AC September 2023 DRAFT Minutes
Minutes of the Allotments Committee on Tuesday 12 September 2023 at 8:00pm held at the Institute.
Present: Councillors Bowell, Fowler, Halls, Rose and Shinkins-Hoppe.
Assistant Clerk Louise Brown taking the Minutes.
10.24 To receive apologies for absence.
Apologies were received from Councillor Green.
11.24 To receive declarations of interest, if any.
None were received.
12.24 To adopt the minutes of the meeting held Tuesday 23rd May 2023.
The Minutes were agreed as a true representation and signed.
13.24 To receive reports from the Clerk.
Plot Numbers have been received from Men in Sheds and delivered to the allotment site on Sunday 13th August with cable ties to attach, an email has gone out to all tenants, to advise that they are there.
Plot 32B
The Allotments Association requested the removal of the planters from plot 32B as they had become a health and safety hazard. The Council had previously agreed that these planters would be removed, but were awaiting a lull in the maintenance team’s schedules to complete the job. The Allotments Association were given the go-ahead to make a start on removing the old planters and leaving the soil for the maintenance men to remove in readiness for the Allotments Show. The maintenance men have begun removing the soil and will continue until the job is complete.
An email was sent out to tenants asking not to leave useful belongings outside the shed in the car park. They were also asked not to leave rubbish outside the maintenance storage container and finally, to advise council of any illness or long-term holiday/time away that may affect tenancy conditions.
The Assistant Clerk contacted Cllr Fowler to approach contractors for concise quotes regarding Roadway 1. Please see item 23.24.
At the June Full Council, it was agreed to make changes to the Tenancy Agreement and also to raise the Tenancy Rents by £2 per full plot and £1 per half plot, to commence September 2024.
Contracts were sent out to tenant’s week ending Friday 18th August 2023.
On the 28th July 2023, the Parish Council received a report of a piece of shiplap having been removed from a shed and therefore the contents of the shed could be viewed. An email was sent to all tenants asking them to be vigilant; not to leave valuables on site and to report any stolen belonging to the Police and the Parish Council. No further reports have been received.
Wasps’ nests have been found and reported to the Parish Council. The Parish Council contacted (SKDC) South Kesteven District Council for information, where they advised they no longer have a pest control dept, so the issue falls to the public to manage privately. The Parish Council then checked with (LALC) Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils, and they advised that the Parish Council should take on the responsibility. Finally, the National Society Allotment and Leisure Gardens (NSALG) website was viewed and it states; if the nest is causing no harm, leave it, as the wasps’ finish in winter and whilst active will eat the aphids. Please see item 22.24, where this has been discussed further.
Allotments Show 13th Aug 2023
The Allotments Show was attended by Cllr Halls and the Assistant Clerk. The Winner of Allotments Show, Best Plot Award went to plots 60B, 61A and 61B collectively, and they won the large cup, the small trophy to keep and £20 waterside gift voucher.
Second place went to 59A, with a £10 waterside gift voucher and third place went to 52B with a £5 waterside gift voucher, finally Best Newcomer Certificate was given to plot 57B.
14.24 To receive a report on progress with reallocating Allotment plots, together with an update on current tenants.
As at 5th September 2023, we have 116 plots currently available for tenants:-
(Not including club house and DSJPC land).
8 plots are full sized.
108 plots are half sized.
8 tenants have two half sized plots
3 plots are shared between 2 tenants
2 plots have been relinquished/reclaimed during renewals.
31 plots taken by Market Deeping tenants.
82 plots taken by Deeping St James tenants.
1 plot is taken by Deeping Gate.
The waiting list status is currently at 42: -
8 people waiting from Deeping St James.
14 people have a plot and are asking for another.
20 people waiting from Market Deeping and surrounding areas.
Councillors questioned the priority sorting of the waiting list. The Deeping St James Parish Council resident list remains the same – all DSJ newcomers get first priority. The second list, (which contains the second plot list at the top and the out of Parish residents at the bottom), has been amended to reflect that again DSJ tenants get priority over all people on the list. This is due to the allotments being subsidised by DSJ residents Council tax.
The tenants from Market Deeping, who are requesting a second plot are now to be moved to the bottom of the out of Parish list, as the Councillors would like to be able to offer new out of Parish residents a plot first.
RECOMMEND to Full Council for agreement.
15.24 To receive and discuss the reports from the Allotments Association and make any recommendations to Council.
Councillors acknowledged the report received from the Allotments Association.
16.24 To receive a report of the budget position to date and expected outturn for the financial year 2023/24.
Expenditure 2023/24
| Item | Budget | Actual | Variance | Still to pay |
| Grounds Maintenance (Skip, hedge, repairs to tanks, water bill etc). | 2,500.00 | 702.54 | 1,797.36 | Hedge payment, 3 x water bills, skip, plot numbers. |
| Allotment Improvements (Roadway) - Includes reserve pot (£3,000) | 5,000.00 | 5,000.00 | Roadway 1 | |
| AA Membership Fees | 550.00 | 15.00 | 535.00 | |
| Balance | 8,050.00 | 717.64 | 7,332.36 |
Income 2023/24
| Item | Budget | Actual | Variance | Still to receive |
| Allotment Fees | 4,500.00 | 125.00 | -4,375.00 | |
| AA Membership Fees | 550.00 | 15.00 | -535.00 |
17.24 To consider budget estimates for 2024/25 and make recommendations to the Finance, Policy and Personnel Committee.
Grounds maintenance was raised to £3,000 to incorporate the rising cost of a skip, hedge maintenance, repairs to water tanks and the water bill.
Allotments Improvements were requested to be set at £1,000, to accrue and help maintain the roadways once roadway 1 has been completed, which we anticipate will be completed soon.
AA Membership fees are based on the £5 fee paid per tenant alongside Allotment Rent which is paid out to the Allotments Association who manage insurance cover.
To be brought to the next Finance, Policy and Personnel Committee.
18.24 To consider offering plot 32B to the Allotments Association for rent on a yearly basis, to use for their events.
A discussion was had by the Councillors and it was proposed and agreed that the Allotments Association be offered the rental of plot 32B at the cost of a half plot rent, to assist with their events.
19.24 To consider integrating a period of 8-weeks at the start of a tenancy, to see if a tenant wishes to keep the plot that they have taken on. Perhaps paying a deposit and returning it if the tenant decides against continuing.
Councillors discussed this topic and decided that a break-out clause be added for new tenants after 8 weeks of tenancy. Deeping St James Parish Council will make contact to check that the tenant is happy with continuing and if not, the tenancy will end. No refund will be given.
20.24 To consider writing an Invasive Plants Policy.
Councillors agreed that the Tenancy Agreement shall be amended to remove any plants listed and directly advise tenants to access the GOV.UK website and follow their directions. Tenants should also advise the Allotments Association if an invasive plant is found on a plot.
21.24 To consider raising the rent for plots based upon a budget appraisal completed in June 2023.
Councillors viewed the proposals offered to aid addressing the deficit that the allotments run in.
It was agreed that the Allotments are a requirement to be managed like Cemeteries by Parish Councils and that it is accepted that there will be some form of subsidisation.
It was agreed that the Parish Council continues to subsidise the allotments to avoid high increases in annual rents. The committee agreed to continue to review the rent on an annual basis and make changes accordingly. Changes to administration will help offset some of these costs, such as making the Tenancy a rolling yearly contract, meaning that contracts will be handed out at the beginning of Tenancy and only changes will be sent out via email or paper if no email is used - saving paper, postage, ink and time.
RECOMMEND to Full Council for agreement.
22.24 To consider any amendments to the Tenancy Agreement.
The Councillors discussed the occurrence of wasps on the allotments site. In accordance with information that has been offered by the (NSALG) National Society Allotment and Leisure Gardens, (SKDC) South Kesteven District Council and (LALC) Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils, it has been agreed that if a wasp’s nest appears at the allotments, if they are not being a nuisance, they should be left. If they are a problem and are on a tenant’s plot, it is a private matter for tenants to handle themselves. If they are found in a communal area, they should be reported to the Parish Council who will assess the situation and handle accordingly. Councillors agreed that this should not be added to the Tenancy Agreement.
23.24 To consider the quotes for Roadway 1.
Cllr Fowler has worked hard to try and get some quotes for this project and after contacting several contractors has managed to source two quotes for taking this project forward. Cllr Fowler is to send the quotes to the Parish Council offices and the project is to be RECOMMENDED to Full Council.
24.24 To agree date of next meeting.
Tuesday 16th January 2024.
Meeting ended at 9:25pm.