AC January 2023
Appendix 2
Since our last report for the 13th October, we have moved into the quiet time on the allotment.
During the three months to date we have
1) Had delivery of 16 tonnes of compost for 30 plot holders.
2) We continue to arrange for delivery of Alpaca manure and wood chip from trusted suppliers .The event before Christmas of the wood chip dumped outside the plots was not of our making.
3) We arranged a committee and plot holder soup and roll get to know you event for 23rd October , but despite soup for 50 people , tables, pots, stoves and gazebos being organised we had to cancel due to the appalling weather conditions and felt this outside event was not sensible , we will try again later this year.
4) As a help to the Parish Council we turned off the water supply to the plots on November 18th. We leave some water in the tanks in case plot holders need water for greenhouses etc. Later we usually empty the tanks to protect them from the winter . Unfortunately, we were caught out by the cold snap and it is possible two of the 10 tanks (5 and 9) may have been damaged by frost as they were totally empty when the ice had melted , something to be aware of when we switch the water on.
5) Our shop was closed in October to re-open in the spring
6) We have an AGM planned for 28th March, details to follow
Our major concerns centre around the need for an additional skip (s)
We are concerned that plots are allowed to get out of control and overgrown or filled with unnecessary equipment/material. It is our view to try and avoid the need for additional skips more attention must be focused on plots which appear to be neglected or building an unhealthy amount of material. Plot inspections need to be more frequent and more vigorous when reporting to the tenant.
New plot holders should not be expected to undertake major clearance work and in many cases the dirty/dangerous debris left behind would have to be transported to a tip which is not realistic using their own vehicles..
We as the allotment committee can report back our concerns providing they are actioned as we did in the past. We see reports in our magazines where on other sites plot holders are quickly pounced on when a plot are failing to meet standards. Our tenant’s agreement clearly states what the standards are. I know it’s a difficult and time-consuming job but unless this type of action is taken we will need to be provided with more skips .
Another approach would be for all new tenants to put down a sizeable deposit only returned when the plot is handed back in a satisfactory state , this can however, be very time consuming and confrontational. I think we need to meet at later date to discuss.
Other unresolved issues are:
Hedge cutting, plot numbers, plot 32B and what progress/decisions on allowing chickens on site.
Appendix 3
Allotments Committee Agenda Item 29.23 – Correspondence regarding skips.
To DSJPC,
I see from the emails and messages that the skip although very welcome was not sufficient to serve 116 plots once a year. With at least 6 new plot holders paying the registration fee and all the other plot holders contributing through rent surely there is sufficient funds for a second skip. Committee members have done their best to load all rubbish but there is too much. We must have a second skip to clear the remaining rubbish. I am therefore asking for a second skip. I know you have to apply for additional funds, if this means a delay we would supplement the cost and reclaim the costs later. As I am away from my computer can you pass this message on to Cllr Halls also. I look forward to a positive response.
From Chair of Allotments Association.
To Chair of Allotments Association,
As requested, I have forwarded your email to Cllr Halls.
Deeping St James Parish Council appreciate that there was a lot of rubbish that tenants wished to get rid of in the skip provided and that there were a number of new tenants who were due to have priority over the skip, however, the provision of a skip is not something that we should guarantee each year, with the requirements being that we provide the land and maintain it. Tenants need to make sure that they manage their own waste appropriately – if they bring it, they should take it home or to the tip.
There has been a turnover in tenants and therefore more payment; these monies are also used for water payments (which considering the weather has been larger this year), maintenance of water tanks and pipes, overhauling of abandoned/unlooked after plots, hedging etc as well as rent. The cost of overhauling a plot is expensive, when you consider the number of hours one of our maintenance men attend, the fuel used, the tools required and even, this year the purchase of a skip where a plot was left in an appalling state. The allotments are supposed to be fairly self-sufficient, but this is actually not the case, hence the rise in rental fees.
With this in mind, we are sorry, but Deeping St James Parish Council will not be providing another skip.
Many thanks and kind regards,
From Assistant Clerk, on behalf of DSJPC.
To DSJPC,
Thanks for your e mail. However, I do feel I need to take issue with some of your comments.
Firstly the £25 'signing on fee' which we the Association suggested a few years ago despite Parish Council resistance (in fact we suggested £50 to make sure new plot holders were serious but this was rejected by the Parish Council) was intended to be used specifically to clear up plots left in a poor state. The fee was not intended to pay for any other site maintenance such as the water supply or hedging, this was meant to come from the rent.
Much of the rubbish left on plots at changeover will have been collected or resulted from poor cultivation by the previous tenant therefore to say that the new plot holder should take it home or go to the tip is unreasonable as the plot should be in an acceptable state before handover. I agree existing plot holders should be more responsible with their rubbish and be encouraged to deal with it, but some items just can’t be moved easily especially if they are really dirty or awkward to fit in a boot.
I still think that 1 skip in 52 weeks for 116 plot holders is inadequate and in future a second should be made available when necessary.
Another suggestion would be that inspections made by the Parish Council should be much stricter and more often, where any plot holder straying outside what is acceptable should be sent a warning that remedial action may be charged to stop the plot getting worse.
In the past we as the Association would carry out regular inspections reporting problems to the PC but unfortunately no action was taken until it was much too late.
I realise this is a thorny and difficult problem and everyone is trying their best ,however I think we need to review the current situation and look at alternative approaches for the future.
From Chair of Allotments Association