AFOS April 2021 Minutes
Minutes of the virtual Allotments, Footpaths and Open Spaces Committee on Monday 26 April 2021 at 8:00pm.
Present: Councillors Bowell, Fowler, Hall, Halls, Robinson, Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens (District) and Thomas (District).
Allotment Association Chairman
Louise Brown - Assistant Clerk
42.20 To receive apologies for absence.
None were received.
43.20 To receive declarations of interest, if any.
None were received.
44.20 To adopt the minutes of the meeting held Thursday 21 January 2021.
The Minutes were agreed and Councillor Bowell will sign and return them to the office. Councillor Bowell brought up section 39.20 about adopting a Tree Maintenance Plan and asked if there was anybody interested forming a working party to achieve this? Councillors Shinkins-Hoppe, Rose, Halls, Stevens, Bowell and possibly Hosking would be interested. Assistant Clerk to arrange some dates for meetings.
45.20 To receive reports from the Clerk.
Water tank at plot 63 and various stop cocks have been replaced. It appears that the water tank has been overflowing and a maintenance worker has been back to attend to it. There are further water leakage queries that have been noted that the maintenance worker will be asked to attend to.
Allotment Training has been undertaken by Councillor Halls and the Assistant Clerk, notes have previously been forwarded to all committee members.
Councillors Bowell and Halls, alongside the Assistant Clerk attended the Allotments Association AGM. Notes were sent out to all at the time.
A litter pick email was sent to tenants advising them that a litter pick had happened at the allotments and to ask them to monitor and manage any rubbish seen; advice was also offered for standing wood vertically to help prevent rats nesting.
46.20 To receive and discuss the report from the Allotments Association and make any recommendations to Council.
The Allotments Association Chairman briefly ran through his report to the Councillors that had previously been circulated.
47.20 To receive an update regarding repairs to Car Park and roads at the Allotments.
Councillor Fowler has contacted two companies to come and look at the roadway, scarify the surface and roll flat. Due to COVID, these companies are very busy, but Councillor Fowler is hoping that they will be able to come and look within the next four weeks.
48.20 To discuss the possibility of keeping Bees at the allotments.
Information about Bee management and protocol at allotments was shared with the agenda for all Councillors. The Councillors discussed the concerns and benefits of having bees and it was decided that a Bee Keeper would be asked to go and look at the plots, to offer his opinion on the size of the plots and safety situation for both bees and tenants. It was also discussed to ask a local Farmer, if he had any space that could support this tenant as an alternative to the allotments. Assistant Clerk to contact local farmer.
49.20 What further action should be taken against the Tenant that continues to park inconsiderately?
Another complaint was received about problem parking for a particular tenant at the allotments. Various suggestions were made about how to move forward with this as the tenant has kept a lovely plot, however keeps breaching the Tenancy Agreement with parking. It was proposed by Councillor Hall, that a final warning letter is sent out to the tenant, advising that if there are any further parking contraventions, the Tenancy will be immediately terminated. This proposal was seconded by Councillor Stevens and the Committee agreed 8/1. The matter is RECOMMENDED to Full Council.
50.20 To discuss proposed changes to the Tenancy Agreement regarding:
Deeping St James Parish Council cannot guarantee, that tenants that are not members of the allotment’s association have any Insurance at the Allotments. Allotments Association members pay £5 per annum currently, for a variety of benefits including Public Liability Insurance. Councillor Stevens proposed that we make tenants join the Allotments Association as a compulsory measure, which was seconded by Cllr Robinson, all Committee Members agreed.
An amendment is to be made to the Tenancy Agreement this year, allowing the year’s notice and taking effect in September 2022. Tenants that are not members of the Allotment’s Association, will be strongly advised this year to get their own insurance for this year.
It was considered that any new build sheds/polytunnels should be restricted to the size/height of a 6x8 shed and any decisions for larger constructions should be brought to Full Council for approval. An amendment is to be made to the tenancy agreement to reflect this.
Both changes to the Tenancy Agreement listed above, are to be RECOMMENDED to Full Council.
The use of bonfires on the plots as noted on the agenda, was not discussed at this meeting and may be brought up at a later date.
The use of poison for rats at the allotments was not discussed at this meeting, however, it was noted that the email sent advising tenants of standing wood vertically discouraging rats from nesting, had been actioned by all but eight tenants. Councillor Halls will monitor.
Councillor Fowler joined the meeting adding his information regarding point 47.20.
51.20 Dates of the next meetings to be decided –
Thursday 17 June 2021 at 8pm