Committee Meeting

Item

Discussion

1.       Apologies

Mike Ibbett (MI)

2.       Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

Minutes accepted

Matters arising

Electrical work final part will be carried out on Monday 25^th March SR to meet the electrician. Sandy will organise Easter eggs to add to the raffle for Easter Sunday.

MG

SR

3.       Financial Report

Printed report of February figures and partial figures to date distributed.  All accounts are looking heathy. It was agreed to transfer £1,000 into the interest account.

Potatoes sold very quickly, prices to be reviewed.

The consensus was to stop the alcohol draw due to poor ticket sales. Meat raffle makes a small profit. Shop takings are good.

SR

4.       Any other financial matters

SR is finding it difficult to contact Kate Gregory about accessing a grant. MG thanked SR for her efforts in trying to contact this OCC councillor.

Jackie to search OCC website to see if the grant form is available online.

Mike G offered to visit Kate Gregory in person if she cannot be contacted.  

After pursuing the possibility of a ‘brown sign’ for the allotments SR recommended that it wouldn’t be worth following up as we didn’t fulfil the necessary criteria.

SR

JG

MG

SR

5.       Shop Report

Shop sales continuing relatively well. As we are currently short of compost it was decided to stock up on Sunday at 10 am from Penns, a local supplier. We have some Q4 which is a general fertiliser similar to growmore which will be bagged up for sale in the shop. It was noted that we are short of brussel sprout seeds. After a brief discussion it was decided to no longer stock plastic ground cover.

PG

6.       Shop Rota

24/3 RL, 31/3 MG, 7/4 JG, 14/4 PG, 21/4 SR,

7.       Plot Lettings

2 persons on the waiting list and 7 available plots. 

Available plots are currently too wet to do work on. TC will rotavate   plots when possible.

Rod has decided to reduce the use of pesticide/herbicide on the plots and to strim plots down instead before rotavating.

Advertising the allotments - Jackie explained the procedure of designing the flyer and getting it to print. When the draft is ready it will be sent to all committee members for comments before being sent for printing.  

RL

RL

8.       Midweek working      parties

Last working party was very successful, all jobs on RL’s list completed. Tich to rotavate 5 plots when possible.

RL to reduce the use of herbicide/pesticide on plots because of health issues. It was noted that plot holders were placing items next to the boundaries which should be left clear.

Jackie requested to have a regular monthly working party which would cover all aspects of the allotments including boundary paths and health & safety issues.  If there wasn’t much to do then people could just have refreshments and a chat.

RL

JG

9.       Diary of Events

Jackie explained who has offered to do talks but was in the process of inquiring when they would like to do that. A work in progress.

MG to write an official letter to CPC informing them of the dangerous garage wall which looks as though it’s going to collapse soon. Headed note paper in the DC. Original file isn’t available as no knows it’s origin

CAGA Open Weekend 1^st & 2^nd June suggested opening hours were   Sat. 2 – 5pm & Sun 10 am 4pm. Volunteers would be needed over the weekend to help sell plants and chat with visitors.

JG

MG

JG

10.   Chinnor Pump &

Facebook page

No March issue of the Chinnor Pump so there will 2 articles in the April issue. Available plots will be mentioned again.

Facebook post will be made notifying people of the Easter raffle.  

RL

11.   Website report, incl newsletter

No report this month.

MI

12.   Grants

a)       S106 MG had received an email from CPC asking if we would sign off the contractors work at the bottom carpark. MG has replied to say that we aren’t ready yet to sign it off. JG stated that the contractor had not carried out construction to the specification (as detailed in her e-mail).  Some of the problems affecting neighbours and plot holders were discussed.  Several problems during construction were discussed. It was suggested that CPC could have been more involved with carrying out the work and overseen it. Mike Gill to ask Redhill for 900 ml concrete edging stones to be put in place as per spec. and to top dress the plastic and reseed it.  Jackie expressed her disappointment that she wasn’t invited to be more involved with this project.

MG

13.   AOB

A plot holder has been asked to remove a wooden shed as they are not permitted on the allotments.

Was the committee happy with the mowers which have been serviced, which they are.

A plot holder is concerned about an ash tree in Cherry Tree Road which is creating shade over their plot. Committee to view the tree.

Discussion about pruning the walnut tree by the orchard. There is a TPO on this tree so permission would be needed from SODC to prune it. Currently not the right time of year to prune and should be dealt with by a professional should we want it pruned.

A thank you card to Phil Shirley for helping with the meat raffle was signed by all and will be passed on to him.

RL

PG

JG

PG

JG

14.   Date of next meeting

17 April at DC 7 pm.