need advice on dealing with plot holder

[Pumpkin Becki]

I've read some strange things on the Vine, but this is probably the strangest...marathon, I think you have to contact Social Services if the police won't/can't do anything. I can't believe someone would take elderly people out in the middle of the night, and abandon them on an allotment in their nightclothes and slippers. As has been already said, I think this is way past the Allotment Committee's remit. If Social Services won't help, maybe Age Concern will. I wish you luck.

[marathon]

well we have someone on look out and not sure it will work but a camera set up in a neighbours bedroom window. Once they appear again a fellow commitee member of equal standing to myself but a big man is going to up there and something along the lines of, fancy seeing you here at this time I'm checking the site is sercure. What keys do you have can I have a look. The explain that it's not fair on the neighbours to be on the plots at X time can I escort you off. He'll try and keepo the keys and explain to the plot holder that before he can return them he has to speak to the commitee.

I'm not sure it will work as i think that the plot holder will react but I guess It might.

[marathon]

padlock and chain going on both gates at 8.30pm letters going out to all plot holders with the jist - due to complaints from neighbouring houses the two site gates at will be locked at 9pm each evening and reopenend at 6.30am each morning this will be until such time that we have investigated and resolved the complaints. I'm sure you will all agree that it is vital we keep our friendly relationship that we have had for many years with the neighbours to our site.

Blah Blah Blah

Once we have the plot holders details the council are to inform social services

[Nicos]

Good luck with things tonight .

[Pumpkin Becki]

Can I echo Nicos' sentiment, and maybe always go in pairs to lock and unlock the new padlock.

[zazen999]

Can I echo Nicos' sentiment, and maybe always go in pairs to lock and unlock the new padlock.

Echo this - apart from there is no maybe about it........definitely need to go in pairs.

Although I am known to be at the lottie until 9:30 at the moment but we don't have locks on ours but we also don't have freaky old folks in nighties.

Good luck. Make sure you take a fully charged phone with 999 plugged in [or is that 112?]

[jacob marley]

Make sure that when you lock up nobody is left on site they will not be very happy good luck....jacob

[marathon]

guys your making me laugh

I've phoned nearly everyone to tell them were're locking the site and i'm going to push some notes through the doors of the ones I can't get hold of whilst my son is at cricket training.

I have also spoken to key commitee members about amending the site rules as from what i can make out they were drawn up over 15years ago so i think the time as come to get them up todate. Myself and another are going to amend them and then get it voted through at the next meeting. Whilst we don't need to enforce them to the letter it will be something to fall back on should we face testing times again (touching wood) As we have for so many years had an easy to manage site I think things have been overlooked. When I spoke to the head of allotments at the council he said we are the easiest site in the city, in terms of problems.

[Keith2202]

Surely it is easier for social services if you don't lock the site so they can find the old folks there, better evidence for prosecution and easier to escort them away safely?

If you lock the site this chap may take them elsewhere, somewhere more dangerous where there aren't neighbours who can see them and offer them help? e.g locked up in a derelict factory

It isn't the rules about being allowed on site in the evening that is the problem here, it is the seemingly abusive behaviour of this man.
As Jacob says if someone goes up there after work without going home to see your note, they won't be very pleased about being locked in, especially if they can't climb the fence and have medical issues of their own!
I was up at mine until 2205 last night.

Good luck anyway, I hope you get help for these poor folk.

Keith

[chriscross1966]

This is going to look brilliant in the Daily Mail ....... or the Express.... or the Mirror..... the red tops would have a field day with this if it came up on a light news day (and we're just hitting silly season any minute now......)..... There'd be calls to revise the allotments act (can you imagine the uproar if Gordons HSE fiends tried to say "no over70's on an allotment".... half the lotties in Britain would be unlet..... it would take care of the waiting lists though

[rustylady]

Can't wait for the next instalment (not being flippant, honest). I still think you should alert Social Services Marathon - why wait for the council to do it (or not). You can make an anonymous call - they have to investigate.

[Snadger]

Marathon (this appears to be turning into one!) as allotment Secretary you should have been given a list of names and addresses/phone numbers of plot holders from the previous Secretary. It's not the Chairmans duty to collect these it's yours.
Yours is a comparatively small site so these should be quite easy to ascertain.
I would make it a priority to get these details so that things of this nature in the future can be solved with a simple phone call!

The allotment Secretaries job is a thankless task.........you have my sympathies!

[marathon]

Marathon (this appears to be turning into one!) as allotment Secretary you should have been given a list of names and addresses/phone numbers of plot holders from the previous Secretary. It's not the Chairmans duty to collect these it's yours.
Yours is a comparatively small site so these should be quite easy to ascertain.
I would make it a priority to get these details so that things of this nature in the future can be solved with a simple phone call!

The allotment Secretaries job is a thankless task.........you have my sympathies!

I've been going through the old box that the last sec passed onto me there doesn't appear to be anything that a plot signs as in to agree to the site rules ect. Do most sites not have a form whereby people fill in their details to apply for the plot. Like I have mentioned before it's an easy site to run, well so far and because of that I think commitee members have been slack in keeping the correct records. To apply for a council plot you seem to have to fill in a form is this to go on a list or only when you take on a plot?

[marathon]

NOw spoken to socail services and the police again. Police very unhelpful but social services were extreamly helpful. So we now have some advice from S/S and some info that we need to try obtain. I also feel much happier that someone in authority agrees that it doesn't all stack up and therefore warrants some action.

Nothing happened last night, the rain was very heavy for most of the evening and during the night.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Thank goodness he didn't have them digging in their nighties in the rain!! And I'm very relieved Social Services are now involved. If this guy works at a rest home, he needs to be struck off.