Allotment Minutes – 19 July 2018
HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich, Essex CO12 3DS
Tel: 01255 507211
email: info@harwichtowncouncil.co.uk
MINUTES of the Meeting of the ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE
held at
The Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich
on
Thursday 19th July 2018 at 7pm
| Present: | Councillors J Brown, Calver, Fay, J Henderson, McLeod, and F Powell |
| In the Chair: | Councillor Todd |
| Clerk: | Michelle Townsend |
| Also present: | Site Representatives Mr Crowther, Mr Edmunds and Mrs Feaviour One member of the public and no members of the press |
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME:
None
| A16/18 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies received from: Cllrs Morrison and C Powell |
| A17/18 | DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTEREST None |
| A18/18 | MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Allotments meeting held on 29th May 2018 (previously circulated) be approved by the committee and signed by the Chairman as a true record. FURTHER RESOLVED: That the confidential minutes of the Allotments meeting held on 29th May 2018 (previously circulated) be approved by the committee and signed by the Chairman as a true record. |
| A19/18 | MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
A11/18 – Letter of thanks has been sent to Sean O’Hara |
| A20/18 | MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES
•Redoubt Hedge and Footpath – Investigation regarding ownership of the Redoubt site has been carried out under the allotment key priority and that on completion this will be passed to the Finance & General Purposes Committee to determine what needs to be achieved regarding asset management. |
| A21/18 | VACANT PLOTS/WAITING LIST/NOTICES TO QUIT The Clerk advised members of the following: • 14 people on the waiting list (most are waiting for specific sites or plots)
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| A22/18 | SITE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS Mrs Feaviour – All plots are being worked. Mr Crowther – Nothing to report and everywhere is tidy. Mr Edmunds – Grass and hedge looking good following the recent cut. |
| A23/18 | WILLOW WAY ALLOTMENT SITE
The Clerk and Chairman thanked members and staff for their assistance on Monday 9th July to undertake the final clearance work at Willow Way. Collection of the non-allotment waste has been arranged with Veolia for Saturday 21st July at a cost of £750.00. Additional items have been added to pile of the waste since Veolia quoted for the work, but hopefully they will still undertake the clearance for £750.00. There have been issues with the arrangements for disconnection of the water supply and HTC has been notified that as the disconnection is not straight forward, the cost has increased to £440.00. A request has been put in to carry out the disconnection, however HTC are still awaiting confirmation as to when this will happen. Affinity Water are aware that HTC will no longer be occupying the land with effect from 23rd July 2018. The Estate Supervisor carried out a final strim of the allotment site and arrangements have been made with TDC to hand the keys over on the morning of 23rd July 2018.
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| A24/18 | WATER USAGE The Clerk made members aware of the recent complaints and concerns received regarding perceived excessive water usage on some sites. Members were provided with comparison details for last year against this year for the annual water charges for each site. Cllr Calver advised members that the Allotment Committee amended the policy to allow plot holders to water their plots using hose pipes approximately 10 years ago. He advised that this was done to prevent the need for elderly plot holders to carry heavy watering cans and did not alter the requirements for sensible usage. All members agreed that irrigation systems need to be removed from the communal tap but accepted that this would need to be introduced with an amendment to the tenancy agreement issued in September. It was decided that with immediate effect adapters attached to the council’s water standpipes must be removed. RESOLVED: With immediate effect no tenant is to attach an adapter to any council provided water point. FURTHER RESOLVED: That an amendment to the tenancy agreement be issued in September 2018 banning the use of any irrigation or sprinkler system and stating that watering of plots can only occur using single use hosepipes or watering cans. |
| A25/18 | LARGE COMPOST BIN – DUNNS MEADOW The Clerk gave members brief details of the concerns raised by a couple of plot holders. Members wish to encourage the good practice of composting as long as it does not cause a nuisance to other plot holders. It was felt that the size does not cause an issue, however it was not appropriate to have the openings directly on to a public footpath which it can cause an obstruction and result in spillage on to the path. RESOLVED: Clerk to request for the access doors to be relocated so that they open on the plot rather than the public footpath. |
| A26/18 | MATTERS RECEIVED IN THE POST OR RAISED BY MEMBERS
•Purchase of coach bolts and nuts to repair gatepost at Dunns Meadow – £9.15 |
| A27/18 | TO RESOLVE TO PERMIT SITE REPRESENTATIVES TO REMAIN IN THE MEETING DURING CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RESOLVED: To permit Site Representatives to remain in the meeting during confidential business. |
| A28/18 | TIME AND DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Allotments Committee will be held at 7pm on 22nd November 2018 at the Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich, CO12 3DS |
| A29/18 | EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS Pursuant to Sub-Section 2 of Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the meeting is closed to the press and public for the transaction of the under-mentioned business: •Long Meadows Boundary •Overgrowth – Abdy Avenue Allotment Site |
The Chairman closed the public part of the meeting at 7.40pm
CHAIRMAN: DATE: