Minutes of Allotment Committee 29 January 2025

Meeting of Choppington Parish Council

Allotment Committee (Tenants forum)

Wednesday 29 January 2025 at 6.30pm   (from 6pm to receive tenants payments)

Agenda

  1. Apologies for absence – Members are reminded of the importance to submit apologies for non-attendance and of the need for the meeting to consider acceptance of these apologies.
  2. Members will identify any declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other registerable personal interest(s). Members are asked to read the note at the foot of this agenda on declarations of interest.
  3. To receive the minutes of the meeting of 25 September 2024
  4. Matters arising.
  5. Report from the Clerk – Members will receive an update from the Clerk
  6. Tenant open forum – Tenants are invited to discuss allotment issues directly with Members in the meeting during the public session.

Agenda – Part 2

Members will be asked to consider under Standing Order 3, that in view of the special and confidential nature of the business to be transacted, it is advisable in the public interest that the press and public be excluded and asked to withdraw

Notes to be read in connection with Agenda Items 2 and 6

 Note for the Public –

There will be limited space for members of the public to attend and access will be on a first come first served basis.  The meeting will include a public session at which any resident of the Parish may raise topics for discussion. Public questions may be notified to the Parish Clerk before 12noon on the day of the meeting and will be read out in the meeting during the public session if unable to attend in person. The length of the public session, normally fifteen minutes, is at the discretion of the Chairman.  Any resident may speak once on a subject and they are requested to avoid duplication as far as possible when speaking on a subject.  Councillors are not allowed to participate, other than by asking direct questions for clarification.

It is not the Council’s custom to respond during the public session.  Where appropriate the Chairman will inform the resident of the action to be taken, that is, passed to a committee; go on the next agenda; or the points will be taken into consideration if already on the agenda

 Note re Declarations of interest – Members are required to disclose personal and prejudicial interests relating to any matters to be considered at the meeting.  The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.   An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting if it only becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

If a member who has declared a personal interest then considers the interest to be prejudicial he/she shall declare that, and, after making any representations, answering questions or giving evidence relating to the business, the member shall withdraw from the room for the remainder of the item to which the interest relates.

 Issued by:

 Angela Brindley

Parish Clerk

22 January 2025

 

MINUTES OF THE ALLOTMENT COMMITTEE OF CHOPPINGTON PARISH COUNCIL MONDAY 29 JANUARY 2025 AT THE PARISH COUNCIL OFFICES

 Members present:

Cllr H Allsopp

Cllr K Burn

Cllr J Foster, (Chairman)

Cllr G Huntley

Cllr J Rowell

Cllr P S Vaughan

Cllr L Watson

In attendance:

Mrs A Brindley Parish Clerk, Mr D L Nicholson Deputy Parish Clerk Mr D Iley FO and 4 members of the public

A010/24         1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 Apologies were received from Cllr A Iley (illness).  The meeting agreed that this was a proper reason for absence.

A011/24         2.         MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(S).

Cllr Vaughan declared he had a personal interest in the Bomarsund site as he maintained an allotment there and if, as the meeting progressed, there became a prejudicial interest he would withdraw from the meeting.

.A012/24         3.         TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE 24 APRIL 2024

The meeting agreed the minutes represented a true record of the meeting, authorizing that they be signed as such by the Chairman and placed in the public domain.

 A013/24        4.        MATTERS ARISING

09/24 Residents Forum

Water taps – have been replaced or repaired which includes insulation

Track identified by residents has been reinstated.

Tenants were contacted who had uncultivated allotments had been contacted by Council and have either left the site or have started work.

 A014/24         6.         REPORT FROM THE CLERK     

  1.  Plot occupancyCurrently collecting fees for 2024/25.  Most tenants have renewed however the Council has been advised that 2 allotments will be vacated.  There is in addition 4 out of action.
  2. Unadopted land to gatesThe remedial work for the unadopted land to the main entrance will commence in the week beginning 17th March 2025.  The Parish Clerk will put out a notice closer to the start date.  During this time tenants can access the site by the other gate.  There are no plans to repair this road at present.
  3.  Break ins/ VandalismThe site has been subject to break in and vandalism in recent weeks.
  4. Change to Meeting scheduleTenants are reminded that this January meeting replaces the meeting in April that in past years has taken place.  The next Allotment meeting will take place later in the year.

A015/24        7.         TENANTS OPEN FORUM

 Issues discussed:

 Unoccupied allotments

A request to keep unallocated allotments sprayed was accepted by the members and the Clerk asked to be informed by tenants of problems.   Members were keen to make inspections during the year and were advised by tenants that the best time to visit would be March to see preparations to gardens, May/June where the gardens would be fully in use and October as the growing year comes to a close.

Continued rat problem

The removal of the woodshed had not alleviated the problem of rats.  Rats would be attracted to chicken coops and would remain a problem on site.  The willows growing around the site was also thought to harbour rats and the Parish Council was ever alert to opportunities that would encourage NCC to cut them back.

The Deputy Parish Clerk is taking a rodent management course next month which may offer further options for their management.

 There being no further business to be transacted the meeting closed at 7.05pm

 

Chairman………………………………………………      Date………………………

 MINUTES OF THE ALLOTMENT COMMITTEE OF CHOPPINGTON PARISH COUNCIL WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2024 AT THE PARISH COUNCIL OFFICES

 Members present:

Cllr H Allsopp

Cllr K Burn

Cllr J Foster, (Chairman)

Cllr A Iley

Cllr J Rowell

Cllr P S Vaughan

Cllr L Watson

In attendance:

Mrs A Brindley Parish Clerk, Mr D L Nicholson DPC, Mr D Iley FO, and 5 members of the public

A01/24           1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Cllr G Huntley (family commitments) The meeting agreed that these were proper reasons for absence.

A02/24           2.         MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(S).

Cllr Vaughan declared he had a personal interest in the Bomarsund site as he maintained an allotment there and if, as the meeting progressed, there became a prejudicial interest he would withdraw from the meeting.

A03/24           3.         PUBLIC QUESTIONS

There were no non-allotment related questions from the public

A04/24          4.        APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN FOR 2024/25

Cllr J Foster being the sole nominee was appointed to serve as Chair for the council year 2024/25

 A05/24         5.          APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIR FOR 2024/25

Cllr K Burn being the sole nominee was appointed to serve as Vice Chair for the council year 2024/25

.A06/24           6.         TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE 24 APRIL 2024

The meeting agreed the minutes represented a true record of the meeting, authorising they be signed as such by the Chairman and placed in the public domain.

A07/24        7.           MATTERS ARISING

The Parish Clerk updated the meeting on items discussed in the previous Tenants Open Forum A015/23.7:

  1. The exit onto the A1147 has been eased due to the car that obscured traffic moving from the longstanding spot on the junction.
  2. Willows: this had been progressed with a NCC senior cabinet member who had visited the site.
  3. Uncultivated allotments: A regular reporting system had been set up.
  4. Rats: The reported source of the problem had been relocated however the rat infestation continues.

A08/24          8.        PARISH CLERKS REPORT

  1. There are 5 vacant allotments all unable to be let before work is done on them.

7 allotments have been identified as inactive and are being pursued.

  1. Unadopted road to the main gate:

The Parish Council has accepted a quote from NCC highways to sweep and then overlay with tarmac the entrance outside the allotment main gate.

  1. Break ins

No break ins have been reported since the last meeting.

  1. Allotment Fires

Tenants were reminded that it is exceptional to require a garden fire on plots, however if it is required fire days are Wednesday and Saturday, noting the direction of the wind is not blowing over Liddells Field play area or neighbouring houses.

  1. Change of meeting schedule

To fit in with the new payment year tenants will receive their invoice in January and will be asked to make payment on a new meeting date of 29th January 2025.  The April meeting will be cancelled, and the September meeting will remain in the schedule.

A09/24           9.         TENANTS OPEN FORUM

                                    Issued discussed

Uncultivated allotments

Allotments that are uncultivated cause problems for neighbouring allotments.  The Parish Council agreed to chase up more quickly with those identified during inspections, through a new system had been put in operation after the previous meeting.

Clearance of tracks

The main tracks are kept in check by an external workforce, however internal tracks do get overgrown.  In general, that area directly outside each allotment is cleared by tenants themselves in order to access their own plots and ease access along the track for everyone.  One case, the Parish Clerk had been advised of, was a particularly difficult job to clear, and the Parish Council had undertaken to clear it.  The Deputy Parish Clerk had kept the allotment holder informed of the delay, however due to many circumstances this had been prolonged.  Members gave assurances that the work would be completed as soon as possible.

Water taps

It was brought to the attention of the meeting that the stand pipes were unprotected, and there was concern that during the winter they might freeze.  The Deputy Parish Clerk had purchased the materials and had made up the boxes himself, and asked for volunteers who could assist him in attaching them around the taps.

Tenants are requested to contact the office should they have any individual concerns.

There being no further items for discussion the meeting closed at 7.05pm

 

 

Chairman………………………………………………      Date………………………