the garage wall on the driveway near the Scout Hut?
A: Yes, the Committee is aware of this. The wall in question is owned by a private homeowner who has been advised of its dangerous state but regrettably states he cannot afford to repair / rebuild the wall at this time. This remains an ongoing problem for the Committee and all plot holders need to be careful when in that area. It is agreed a formal letter be sent to the garage owner detailing the committees concerns and danger to the public so this is held on record. A copy to/involvement of the Chinnor Parish Council will also be included in the follow-up.
The meeting was then drawn to a close.