Allotment Minutes – 28th March 2019
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 28th March 2019 at 7pm
| Present: | Councillors J Brown, Calver, Fay, J Henderson, McLeod and Morrison |
| In the Chair: | Councillor Todd |
| Clerk: | Michelle Townsend |
| Also present: | Site Representatives Mr Edmunds and Mrs Feaviour Two members of the public and no members of the press |
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME:
None
| A49/18 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies received from: Cllrs C Powell and F PowellSite Representative Mr Crowther |
| A50/18 | DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTEREST None |
| A51/18 | MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Allotments meeting held on 22nd November 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 22nd November 2018 (previously circulated) be approved by the committee and signed by the Chairman as a true record. |
| A52/18 | MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
A31/18 – Following the clearance of the hedging, two small stumps remain which could be a trip hazard. The Estates Supervisor has cordoned off the area and injected the stumps with weed killer. All plot holders have been made aware and this area will be regularly monitored. |
| A53/18 | 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. |
| A54/18 | VACANT PLOTS/WAITING LIST/NOTICES TO QUIT The Clerk advised members of the following:• 17 people on the waiting list (most are waiting for specific sites or plots) • 2 vacant plots • No NTQs issued since the last meeting |
| A55/18 | SITE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS Mrs Feaviour – Repair to the wall is looking good and site is looking tidy. Mr Edmunds – Site is looking good and Peter is doing a good job as usual with maintaining the grass. |
| A56/18 | TREE LIABILITIES The Clerk briefed members on new liabilities, which the council had been made aware of, in relation to trees on council-owned land and the requirement to conduct periodic risk assessments. Finance & General Purposes Committee agreed to commission a survey and the cost to be expended form the External Support Contingency Fund. The quotations for recommended work will be considered by the Allotments Committee and the cost will be expended from the allotments maintenance budget. Councillor Calver confirmed that the frequency for future inspections will be based on the advice and outcomes of the tree survey. Councillor Calver asked the Clerk to check that none of the trees requiring work were subject to a tree preservation order. |
| A57/18 | MATTERS RECEIVED IN THE POST, BE REPORTED OR RAISED BY MEMBERS •Weed killer purchased – £53.82 •Boatswains Call allotment site – Finance & General Purposes Committee resolved to register all council-owned land at the Boatswains Call allotment site at a nominal value of £600 and agreed to associated legal costs up to a value not expected to exceed £700. Land registry fees (£30) to be expended from the Allotment Key Priority EMR and legal fees (£450 plus disbursements) to be expended from the External Support Contingency Fund. •National Allotment Society are now offering liability insurance for individual members as part of their membership fee. Posters have been displayed at all sites.•The Chairman thanked the Clerk, members and site representatives for their time and assistance over the past year. |
| A58/18 | 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. |
| A59/18 | TIME AND DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting of the Allotments Committee will be held at 7pm on a date to be agreed, at the Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich, CO12 3DS |
| A60/18 | 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:•Tree by Main Gate at Boatswains Call Allotment Site •Site Representative – King Georges Avenue |
The Chairman closed the public part of the meeting at 7.25pm
CHAIRMAN: DATE: