Allotment committee

[Sue]

Hi
A few weeks ago I was commenting on a new regime at our allotments, two of the oldest members were running (!) the committee and handed over to new people without any discussion.
Well, now we've had a meeting, everything will be up for election after a year so it will be democratic going forward - and I've been asked to join the committee....
Don't know yet what that all involves - we've got a meeting in a months time.
Since the hand over the allotment shop has been springcleaned and much aged and illegal stock is being disposed of. The question of all the machinery owned by the allotment is being looked at and insurance arranged, a skip hired to get rid of allotment rubbish and the allotment greenhouse (ho, ho) is now being opened up to all allotment association members allowing them space in the greenhouse.

For the four years I've been on the site, there's been no organisation so this is all welcome news, perhaps we'll even have a produce show next year!
Sue

[SarzWix]

Sounds good Sue. Our Association is run much the same way at the mo, the committee knows everything but explains nothing! A couple of us are hoping to join the committee next year when some retire, see if we can make things a bit more 'accountable to all'.
Good luck with it all

[zazen999]

That sounds very good indeed.

I asked one of the lottie holders is there was ever a meeting and they grunted 'yes, there was one once'. Indeed, I thought - that's helpful. I think he was referring to the one that they held to increase the rent from £5 to £15 per year, which was earlier this year. I still get them coming over asking if ours was one of the ones rotavated [yes], and their rent was increased to pay for it [oh, was it]. This sticking point will run and run no doubt

[Snadger]

Watch you don't bite off more than you can chew and it doesn't become a case of whip the willing horse!

I took over as Secretary at our AGM (purely because I had a puter, I believe!)

I get the feeling that all minor wrongdoings are hidden from the Sec/Committee and the other members have adopted an us and them mentality, even though we were democratically elected!

I believe I have done a lot for the association including getting a regular supply of woodchippings, manure, logs for woodburning stoves, rat poison where needed, every member now has a gate key etc etc etc but because of the notices I have been asked to pin to the noticeboard by the council with regards to the new tenancy agreement I get the feeling that members think it is my own innitiative.
I just want to go to the allotments to chill out, tend my veg and chooks without the hassle that is sometimes associated with being Secretary.
So much so that I am contemplating chucking it at the next AGM!

[rustylady]

Sounds good, make sure everyone who has a lottie is kept informed of what is going on. Either by a notice board on-site or by letter to home address. Hopefully that way everyone will feel involved and you should have a really good site with plenty of co-operation and maybe even some social activities.

[Sue]

Well, we've got an allotment noticeboard there's just never been anything on it till now.
I need to find out all the ins and outs of council v allotment committee but the council has already informed us that rents will go up next April.
With nothing happening for so long, there has been a lot of grumbling - of which I've been part. We had the v large allotment greenhouse that seemed the private property of one of the committee members. If you asked if you could use it, you were told yes, but were not given a key so if your allotment visits didn't cordinate with said members visits you could watch your seedlings die by looking through the glass....
We have apparently a rotivator, bark chipper and strimmer, news to everyone and very annoying when people have paid to hire these machines in. The shop contents are dreadful and was so old that a number of now illegal chemicals (garden only!) were found. Again the shop will be open on a regular basis and allow members to actually look round and find out what is/will be stocked.
The most important thing to be tackled, I suspect, is to sort out the appalling delay in derelict/unused plots being relet - and I hope that in future effort will be put into helping new members, at the moment there is no link between the council reletting plots and informing the allotment committee so we often don't even know if and to whom plots are let.
I agree with Snadger that going to the allotment is partly to enjoy being outdoors and "in touch with the earth" but I've been so stunned by being given this plot of land, the whole ethos of allotments that I'd love to do something for the system and help in anyway to see the whole allotment area in thriving health.
Sue

[jackie j]

There is a shop on one of the sites where I live and its open wed afternoon and sat and sun mornings, by volenteers from the area not just that site, the more helpers the less often you have to help.