The BHAS Allotment Society AGM was held on Saturday 29th June 2019 at midday at the Hertford Avenue site by the Trading Shed. Please find below the following documents, which can be downloaded by clicking in the links:

  • Agenda: .odt / PDF
  • Full report including Minutes, Chairperson’s report and Treasurer’s report: .docx / PDF

 

BARNES HORTICULTURAL AND ALLOTMENT SOCIETY

AGM MINUTES

Saturday 29thJune 2019 – Communal Garden at Hertford Avenue

Present:

John Padgett Diane McLellan Keith Norton
Desmond Millen Rachel Walker Frances Burbeck
Maureen Millen Pam Islip Helen Lawrence
Derek Lawrence-Brown John Edgar  
Alex Clarke Deborah Genders  
Sophie Kennedy David Foster  
Hans Weisskopf Tally Foster  
Ronnie Bendall Penny Cowell  
Richard Ward Michael French  
David Abel M Vidor  
Sheena Clark Emily Jacob  
Isobel Kimber Marietta Scott  
Percy Kimber Halina Kessler  
Jenny Jefferies Mark Gourlay  
Fiona Heath Alastair Kennedy  

 

  • Welcome and apologies for absence

John Padgett (Chair) welcomed everybody.

Apologies received from: Janet Bostock, David Clark, Sarah Willard, Dino Franz, Nadia Mackenzie, Mary Enache

 Minutes of the AGM 16thJune 2018

There was one amendment – Aileen Izett resigned, not retired as was minuted.

The amendment was accepted. It was proposed (Pam Islip) and seconded (Derek    Lawrence-Brown (DLB) that the minutes of the last meeting be accepted as a true and correct record.

  • Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

  • Reports

John Padgett (JP) read the Chair’s Report(attached)– amendment for Chair’s

Report; Deborah Genders was also thanked for her work compiling the shed volunteer rota

Sophie Kennedy (SK) readthe Treasurer’s Report (attached). There were no questions regarding the accounts. No suggestions were made regarding charitable donations.

  • Appointment of Committee

The post of Allotment Secretary is vacant. No candidates came forward at the meeting. Please contact JP if you would like to know more about this role.

Paul Edelin wrote announcing his retirement. No candidates came forward at the meeting and as a result the post of Site Rep for Palewell Park site is vacant.

All other committee members were willing to stand for re-election. It was proposed by Alex Clarke (AC) and seconded by John Hynd (JH) that there be a block vote for the Committee posts. The vote was almost unanimous with one abstention.

  • AOB

AC is a plot holder on Palewell Park. When the mulch gets delivered to the Hertford Site, there is never any left by the time she gets here, even if she is told it has just been delivered. Some plot holders take more than a fair share. JP explained it comes in small quantities on an ad hoc basis from Richmond Park, so we never know when it will arrive. In future, we will endeavour to find out and send a communication to everyone. It was suggested we introduce a limit of one barrow load per plot holder.

JH had a question about the bonfire ban. He noted that we have to accept this but wanted information on disposing of diseased plant matter. It has always been recommended that diseased plant matter is burnt. Will LBRUT arrange to have a collection for the diseased plant material?  JP responded that this is a live topic at the moment. All the allotment sites in the Borough sent reps to the Borough of Richmond Allotment Group (BRAG). JP & DLB are members of BRAG and will feed this back, along with the results from the Bonfire impact survey conducted at the end of May. Invasive weeds can be immersed in a bucket of water, where they will decompose after a few weeks, or hot composted in a reused compost bag.  Penny Cowell commented that bonfires were still allowed in private gardens – JP said that was the case. DLB said the ban was challenged at the last BRAG meeting but the Council representative was clear that the decision had been made and as we are tenants on Council property they had the power to do this and are enforcing it. Michael French (MF) commented that it is possible to take your waste material home from the allotment and then it’s collected by the Council if you have a green waste bin. Tally Foster (TF) asked if it was possible for us to have a green waste bin on site. Sophie Kennedy (SK) said payment will be required for a green waste bin and the residential scheme is quite separate to a commercial scheme. JP added that as a starting point, anything brought onto or grown on the plot that is not put back into the soil, is the responsibility of the plot holder and that everyone is expected to take their own material home. Other sites have tried communal green bins and communal composting and regrettably they get abused.  SK noted bonfires happen on bonfire night on Council ground, surely if we had one bonfire a year then the pollution can’t be argued about. JH stated that in the past when this had happened the fire brigade have been called out. JP said that strictly speaking allotment rules state that we shouldn’t be on site after dark.  He added that plot holders will be kept in the loop regarding the ongoing consultation on the impacts of the bonfire ban.

JH – Fox Problem. Recently someone was bitten on the hand by a fox, crops have been ruined and there have been discussions about the issue over the years. JH asked if people could be discouraged from feeding foxes. JP agreed, and stated that LBRUT would not trap, remove or kill foxes as they were territorial and others would soon move in to replace them. Foxes can cause damage and mess; however, they naturally predate pigeons, mice and rats which is helpful to gardeners but plot holders should not place additional food down for them.

Keith Norton (KN) told the meeting that he has a plot on Priory and that he had been quite unwell over the past year and was surprised to still have the plot. He gave his thanks to JP, DLB and Mark Gourlay who have been supportive. KN has suggested to MIND that the Society be recommended for a Respect and Recognition Award for the way he has been looked after. This was his way of thanking the Society. KN was warmly welcomed back by the gathered company.

JP closed the meeting at 12:50 by inviting everyone to enjoy the refreshments available.