Committee meeting report
At the Committee Meeting on 11th February, it was reported that all the First Aid kits on site have now been checked, and new items have been ordered as necessary. The Committee agreed to purchase a third green First Aid kit for the top car park, so every first aid point will contain the same resources – a large, green First Aid kit, a small red First Aid kit and a bleed kit. Rona McGill was thanked for seeing to this in her capacity as the Committee member responsible for First Aid kits.
We had quite an encouraging response to the question sent out be email recently asking members if they would be willing to be involved in fundraising, researching and maintaining a defibrillator on site. A few members said they would be willing to be involved, and they have now been contacted with a view to forming a small working party for this purpose.
Trading Post Opening event
Those of you who receive information by email will already have had a poster announcing an event to mark the season’s opening of the Trading Post on Saturday 22nd February at 10.00. Following this, hot drinks and home-made cakes and savoury snacks will be available from the Community Plot, number 37b, until 12.00. And, if the offer of free drinks and home-made snacks was not enough to encourage you to join us, every member who does come along with receive a FREE GIFT! Posters have been displayed around the site as a reminder, so we look forward to seeing you all there!
Rubbish
The area between the two Trading Post containers has become very untidy over the winter. A quantity of plant pots and other items were left on or near the plant swap trolley for members to take if they want them, but they have now been unclaimed for some time. Unfortunately, some newer members have assumed this is where rubbish can be left for disposal by the Committee. If any items left at the plant swap are not claimed after two weeks, please can the member who left them take them away for disposal. Would anyone leaving plants there please make sure they are watered until claimed too.
We also received a message from a member to say that rubbish has been left at the front of their allotment. This is completely unacceptable, and anyone caught leaving rubbish on another member’s plot runs the risk of their tenancy being terminated without notice.
Whilst on the subject of rubbish, we’d like to remind members that it is your responsibility to take rubbish home or to the tip to dispose of it. We are planning to have a skip at the beginning of the season for larger items. Unfortunately for those at the top of the site, it will be located in the bottom car park, as it proved too difficult for the lorry to manoeuvre through the site to collect the one we had in the top car park last year. If you have large or heavy items for disposal and require help to take them to the bottom car park, please email our Secretary, Marie Hanley ([email protected]) or see a Committee member on site and we will arrange assistance.
Metal Collection
Hopefully you will already be aware that Angela Shelton has arranged a metal collection for next month. Please leave metal items in the space between the two Trading Post containers (as neatly stacked as possible) or on the tarpaulin in the top car park. If you have large items or a lot of metal for disposal, these can be collected from nearer your allotment. Please contact Angela ([email protected]) to arrange this. Metal should be left by Monday 3rd March at the latest. NO GAS BOTTLES!
Website – leapoolallotments.uk
Ben Taylor reports that our new website has already had plenty of visits so, if you haven’t done so already, why not take a look. Ben is still keen to receive old photos, maps or stories about Leapool Allotments for the history section of the website. You can send them to him at [email protected]. You can also send comments, suggestions or report any issues you encounter with the website to this email address.
Inspections
Regular site inspections will re-commence next month, and we thought it would be a good idea to remind members of the rules relating to plot management. Inspections will be conducted unannounced, so it is important that, if there is a reason why you are unable to maintain your allotment to a satisfactory standard, you let the Committee know right away. Short term help can be offered to members, for example, during periods of illness or family emergencies but, ultimately, it is the responsibility of members to manage their allotments to the required standard.
During inspections, judgements on plots are made under four headings – cultivation, weeds, the condition of paths, fences and buildings and rubbish. Scores are weighted, with the most points being given for cultivation and weed control.
Cultivation – at least 66% or 2/3 of your allotment must be under cultivation. This can include polytunnels, greenhouses and ponds, but does not include sheds, paved or grassed areas, covered or uncovered storage areas, water butts or compost bins. As the season gets going, areas which have clearly been prepared for planting will also be considered to be under cultivation. Last season, we were concerned about the number of structures on some plots, as the area remaining for cultivation amounted to less than the required 66%. This is something that must be addressed without delay if it applies to your allotment.
Weeds – whilst it is not possible to remove every weed from an allotment, it is important that invasive, perennial weeds are kept under control and that efforts must be made to prevent any weeds going to seed. In addition to this, the Committee will consider invasive plants, such as bamboo or ornamental grasses, to be weeds if they are not kept under control.
Paths, fences and buildings – these must all be maintained in a safe condition so that anyone entering your allotment, either legitimately or otherwise, is not at risk of injury.
Rubbish – please make sure that any rubbish is taken away for disposal or stacked up tidily on your allotment, for example, if you are waiting for a skip to be available on site.
Members whose allotment does not meet the required standard will receive a formal warning, and three such warnings within a four year period may result in the tenancy being terminated.
Policy documents
Copies of our policy documents are now available on our website and paper copies can also be viewed in the First Aid shed, half way up the site. Policies which are currently under review will be added as soon as they have been approved by the Committee. In the meantime, should you wish to refer to one, please contact me and I will arrange for you to access a copy of the existing, unamended policy document.
With best wishes
Sue Ellis
Chair, Leapool Allotments Association