AGM MINUTES May 11th 2008-
Submitted by Karen Sellars, GCAA Chair,
I. Karen thanked everyone who has contributed to the maintenance and upkeep
of our allotments this year. The GCAA Committee has met most months and
dealt with many site issues in the course of the last year. Vote of thanks
given to committee members.
1.1 Minutes of the previous AGM read. Minutes approved unaniomously
II. Officers Reports:
2.1 Treasurer’s Report: (Debby)- approved unanimously. (see below)
2.2 Secretary’s Report: (Tullio)- read by Karen “At present
we have a full allocation of members apart from 2 half size plots, and
Tullio is currently awaiting clearance from the council to allocate these
plots to the next people on the waiting list.
The waiting time for an allotment has risen within the last year from 3
years to around 6 years (this is now starting to lead to cases of queue
jumping). At present there are 70 people on the waiting list. In order
to get the waiting list down, it was decided to only allocate 5 poles (half
size) to new members. This also ensures that more new members will be successful
in working their plots.
Within the last month the site had its first inspection under the new rules
which also include the health and safety aspect. The results of the site
inspection were that 12 NTQ’s were issued. These plots will be re-inspected
in about 4 weeks and will be issued with a termination letter if they are
not improved. In addition, 34 plots have been put on monitor status. Basically
this means that these plots would have received a dirty plot letter in
the past, but this letter has now been abolished. If these plots have not
improved by the next inspection, they will get a NTQ . From now on, If
any member gets 3 NTQ’s, on file and pass every time the fourth NTQ
is a straight TERMINATION, regardless. People on the monitoring list will
be notified by e-mail.
Finally it has been raised by the Allotments Officer that some the paths
around the plots are very dangerous and need improving. The allotments
officer has said that if any plots that do not have a min 18 in path all
around the boundary of their plot, regardless of the condition of the plot,
their plot will be deemed to have failed the site inspection, and be issued
with a NTQ. The site inspections from now on are going to be more severe.
Tullio Moglia
Approved unanimously after some discussion
2.3 Trading Shed Report (Read by Karen)
The trading shed made a profit of £853.06 (including subs) Sean
says we are doing very well at the moment although the year had a slow
start. We’ve got a lot of new stock and we even have some new items
for children. This year, we are keeping closer track of subs payments.
If you have not paid, please do so by May 31st. The shop will be open
after the plant sale and you can pay your subs then and check off your
name. Sean would like you all to check out the shop before buying elsewhere-
because our price are very competitive!
2.4 Show Report: (Karen)
We had more participants last year (46) and made a healthy profit. The
attendance on the day was very good due to the partnership with the NGS.
The new show date is Sunday August 31st. VOTE for APPROVAL?? We would
like to remind everyone that if you have a child that would like to enter
the children’s plot competition, please let the Show Secretary
know by end of July by e-mail or writing. We will be needing bric-a brac,
plants, produce and sweets and savouries and other help on the day. Please
look over the show schedule and join in this year!
2.5 Allotment Forum- Tim
The aim of Haringey Allotments Forum is to create a bridge between allotmenters
and the Council and particularly to act as a pressure group to get better
funding and servicing from Haringey. Most of Haringey sites are represented
on the Forum; the group meets once a month. Tim Hunt is our representative
and has been attending forum meetings.
Funding remains the biggest issue. Despite great plans, the forum has
been disappointed at the results. It does provide us with an idea of
what Haringey is doing, and that is, disappointingly, very little. In
the last year. The GCAA received £1800 for plants for security
and £3050 for the removal of the Portakabin. We also received £6000
for the gates but this was from the Haringey Make the Difference fund.
So we haven’t done too badly, though much of our essential repairs
remain to be done from the site survey of 2 years ago.The forum has helped
to avert a proposed 35% increase in our rents, which was the council’s
solution to raising the money needed to carry out essential works. £300,000
capital expenditure has been allocated next year for Haringey open spaces,
but to quote: ‘it
was awarded on the basis of priority for expenditure given to parks and
public open space’. The allotments were again given a very small
portion of this (£27,000). The other issue is the new Tenancy Agreement.
This has been rumbling on for over a year. Several of us received from
the Council an unapproved version in February, which the Council withdrew.
There have been further negotiations both on the Forum’s subcommittee
and with Haringey. Tim says: “I have to confess that I have not
been successful in getting several Golf Course points across in spite
of numerous representations. The process continues.”
2.6 Chair’s report: Events and Activities of the GCAA from
April 2007-March 31 2008:
During the course of this last gardening year, we have accomplished the
following:
- We have had our new community hut built and furbished and held a Christmas
party there
- Applied for and was awarded a £5800 grant from the Council
to install new gates at the Winton Avenue entrance.
- Supervised the installation of the new gates
- Sent out Newsletters and updated the web site several times
- Written and distributed a new GCAA guide for new plot holders as well
as old members
- Become members of the National Garden Scheme and held an open day
on our Show day for the public to look around our allotments-and for
us to make a tidy profit as well
- Decided to register and monitor carpet
use on the site- Please remember to register your plot with Sean at
the trading shed if your have not already done so.
- Insured the community hut against vandalism, fire theft etc.
- Renewed our membership of the NSALG as well as the RHS
- Sent a representative to the Haringey Allotment Forum and contributed
ideas towards the forming of a new tenancy agreement (As yet to be
introduced)
- Updated names, addresses and e-mails on the data base.
- Created a mail shot for those without e-mails
- Held a Plant Sale and a July Tea party in which we officially opened
the new hut
- Applied for a new grant for new trading shed/storage facilities- a
work in progress
- Raised money for new projects by selling plants, calendars and trading
shed merchandise.
- Held our annual SHOW
- Dealt with site issues as they arose
- Arranged occasional rubbish removal lorries - about four or five
times this year
During the coming year we have the following goals:
- To follow up on our new grant application (Make A Difference)
and build a new storage/trading shed on the site of the derelict one.
MAY 20th Area Meeting 7 pm Alexandra Park School
- Maintain the site
by having work parties specifically to:
a) Finish gates at Winton Avenue entrance
b) Timber treat the new community hut
c) Replanting and securing the site boundaries with extra plants left
over from last year’s efforts
buy or obtain some economical tables for the Show
- Investigate road repairs
with council- try to get them to do something about it
- Investigate green
manure distribution to our site- Brian is doing this- do we want it
?
- Meet with allotment council employees to clear up site issues
- Find
out why we did not get the promised new gates at Bidwell Gardens and
act to get the council to give us new gates there.
- Hold a July Tea
Party-date to be announced
- Organise the Annual Show on August 31st-
our main fund raising
- Follow up collecting subs from as many people as possible.
III. New Business
3.1 Election of new/ officers: All officers and committee members are
requested by the rules to resign at the AGM. New officers elected: Karen
Sellars (chair), Tullio Moglia (Secretary), Sean Lambert (trading shed
manager) June Lambert (assistant trading shed manager), Debby Rossiter
(Treasurer), Karen Sellars ( Show Secretary)
3.11 Nominations for committee members - New nominations: Alwyn Pritchard,
Mick Gerry. Present committee members agreed to stand again. All were
elected again by unanmous vote.
3.13 New committee members are: John Blackwell, John Newman, Gina Christodoulou,
Anna De Guillo, Alwyn Pritchard, Mick Gerry, Veronica R., Brian Rossiter,
Tim Hunt, Linda Doughty
3.15 Auditors- must not be members of the committee- elected Nigel Errinton,
Ann Hunt
4.0 HONORARIA-
A. Proposal to award Sean and Tullio £350 each (Debby) Seconded
and approved by members
5.0 APPROVAL OF LONG TERM PLAN:- (SEE CHAIR’S REPORT) - approved
by members.
AOB: issues arising
1)Discussion of paths and responsibilities of members towards their
paths. Put forward to June’s meeting agenda
2) Discussion of what constitiutes an ‘monitoring situation’ on
plots. What must members do? (Put forward to June agenda)
3) Concern expressed about new tenancy agreement. Members will be notified
and a special meeting called when we have the final tenancy agreement.
( June agenda)
Treasurer’s Report:
GCAA ANNUAL ACCOUNT SUMMARY YEAR END MARCH 2008
31/03/ 07 Balance
£12,442.81
INCOME
Council Grant £1,201.20
Small Grant (Insurance) £ 450
Trading Shed/membership £4,631.60
Fundraising £3,569.64
Cards/Raffle/ Social £ 404.22
Calendar £1,724
Show £1,441.42
Interest £45.40
TOTAL INCOME £22,340.65
EXPENDITURE
Trading Shed £3,778.54
Calendar £1,255
Honoraria £ 700
New Shed /maintenance £12,246.86
Show £ 954.98
Insurance £ 984.65
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £19.920.03
Profit - Exp £2420.62
YEAR END BALANCE:
Current Account £1292.27
Reserve Account £1128.35
TOTAL CARRIED FORWARD £2420.62
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