Minutes
of the Abas Meeting 13.07.2015
Minutes
of Last Meeting
The minutes of the meeting of 08.06.2015
having been posted on the Association’s blogsite at http://www.abas2014.blogspot.co.uk
for a period of at least 2 weeks, the Secretary moved that the minutes be
accepted.
There was an objection from Deeley Rd
Allotments Site that an issue raised by them had not been minuted and thus they
believed not raised with Malcolm Russell.
This concerns the overruling of a decision by
the committee to deny permission to a plot-holder to have a pond on his / her
plot. The Society pointed out that the previous Allotments Officer had clearly
stated that ponds were not allowed on health and safety grounds. The
plot-holder had appealed to the Allotments staff and been told that ponds were
acceptable. The Society’s officers felt this undermined their role in terms of
the OMA.
The
Secretary apologised for the omission and stated that he would post this note
on the blog and raise the matter with Mr Russell.
Matters
Arising
How will probationary tenants gain access to
sites during their probation IF the Council continues its policy of not issuing
keys until a signed Tenancy Agreement has been returned to them as probationary
tenants won’t get an agreement until the end of their probation period?
The Council
response is that a common sense solution would be for site societies to issue
keys and to charge the probationer a deposit which covers the cost. The Council
will be prepared to provide societies with a few keys to kick-start the
process. The OMA text is to be altered to say this.
If a society follows Council guidelines and
splits suitable plots as and when they become vacant, who is responsible for
measuring the resulting small plots so that the correct rent can be charged?
The Council
response is that if the plots are halved then so is the rent. If measurements
are needed then the Society should do them, although the Council is prepared to
provide wooden pegs and measuring tapes if asked.
Question of existing tenants moving outside
the Borough boundaries
The Council’s
ruling is that a tenant may keep his/her plot if their new address is within 1
mile of the Borough boundary.
Question about waiving the insurance
requirement for an OMA for small sites who take on limited responsibilities
No response as yet
from the Council – ABAS will raise this
again with Mr Russell
Feedback
on new OMA reporting arrangements
The new system whereby we submit our monthly
reports during the second full week of each month has had its first month of
operation.
Members present were generally favourable
about how things are working out so far in that replies to reports are being
received, with responses on most matters.
Have
any of the concerns expressed by members at the last meeting been addressed in
the meantime?
There was little in the way of a detailed
response from members as yet, we await further feedback.
Membership
Issues
The Committee has suggested three groups /
categories of sites within Bolton
Cat
1 – Current Sites with existing OMA arrangements – the following
sites have OMAs – Dealey Rd, Florence Avenue, Harpers Lane, Moss Lea, Sapling
Rd., Settle Street, Shepherd Cross St., Tonge Fold, Tonge Moor (9 sites / 462
plots) – all sites are members of abas.
The Council report that 3 further sites are in
the OMA process – Lever Park (Horwich), Haslam Park, Rawlyn Rd. – with a
further 99 plots
This would mean that 561 plots are covered by
OMAs out of 959 plots in the Borough. All current and pending OMA sites are
Abas members.
Cat
2 – sites who are abas members but who do not have an OMA
Clammerclough, Smedley Avenue, Cemetery Rd.,
Ainsdale Rd. – this category covers some 115 plots
Since all existing and pending OMA sites are
abas members this means that abas representation covers 676 plots of which 501
are worked by paid-up members of Abas.
This
leaves Cat 3 - some 283 plots unrepresented by abas – abas has
proposed to the Council that they circulate a standard leaflet from abas to all
tenants on sites not covered by abas membership. Malcolm Russell has offered a
trial mail shot to a sub-set of sites.
Membership
Renewal
Renewal of membership to cover 2016 is now
open.
Membership costs 50p
Plot-holders may join as part of their society
or as individuals
Membership renewal forms will be available for
site secretaries and individuals at the end of today’s meeting
Future
Programme
The August (Monday August 10th)
will feature the presentation of the Fairhurst, Greenhalgh, New Tenant, and
Rosebowl Trophies in the Bolton-wide Allotments Competition.
The prizes will be presented by the Mayor of
Bolton (Cllr Carole Swarbrick). The meeting will start at 8.00 p.m. as usual
There will be cake!
The September Meeting will be a normal
business meeting but we will have (we hope) two guest speakers.
Andrea Hallisey Secretary of the North-West
Counties Allotments Association will speak about the wider allotments movement
both regionally and nationally.
We are hoping (particularly after the recent
break-ins) to have a representative of GM Police to speak about site security
The Onion and Leek Show takes place on Sunday September 27th
The day’s programme is
·
Staging 10. 00 ‘til noon
·
Judging 12.00 ’til 2.00 p.m.
·
Doors Open 2.00 p.m.
·
Prize Giving 3.00 p.m.
·
Presentation of Awards 3.30 p.m.
·
Show closes 4.30 p.m.
Trophies to be presented
·
Abas Shield – Class 1 – 4 vegetables
·
Secretary’s Shield – Individual with Most Points in
Show
·
Stan Pickles and NVS Silver Medal – Meritorious
Vegetable – ‘Best in Show’
·
Bolton Allotments Council Challenge Trophy awarded to
the Allotments Site with most points
There
are 14 classes overall – details will be spelled out in the Show Schedule, available
through Terry and Margaret Farrell (0785 394 9570)
October is a normal business meeting
November will be the AGM and Election of
Officers
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Members were informed that the Council
(Corporate Property / Estates) will be undertaking site building inspections
over the summer to clarify the condition and maintenance of “amenity” /
“communal” buildings
There was a discussion about ASBESTOS on
Council Allotments. While some argued that asbestos if properly treated and
unbroken did not pose a hazard, others argued that asbestos is always a H&S
issue.
The Committee agreed to seek the Council’s
view on this matter.
(Subsequent
events suggest that the Council will always regard the presence of asbestos on
a recently vacated / to be re-let plot as an urgent H&S matter and that
Societies should report any such ‘discoveries’ which will then be dealt with by
the Council’s specialist contractors.)
The next meeting will be – AUGUST 10TH 2015 – 8.00 p.m. at
ABCC
