Allotments Minutes 16th July 2009
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE
HELD ON
16th JULY 2009 at 6.30pm
HELD AT THE PARK PAVILION BOARD ROOM, BARRACK LANE, HARWICH, ESSEX
Present: Councillor T Colbourne, in the Chair
Councillors: G Calver, J Brown, D McLeod, B Brown
The Assistant Clerk to the Council, Mrs S Anderson
Also present: The Clerk to the Council, Mrs E Novorol and 4 members of the public
PUBLIC QUESTIONTIME
Mrs Brown, allotment tenant at Boatswains Call, raised her concerns regarding untidy pathways at the site and asked if reminders are issued to long standing tenants. The Chairman confirmed that sending reminders to allotment tenants was not the normal practice but if she had any problems, these should be reported to the Co-opted Member or to the office.
Mr Wood, allotment tenant at Boatswains Call, asked why the Harwich Town Council’s website was still showing last years appointed committee members. The Clerk to the Council, Mrs E Novorol, confirmed that she would investigate the matter and the website would be corrected accordingly.
A01/09 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gardner, Rutson and Co-opted Member Mr E Heath.
A02/09 APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIRMAN
RESOLVED: that Councillor D McLeod be appointed as Vice Chairman for the Municipal Year 2009/2010.
A03/09 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
None
A04/09 MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the Allotments Committee held on 18th March 2009 (previously circulated) be accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
A05/09 WILLOW WAY
Further to Minute A106/08, the Clerk reported that the current expenditure at the Willow Way site was £2964.00, without the additional cost of a standpipe, cost to be confirmed. The Chairman reported that Plot 7 had been part cleared with the help of some of the allotment tenants.
A06/09 KING GEORGES ALLOTMENT SITE
Further to Minute A107/08, the committee noted a response from Andrew White, Strategic Property Manager at Tendring District Council. RESOLVED: to set up a meeting with Mr D Hall (TDC), Councillors A Colbourne, D McLeod, L Double and The Clerk to Harwich Town Council to discuss utilising this parcel of land owned by Tendring District Council, situated adjacent to the allotment site and for the outcome to be discussed at the next Full Council Committee.
The Committee discussed the high consumption of water at King Georges Avenue site and agreed that the Assistant Clerk contact Veolia to arrange an onsite meeting to check existing pipe-work.
A07/09 ALLOTMENT SITES
The Committee agreed to hold 6 weekly meetings in the Spring and Summer periods to cover ongoing allotment issues. It was agreed that an allotment meeting be held at the beginning of June followed by another in July to help contain allotment issues. The Clerk, Mrs E Novorol asked the Committee to consider giving more support to the
Chairman in field. The Committee sought, and was given, confirmation of the present policy regarding Notice to Quit letters.
A08/09 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
The Chairman and Councillor B Brown reported to the Committee on their recent visit to all allotment sites.
Abdy Avenue
Plot 7 unused, split the plot and re-let.
The Chairman agreed to contact Tendring District Council to clear rubbish left outside gates.
Long Meadows
The Chairman to fix notice board.
The Committee agreed that a letter be sent to the occupier of the dwelling at the back of Plot 8 expressing concern regarding the dangerous condition of the overhanging tree.
Dunns Meadow
The Chairman reported that letters requesting tidy up of plots had been sent to Plots 9a, 3, 5, 6 and 13.
The Committee agreed that a letter be sent to occupiers of several dwellings in Fronks Road, expressing concerns regarding the condition of several trees that back onto the site.
Redoubt
Plot 26 to be re-let as currently vacant.
The tenant of Plot 5 will vacate September 2009.
The Committee agreed that when a plot becomes vacant it should be offered as one plot in the
first instance and not halved.
Boatswains Call
The Chairman confirmed that a letter requesting a tidy up of the plot had been sent to Plot 14.
A09/09 VACANT PLOTS/WAITING LIST/NOTICES TO QUIT
The Assistant Clerk gave an update on vacant plots and the current waiting list.
A10/09 CO-OPTED MEMBERS REPORTS
BOATSWAINS CALL
The Co-opted member reported that there was a problem on a few plots with seeding plants.
The Clerk noted a request from a member regarding the agreement to erect a brick wall on the
boundary between the car park at the rear of the old Health Centre and Boatswains Call, when
consultations restart with the developers.
ABDY AVENUE
The Co-opted member requested a “No Fly Tipping” notice to be placed on gate.
THE REDOUBT
The Co-opted member asked The Clerk for a progress report on the current situation regarding the tenant of Plots 31, 32 and 34. Mrs E Novorol confirmed that situation regarding the pathway between the occupier of 19 Harbour Crescent and Mr Catchpole had been resolved subject to an agreement between both parties.
The Chairman informed the Committee that a two foot wide path will be created at the end of Mr Catchpole’s allotments and maintained by Mr Clackett.
It was further agreed that a new lock be purchased for the gate to the allotments between numbers 21 and 23 Harbour Crescent and for Mr Clackett to have a key on condition that the gate must be locked at all times.
The request for a fence to divide the path from the allotments was denied as it was unnecessary.
A11/09 REDOUBT HEDGE
A request to annually monitor and maintain the hedge at the Redoubt was deferred until the next meeting.
A12/09 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Allotments Committee will be held on Thursday, 3rd September 2009 at the Park Pavilion Board Room, Barrack Lane at 6.30pm.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.45pm