AC 2022 Agendas

AC October 2022 Agenda

DEEPING ST JAMES PARISH COUNCIL
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, PE6 8HD
E-mail: clerk@dsjpc.co.uk
Tel: 01778 343266
Webpage: //deeping-st-james.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk   Facebook: Deeping St James Parish Council
Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum

 

Dear Councillors Bowell, Fowler, Hall, Halls, Robinson, Rose and Thomas.   

Councillors Gilbert and Shinkins-Hoppe ex-officio voting members 

Assistant Clerk Louise Brown. 

 

You are hereby summonsed to attend the next meeting of the Allotments Committee on Thursday 13th October 2022 at 7:00pm at The Institute.

 

AGENDA 

13.23 To receive apologies for absence. 

Cllrs Bowell. 

14.23 To receive declarations of interest, if any. 

15.23 To adopt the minutes of the meeting held Tuesday 14th June 2022.  

Please see Appendix 1.

 

16.23 To receive reports from the Clerk. 

The Allotments Show was held on Sunday 14th August 2022.  It had a good turnout with Councillor Halls, Shinkins-Hoppe and the Assistant Clerk attended on behalf of the Parish Council.  Councillor Halls presented the trophies for Best Plot: 

Winner – Plots 7B and 8A 

Second Place – Plot 10 

Third Place – Plot 52B 

Best Newcomer – Plot 30B 

The tenant that wished to keep Chicken’s on their plot have signed and returned the Chicken keeping policy. 

The quotes for roadway 1, are still being looked into.  Our previous contractor is now unable to complete the job on the allotment's roadways due to a change in staffing and operating conditions.  The assistant clerk will put forward the quotes as and when they are received. 

We have received a quote from a local tree service contractor regarding the Ash Trees that were mentioned in the Allotments Tree Survey, completed in September 2021.  There are now a possible 3 more Ash Trees that require some work.  The quote for work on all 5 Ash Trees comes between £350-£1,050, plus VAT.  As these trees have been recognised as requiring attention, the Clerk will arrange for this to be completed. 

The Tenancy Renewals have been sent out to all tenants for the renewal date of the 1st October 2022, with the changes agreed at the previous meeting re; bonfires, rents, admin fees.   

The gate code at the allotments was changed on Monday 3rd October 2022 as stated in the tenancy renewal cover letter.

 

17.23 To receive and discuss the report from the Allotments Association and make any recommendations to Council. 

Please see Appendix 2 - below the agenda.  

Cllr Halls attended the Allotments Association committee meeting on Monday 5th September 2022 and has reported back.  Points were raised in the meeting, which have also been raised within the report received. 

The raised beds on plot 32B are to be removed in Autumn/Winter, when the job can fit in with the maintenance worker schedules. 

The plot number identification posts agreed to be provided for each plot are also in hand for the maintenance men to produce when they have some spare time. 

All tenants have had renewal letters sent out to them, which gives an ideal opportunity to rethink if they are having concerns regarding continuing on the Allotments, furthermore Cllr Halls is monitoring the plots that warrant it. 

The Allotments Committee are to discuss considering the need for a skip at point 21.22, later in the meeting. 

The Allotments Committee are to discuss considering the maintenance team carefully using weed killer on the centre of the newly refurbished roadways at point 22.22, later in the meeting. 

The farmer that comes to cut the hedges back each year, has not been able to attend as yet this year.  This is an agreed and expected cost to the Parish Council, which will be rearranged. 

 

18.23 To receive a report on progress with reallocating Allotment plots, together with an update on current tenants.  

As at 04/10/22 - We have 116 plots currently available for tenants: - 

(Not including club house & DSJPC land) 

8 plots are full sized. 

108 plots are half sized. 

7 Tenants have two half sized plots.

3 plots are shared between 3 tenants.

6 plots have been relinquished during renewals.  (1 a full plot, which will be split into two).

32 plots taken by Market Deeping tenants. 

75 plots taken by Deeping St James tenants. 

2 plots taken by Stamford, Northborough, Maxey and Deeping Gate. 

 

The waiting list status is currently at 31: - 

4 person waiting from Deeping St James. 

10 people have a plot and are asking for another. 

17 people waiting from Market Deeping and surroundings area. 

 

19.23 To receive a report of the budget position to date and expected outturn for the financial year 2022/23.  

Please see Appendix 3.

Expenditure 2022/23 

 Item  Budget   Actual  Variance   Still to pay

 Grounds   Maintenance

 (Skip, hedge,   repairs  to tanks,   water bill etc).

  2,000.00   1,107.18   892.82  Hedge payment, 2 x water   bills, skip, planters for 32B,   identification posts for plots.

 Allotment   Improvements

 (Roadway)

  2,000.00    2,000.00 Roadway 1.
 AA Membership Fees    30.00   30.00  

Income 2022/23 

 Item  Budget  Actual  Variance  Still to receive
 Allotment Fees  4,000.00  262.52  3,737.48  
 AA Membership Fees  500.00  30.00   470.00  

 

20.22 To consider budget estimates for 2023/24 and make recommendations to the Finance, Policy and Personnel Committee. 

21.22 To consider the need for a skip at the Allotments in the Autumn. 

22.22 To consider the need for the maintenance men to spray the weeds growing in the centre of the newly refurbished roadways. 

23.22 To agree date of next meeting. 

Tuesday 10th January 2023 

Appendix 2

ALLOTMENTS ASSOCIATION REPORT SEPTEMBER 2022 
 
We have been very active since the last report. 
 
The main event was the Allotment show which was a great success organised by committee member Peter Bratt with help from all committee members. We had more exhibits, more exhibitors than ever before. The day was lovely and sunny and we had over 50 people attending the show and bbq, another record. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves so a great time was had by all. Thank you to Christine, Louise and Kate for supporting us, which is greatly appreciated as was the prize for the best plot which owing to the early announcement of the 3 plots in the running meant that the winner was there to receive the trophy and voucher. 
 
Cups were also awarded for produce on display for the highest points score across the categories and the best in show competition. It was also great to see several young children attending and receiving prizes. 
 
Also, during the last 3 months we organised a cake and coffee morning on Sunday 10th July. It was a great success with many plot holders attending and enjoying the many delicious cakes provided by plot holders and Councillors.  Again, it was a great opportunity for plot holders to meet socially.  We are planning a soup and roll later in the year. 
 
Thanks to committee members Mary Keymer and Sally Wormall we now have our own Allotments Association Face book website with to date over 47 members. It was felt that with many new and younger members this was the way to go. 
 
We still produce our monthly newsletter by email so that any member without access to face book (including me!!) still gets informed about all that is happening 
 
Our members take turns in running our shop each Sunday morning 
 
We have supplied 60 bags of Alpaca manure to plot holders 
 
We organise the delivery of wood chip to the site as well a special delivery of horse manure. 
 
We are planning to organise a 10 tonne delivery of soil conditioner in October/November 
 
We appreciate the effort made by the Parish Council to repair the leaks to the water tanks which appear to be very successful and especially important during these times of water shortage 
 
Of the issues we would still request the Parish Council to deal with are 
 
1) A decision on what to do with the raised beds on plot 32B which are now in a very sorry state. We as a committee would like to acquire the space of at least 2 raised beds. We were struggling for space at the allotment show as you probably saw, and as we cut the grass and maintain the surroundings on plot 32B we would like to have more room. 
 
2) The delivery of plot number identification posts 
 
3) We are concerned as to who the plot renewal letters are being sent to, hopefully not to plots where they appear to be abandoned or are not being looked after and have received notices from the Parish Council 
 
Additional items we would like to add to the above are 
 
4) A skip in October /November for plot holders to get rid of rubbish they do not want, especially for new plot holders from 1st October 
 
5) A request that a member of the Parish Council maintenance team spray -very carefully - weed killer on the `mounds of weeds starting to grow in the middle of the refurbished roadways. The weeds have a habit of damaging the roads creating a big hump which can cause problems to the underside of cars using the roads 
 
6. The hedges around the allotment site are beginning to get overgrown especially along the southern perimeter. I don’t think the farmer cut our side of the hedges this year which accounts for the condition. Can you arrange and therefore pay to have them cut this autumn before the restrictions for bird nesting apply.