Chester District Allotments Forum

 

Agenda

 

CHESTER DISTRICT ALLOTMENTS FORUM MEETING
MONDAY 10th March 2008 AT 6PM
IN TOWN HALL – MAGISTRATES ROOM

1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of 12th November 2007 Forum ( Already Circulated ) 
4. Investment Plan 07/08 Update
5. Grounds Maintenance Issues 
6. Election of Spokespersons 
7. Revised Tenancy Agreement
8. Gardeners Evening For Allotment Holders
9. AOB
10. Date & Time of Next Meeting 

Any items for the agenda must be advised either through your colony spokesperson from this list of spokespersons  (14.5KB), or through the Allotment Officer Diane Gorrell on 01244 402223 .

Minutes

CHESTER DISTRICT ALLOTMENT FORUM MEETING
MONDAY 10^TH MARCH 2008AT 6.00PM
MAGISTRATESROOMCHESTERTOWN HALL

Present:

Cllr Neil Ritchie   -            Chester City Council
Peter Hartwell    -            Chester City Council
Diane Gorrell      -            Chester City Council
Clive Roberts      -           Chester City Council
Phil Davies          -           Chester City Council
Mark Ogilvie        -           Farndon
Alan Smith           -           Beeston View No. 1
Ray Cumin           -           Blacon
Maria Warburton -           Saughall Road (Garage Side)
John White          -           Boughton Heath
Honore Gale        -           Hoole
Geoff Booth         -           Lache
Brian Bevan         -           Gatesheath – Tattenhall
David Clegg         -           Brook Lane
Hazel Hopley       -           Beeston View No. 2
Jules Miller           -           Kingsway
Colin Crawford    -            Allotment Holder (Invited)
Anne Wareing     -            CCC (Minute Taker)

1.         Welcome

1.1       Cllr Ritchie welcomed everyone present.

2.         Apologies for Absence

            Apologies were received from Cllr D Hull, Cllr R Jones, John Evans, Farndon and Tom Morris, Sealand Cottage.

3.         Colin Crawford Re Tenancy Agreement

3.1       Colin thanked Peter Hartwell for the invitation to attend, he then asked if it would be possible for a revised Tenancy Agreement as the current agreement was in his opinion substandard.  He also informed the meeting that the allotment holders were not happy with the agreement as it was not in line with the Allotment Strategy.

3.2        Colin then pointed out that it was contentious about how high crops could be grown i.e. 2 metres as there is nothing stated about this in the agreement.  He also asked that the agreement should include what the Council are going to do for the tenants and to consult with them on matters relating to the agreement.

3.1           Cllr Ritchie advised that as there is to be a changeover in local authority the Council will consult with Ellesmere Port & Neston Borough Council Vale Royal and the plot holders and produce a new tenancy agreement which is acceptable to everyone.

4.         Minutes from 12^th November 2007Forum

            Agreed with Amendment

4.1           Jules Miller had asked for a copy of the accounts for the first £10000 which was omitted.

5.         Investment Plan 07/08 Update

5.1       Diane confirmed that £10000 has been secured for 2008/2009.  She also advised that it was not possible to achieve the wish list items with the budget allocation and alternative ways of sourcing funds will have to be looked into.  Despite the fact that Cllr Ritchie put forward for additional budget this has not been granted as funds were very tight at present. 

Peter Hartwell informed the meeting that there was no clear Business case submitted for Capital Investment and that Construction and Design were looking into allotments for a Capital Investment Proposal for a three year period from 2008/2009.  The New Council will discuss that  budget.

5.2       Concern was expressed by all the colonies on drainage, tanks and standpipes. Diane informed the meeting that they are currently looking as these issues in conjunction with the Repairs & Maintenance department with a view to replacing all the tanks with standpipes  and have set up a meeting with Dee Valley Water to discuss this.

Jules Miller expressed her concern on the drainage at Kingsway which has been an ongoing problem for 8 years.  She was also concerned that the colonies were vying for money to sort out different areas and that the allotment money was slipping into Repairs and Maintenance to prop up the budget. Jules also asked for a resolution on the Kingsway problem.

Diane informed the meeting that there have been 2 surveys done on Kingsway. Clive Roberts also said that the issue of drainage has been researched  and that it was difficult as Kingsway is land locked and the water could not be taken off the site.

Colin Crawford challenged the cost of drainage work at Boughton Heath and thought the figures were too high although the drainage into the ditch seems to be working.

Maria Warburton asked what the cost of an assessment of the allotments would be?

Peter Hartwell said there will be a fully costed proposal and planned three year programme from 2008/2009.

Cllr Ritchie informed the meeting that the comprehensive assessment would be done objectively by City Council Officers already budgeted for and that the costs would not come out of the Allotment Budget.

Mark Ogilvie suggested that colonies put forward costed proposals of things that are needed.

Cllr Ritchie informed the meeting that there will be a 3 year strategy that will go a long way to solving the problems.  He also invited anyone at the meeting who wanted to make a bid for improvements on their allotment site to do so now.

Individual colonies who have any concerns are asked to contact Diane Gorrell on 01244 402223.

6.         Grounds Maintenance Issues

6.1             Diane advised the meeting that the delivery of skips to all the sites is scheduled towards the end of September/early October and that spokespersons will be advised in advance.

Mark Ogilvie (Farndon) and Brian Bevan (Gatesheath) asked if skips could be arranged for waste that cannot be composted.

Maria Warburton asked if the skips could be left longer than 4 days.

6.2            Diane reminded the meeting that it was agreed at the 12 November forum that the gate codes would be changed annually as from January 2008. David Clegg asked if the different allotment sites could have different gate codes.

Diane informed the meeting that this was a safety issue and that allotment holders and grounds maintenance staff should respect each others colonies, so it was not necessary to adopt different codes.

Clive Roberts also pointed out  that having the same code was easier for emergency service to acquire access.

Ray Cumin advised that the codes have not yet changed on Blacon.

6.1             Phil Davies informed the meeting that prices were being sourced from the Contractor for the spraying of Japanese Knot Weed.

Honore Gale asked if notices could be put up to inform the allotment holders when the spraying is being done.

David Clegg pointed out that there could be a monetary issue involved in the spraying of Japanese Knot Weed .  Private gardens bordering the allotments still have a problem with the weed so it could come back.

6.2             Phil Davies advised on the grass and hedge cutting programme and fence line spraying. He also asked that if the ground maintenance staff do not turn up on the day allocated to report it on 01244 402477 where their call will be logged.

Grass Cutting  -    Monthly April to September including first schedule on 24^th April.  All colonies will be cut on the same day normally the last Thursday of the month.

Hedges  -  Twice yearly, July and November.

John White reported that the hedge on Boughton Heath has not been cut for years.  Phil Davies said that this was an access issue since the creation of the Park & Ride and there were no resources to cut by hand.

Clive Roberts informed the meeting that the Allotment Strategy shows which paths need clearing and hedges cut.

6.5       Mark Ogilvie asked about the composting of Green Waste. Diane informed the meeting that the Green Composting Scheme run by Cheshire County Council was no longer available. Barry Davies was trying to acquire funds to transport soil improver to the colonies.

7.         Election of Spokespersons

7.1       Diane thanked all those spokespersons who have decided not to stand for           another term of office and for all their assistance and support over the  years.  She then informed the meeting  who had been elected for a three year term from 1 April 2008:

Ray Cumin     -           Blacon (New)
Brian Bevan   -           Gatesheath (Re-elected)
David Moore  -           Sealand Cottage (New)

In the cases of Boughton Heath and Whipcord Lane  their were 3 and 2 candidates respectively  and as a result an election is in progress which is being run the City Council Electoral Registration Section and the results will be available from Friday 14 March.

Colin Crawford requested that more information on candidates be put on the voting slips in order for the allotment holders to make a decision as to whom they think is the right person for the job.  Peter Hartwell said this would be done for the next elections.

8.         Revised Tenancy Agreement

8.1       Peter Hartwell asked the spokespersons if they wished the tenancy agreement to be revisited in consultation with all allotment holders or to put it on hold for a West Cheshire agreement in April 2009 that aligns with the strategy and agreement with the National Association.

Clive Roberts advised that the agreement was only 2 years old and not  outdated and that it could possibly be improved and new clauses inserted.

Cllr Ritchie suggested that a sub-group be set up to discuss the issues for City Council allotment holders with a view to prepare earlier for the new agreement with West Cheshire in 2009.

Cllr Ritchie asked for volunteers to sit on the new sub-group and the following spokespeople put their names forward:

Marie Warburton       -           Saughall Road (Garage Side)
Jules Miller                 -           Kingsway
Mark Ogilvie              -           Farndon

Cllr Ritchie advised that Chester City Council will arrange the meeting to get the sub-group up and running.

Diane informed the meeting that Kathryn Jones from Legal is looking at the allotment contracts that Vale Royal has with their Parish Councils but pointed out that Chester and Ellesmere Port & Neston do not all have Parish Councils and their agreements are similar.

9.         Gardeners Evening for Allotment Holders

No interest was shown on this item.

10.       A.O.B.

10.1         Honore Gale asked if there could be adverts placed re the sharing of Allotment plots as some of the elderly holders may not be able to look after a full plot.

Diane informed the meeting that the sharing of some 40 plots was already in place and that some plots have 2 or 3 tenancy holders.

Cllr Ritchie advised that the sharing of plots was also a way of relieving waiting lists and helping elderly tenants to look after their plots.

10.2    Colin Crawford suggested it would be helpful to attend a meeting of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners as they can provide benefits for allotment holders and a window for access to funding.  He also requested that the Allotment Strategy be put on the website.  Clive Roberts advised that it had been on the website and he would look into

this issue.

10.2         Maria Warburton informed the meeting that grass perimeters were not being strimmed, also the full width of the path was not being done.

Phil Davies advised Maria that if she was unhappy with the standard of work she should raise it with the Councils call centre where the complaint would be logged.

10.3         David Clegg asked for better communication for inspections and maintenance and asked for the allotment spokesperson to be there at such times.

Diane advised that allotment spokespersons are contacted when inspections and maintenance are to be done.

10.4         Jules Miller informed the meeting that Kingsway had received an Awards for All grant from the Area Committee for new gates, since which there has been no vandalism on the site.  Kingsway are also hoping to work with Primary School children in the future.

Honore Gale also advised that Hoole had received a grant of £500 from the Co-op to purchase appropriate equipment to work with Primary School Children.  They have also received funding from the Rotary Club and B&Q.

Cllr Ritchie congratulated them both and said this underlined the value of Allotment Associations as they were able to access grants that the City Council could not.

10.5    Mark Ogilvie pointed out that there was a groundswell for allotments and that the City Council should recognise the popularity.  He also suggested that the key points raised be captured in the Tenancy Agreement.

11.       Date and Time of Next Meeting

11.1    The next meeting will be held on a Monday in July at 6pm.  Diane will notify the spokespersons of the date and venue.

Close of Meeting 8pm