Policies & Procedures

 

1) GDPR Privacy Notice

On May 25^th 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force – replacing the previous Data Protection Act.

Requirements include that members of all organisations need to be made aware of the information held about them, and the uses to which that data are put.

Chinnor Allotment Association holds some (or all) of the following data about each of its plot holder members:

1.Name: Christian & Surname

2.Plot number/s, plot size, annual rent, current year payment, date join CAGA, deposit taken & registration fee. Judging Y/N

3.Postal address & post code

4.Landline phone number and/or mobile phone number

5.Email address

 

• This data is physically and electronically securely stored by the Plot Letter (acting as GDPR Data Controller) and available only to serving Committee members.
• The Association itself uses this information to contact plot holders to inform them of its activities over the year including administration of rents and general meetings.
• The Association does not have dealings with third parties where basic personal information (name, address, preferred form of contact) is required to be passed to them (such as insurers, seed suppliers, Local Government or other allotment organisations).
• Your data will not be passed on to any other third party without your prior permission.
• Personal data for Committee members might need to be shared with some third parties– e.g., Chinnor Parish Council, SODC
• Most data will be deleted as and when members/plot holders leave the Association.

How can you ask for data to be removed, limited or corrected?

• Each member will be requested to authorise and agree that CAGA hold data pertaining to their membership as detailed above: this will be renewed each year on signing up to and paying for another annual plot rental agreement.
• Each member is entitled to see their own entry.
• You could maintain your Association membership with your correct name but with limited contact details. However, we do need to have at least one method of contacting you. You could for example simply maintain an up-to-date email address.
• You may choose not to receive information emails from us (we do not send any out on behalf of other organisations), but you would need to check for written information (e.g. AGM dates) on the site noticeboards.
• Newsletters sent periodically provide facilities for unsubscribing/deletion from the database.
• Any of these options can be implemented by contacting the Association Secretary.

The legal basis on which we hold your personal data

• GDPR data protection law has six possible bases on which to hold personal data, including Obtaining Consent, and as Legitimate Interests.
• Like other membership organisations we hold your personal data on the basis of ‘Legitimate Interests’.
• This is defined as meaning in ways one would reasonably expect, and which have a minimal privacy impact, or where there is a compelling justification for the processing of such data as being able to communicate with their members as we cannot rent plots to members with whom we have no way to communicate.
• In any matters relating to how the Association collects, stores or uses your data you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office.

 

2) Chinnor Allotments Environmental Policy

This policy should be seen as an addendum to the overall Chinnor Parish Council Environmental Policy (2020), given that the CPC accept they have management involvement for Chinnor Allotments.

 See CPC website:

https://www.chinnorparishcouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/120/2022/06/Environmental-Policy-Nov-2020.pdf

 

Aims of the Chinnor Allotments Environmental Policy

To promote the careful management of the allotments so as to make the site more sustainable and help improve the environment 

• Avoid specific damage and degradation for the benefit of future plot holders 

• Provide support for the green infrastructure of Chinnor as well as provide health and wellbeing for its members 

To help achieve these aims we have developed a set of guidelines we believe will improve the outcomes, but these are voluntary and rest with each member and plot holder’s choice and circumstances. 

Waste Management & Bonfires 

• Best Practice, is to compost as much green organic material as possible and to use it to re-enrich the soil once it has bio-degraded fully.
  • Compost bins should be used wherever possible
  • Pernicious weeds and brassica material can be shredded, bagged up and left to rot for two or three years before re-using.
  • We have applied for support to purchase a shredder which can be used for this purpose. The result of the application should be known in January 2024 

• Bonfires, are a last resort way of getting rid of waste material.

However, they are polluting, can be antisocial for neighbours as well as dangerous to health and safety.

We have developed a communal “bonfire site” to facilitate the disposal of non-organic material, such as wood/pallets etc.

Plot holders are encouraged to avail themselves of this facility rather than allow junk to pile up on their allotments – this is both a social eyesore as well as a burden on other members who will eventually have to clear the site. 

• We will organise to burn fit material under controlled conditions when it is dry and the wind will least effect neighbours and traffic
• We will not burn plastic material, household or industrial waste and plot holders should endeavour to bag it up and removed it from the site.

 

• Chemical Use.

Products such as fertilizers, herbicides & weed killers, wood preservatives and pesticides are toxic substances:

• Non organic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicide weed killers are toxic materials and care should be taken in their use and disposal. Together with wood preservative they should be used with care and in keeping with the manufacturer’s usage instructions.
• Avoid contact by children and pets.
• Use only as instructed on the packaging
• Check before use that it will do the job required by controlling the problem 

Best Practice

• Reduce the use of inorganic fertilisers and chemicals by using organic substitutes wherever possible.

• Store chemicals in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.

• Never dispose of surplus pesticide or weed killer down drains or in watercourses. 
• Avoid over buying and keep in original containers
  • Avoid buying more than you use in a year
  • Always keep chemicals in the original containers: where this is not practical, we will endeavour to retain usage and quantity information at the point of sale. Please ask for this information when purchasing.

 

Ground cover /mulch for weed clearance and control

Best practice – use recycled plant material from allotment, cardboard, newspaper, commercially produced loose mulches, wood chips. This also contributes to reducing landfill.

• Acceptable – use biodegradable mulch fabric, inert material such as gravel, permeable and non-permeable synthetic material such as polythene sheet.
• Practice disallowed on allotment site – using carpet as a mulch.

This is because:

• Harmful chemicals, such as organic compounds, permethrin and brominated flame retardant, will leach into soil;
• Weeds will grow through the carpet as it weathers and rots and it will fall apart as soon as you try to pull it up, leaving fibres and stringy nylon in the soil, which causes problems to gardeners and wildlife alike.

 

Microplastics in soil

Avoid using plastics that break down into small fragments.

 

Although plastics do not rot away like organic materials, they do physically break into smaller pieces with exposure to light and weathering. These secondary microplastics – fragments that have broken down from larger objects – can be harmful in soil. 

Research has already shown that microplastics are ingested by earthworms causing them to lose weight, and reducing their biological fitness and lifespan. 

 

Water use

Water is a precious resource and excessive use should be avoided.

• Collect rainwater from building roofs and in water butts where possible.
• Maximise water holding capacity of soils by incorporating organic matter and mulching.
• Water plants in the early morning and late evening.
• Water butts should be used wherever possible

 

Biodiversity

Many varieties of plants thrive on allotments, which contribute to the bio-diversity of the area and also provide vital habitats for many species. Many good allotment sites have special areas which are left virtually untouched allowing wildlife to thrive.

It is good practice to increase biodiversity on the allotment and to avoid practices that which reduce it.

To increase biodiversity:

• Classic crop rotation principles should be incorporated to prevent soil erosion and increase soil fertility
• Use bird and bat boxes, bug hotels where facilities allow.

• Where appropriate, grow pollen rich and indigenous wild flowers, shrubs and trees to support pollinators and insect diversity.
• Create a small “pond” to encourage greater diversity

 

Practices to avoid:

• Avoid the use of pesticides which do not discriminate between beneficial creatures and damaging pests. 
• Where possible, avoid the use of peat in growing media. 
• While it is remains legally and commercially approved for sale, both peat and peat-free composts will continue to be made available to allow choice and plot-holder preference.

 

Chinnor Allotment Facilities & Equipment

Chinnor Allotments benefit from a Distribution Centre with toilet and kitchen facilities for the benefit of plot holders.

In addition, plot holders can avail themselves of seeds, compost and general materials used for their plots. Associated members in the wider Chinnor, (though not restricted) community have access to the “shop” facility by becoming Associated members for an annual fee.

Chinnor Allotments will endeavour to pursue an environmental policy in the general upkeep and maintenance of the Distribution Centre.

Best Practice will be pursued for:

• Lower energy consumption, using renewables wherever possible and incorporating measures to reduce carbon footprint
• Efficient use of water resources – water butts and recycling
• Stock organic fertilisers for sale and monitor chemical usage
• Lower consumption and usage, packaging and increase recycling of paper and cardboard products
• Cleaning materials and products

 

Chinnor Allotments Environmental policy will be reviewed and updated as required on an annual basis and included as part of the AGM agenda.

 

 

 

3) Allotment membership & Committee Safeguarding Policy

Chinnor Allotment Association is committed to safeguarding the welfare/wellbeing of all individuals who visit or participate in activities at the allotment site.

This is defined as protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.

We believe that nobody who is involved with Chinnor Allotments in whatever capacity should ever experience abuse, harm, neglect or exploitation.

We believe that we all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of our community and we need to take a collective responsibility that we create a culture in which our members feel safe, and if they have concerns are able to speak up freely without hinderance or intimidation for what they believe in within the context of Chinnor Allotments.

We will undertake this task on a permanent and on-going basis through a number of initiatives which will include, (but will not be limited to) training all Committee members in Beginner Safeguarding principles and techniques, reviewing Safeguarding policy at every Committee meeting with a mandatory inclusion in the Agenda, investigating any Safeguarding concerns raised, reviewing the well-being of plot-holders with the assistance of an appointed Designated Safeguarding Officer (Coordinator/Lead) and finally reviewing practice and progress of policies and initiatives every year at the AGM as a minimum

Within the context of Chinnor Allotments, welfare safeguarding relates principally though not exclusively to personal dignity, respect for the individual and protection from abuse.

It centres around four principal pillars:

• enabling individuals to express freely, safely and unconditionally their wishes and views,
• promoting these welfare objectives, free from recrimination, or retribution,
• ensuring the skills and knowledge are at hand to carry out this policy, and
• reporting and accountability

This policy outlines the responsibilities and procedures for protecting individuals who might be vulnerable to harm, abuse, neglect or exploitation while promoting a safe and inclusive environment.

Vulnerable individuals refer to adults (with care and support needs) or children/young people (who must be accompanied by an adult on CAGA premises) who may be at risk of, or experiencing, harm or abuse on account of age, sex, gender orientation, disability or other factors that may make them more susceptible to abuse or neglect. 

The ten most common types of abuse can be summarised as:

Physical abuse,

Domestic violence

Sexual abuse

Psychological & Emotional abuse

Financial or material abuse

Modern slavery

Discriminatory abuse

Organisational abuse

Neglect and acts of omission

Self-Neglect 

Full details are available to view on the Oxford Safeguarding Adult Board (OSAB) website on the links below: 

https://www.osab.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Working-in-Partnership-Oxfordshire-Procedures.pdf 

https://www.osab.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/OSAB-Threshold-of-Needs-Matrix-January-2021-MASTER.pdf 

All members of the Committee are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe environment; this includes raising any safeguarding concerns should they become aware of them and cooperating fully with the relevant authorities should this be required.

All plot holders, associated members and visitors/individuals visiting the allotment site are responsible for adhering to this safeguarding policy and reporting any concerns to the Committee.

We will endeavour to communicate this policy (especially knowing what constitutes a violation of the safeguarding principles) by sign-posing the policy on noticeboards, including reference to the policy as a condition of annual membership enrolment and through other visual display mechanisms. By doing this we intend to ensure all key stakeholders understand how to recognise and understand what is a “concern”, that they must assume responsibility for reporting any breeches, and how and to whom to report such breeches in a safe and confidential environment.

The Committee welcomes the appointment of a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) who will act as the primary point of contact for safeguarding concerns and ensure that all Committee members are appropriately trained in safeguarding matters. In principle we believe this coordinator/lead volunteer should not be a committee member, but will report to the Committee on all matters concerning safeguarding

If anyone has a safeguarding concern or suspects abuse or neglect, they must immediately report it to the DSO.

The DSO will follow the established procedure for reporting safeguarding concerns to the appropriate authorities. SODC guidelines will act a primary reference point for this action -see:

 https://www.southoxon.gov.uk/south-oxfordshire-district-council/community-help-and-safety/protecting-vulnerable-people/safeguarding-and-prevention/#:~:text=You%20can%20also%20report%20any,Friday)%3A%200345%20050%207666

The Committee will cooperate fully with statuary Agencies during any investigation related to safeguarding concerns, including section 42 enquires.

All information regarding safeguarding concerns will be treated confidentially and shared only with relevant individuals on a need-to-know-basis.

The welfare of the individual at risk is of the utmost importance and concerns about confidentiality will not prevent reporting or taking appropriate action.

All Committee members will receive training in safeguarding matters: regular safeguarding awareness sessions will be organised to ensure that new committee members receive appropriate training upon joining.

The Committee will follow safer recruitment practices before accepting members including obtaining references and background checks where there is cause for concern.

Volunteers and allotment plot holders will be provided with a written copy of the CAGA Safeguarding policy which will include links to further resources on identifying risk and how to respond, and receive written guidance in safeguarding, including identifying signs of abuse and the appropriate response.

This safeguarding policy will be communicated to all allotment plot holders, and Associated members and be made available for inspection to all volunteers and visitors ensuring that everyone is aware of their responsibilities.

The Committee/DSO will provide support through signposting to suitable support agencies to individuals who have been affected by issues of safeguarding.  

A code of conduct forms an integral part of the CAGA safeguarding policy as it seeks to identify both discriminatory abuse and organisational abuse related to harassment, slurs or similar treatment based on race, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation.

Code of Conduct

A clear code of conduct will be established and communicated to all Committee members, plot holders, associated CAGA members and any volunteers: this will set out acceptable behaviours and standards of interaction for Committee meetings and more general interactions between plot holders

Breeches of the code of conduct may result in action which may include termination of the member from CAGA or exclusion from the allotment site.

A “Meetings” code of conduct will adopt the following requirements

• Be punctual, respect time limits for agenda items if stipulated in advance, and plan to stay for the entire meeting.
• Prepare for the meeting in advance: agendas should be pre-meeting circulated with duration/end timing suggestions
• The Chair should lead the agenda
• Communicate openly and directly.
• Use the power of silence to allow others to contribute
• Be courteous, listen attentively, and be respectful of other points of view.
• Use open question formats whenever possible in order to encourage involvement and solicit information
• Participate fully in the group exchange, and not engage in side-line conversations, cross-talk, or distracting behaviours.
• Mobile phones should remain on silent or be turned off, unless action is requested by the Chair
• Be flexible and open to change and new ideas. Listen to what all parties are saying and consider information that is placed before the committee.
• Don’t bring prejudice and/or pre-conceived ideas to the meeting
• Stay on task and not divert attention to other unrelated topics.
• Assume positive intentions by others, giving them the benefit of doubt.
• Be solution-focused, seeing opportunities, challenges, and possibilities in a positive light.
• Strive for consensus in decision making; if an impasse is reached, a simple majority vote will be used. Respect that decision, even if it is not your preference.
• Make decisions based on what is best for the plot holders of CAGA and the future of the allotments.
• Respect deadlines and action points agreed at previous meetings. Fulfil previous commitments to action points.
• Collective responsibility is a guiding principle and requirement: matters discussed and raised at CAGA Committee meetings must remain confidential, i.e., not discussed with non-committee members or shared in public domains such as across social media until such time as the minutes are officially published and circulated.
• If the Code is not adhered to, the Chair should raise the matter with the offending party and report the incident to the Designated Safeguarding Officer.
• If the party persists in conduct that is in breach of either the letter or spirit of the Code, the Chair will exclude the party from the meeting.
• Subsequent beaches of the Code will result in exclusion from the Committee
• Consumption of alcohol or substance misuse is not permitted during a committee meeting

These principles where appropriate will apply equally to general conduct whilst on the allotment site.