Minutes of the 101st Annual General Meeting of Kettering Allotments Society on 13 March 2019
Present: Present: H Pope, C Hulston, P Mullins, M Ozdemir, I Bickle, T Munt, S Munt, N Elson, R Attwood, G White, J Burn, C Thorley, B Mitcheson, D Johnson, J Weed, R Fisher, G Fisher, G Gilbert, K Gilbert
Apologies: L Farmer
Minutes of the 2018 AGM were accepted as a true record. Motion proposed by T Munt, seconded by B Mitcheson and carried unanimously.
Secretary's report for 2018 was presented. The secretary thanked all the committee members, field stewards and other supporters for all of their continued hard work in 2018.
Treasurer's report was presented, with the audited accounts as well as accompanying summary documents. The treasurer gave explanation of the various expenses and incomes and answered questions from the members present. The main financial issue in 2018 was the increase in water bills, due to the long hot dry spell in the summer. Considerable investment in all four fields had taken place to continue improving our allotments. A motion to accept the accounts was proposed by D Johnson, seconded by J Weed and carried unanimously.
Election of Officers. J Burn has agreed to stand again as treasurer and R Attwood has agreed to stand again as secretary. There were no further nominations. Motion to elect these officers proposed by D Johnson, seconded by B Mitcheson and carried unanimously.
Election of committee members. These retiring members, having served a two year term have all agreed to stand again:- C Wallis, N Elson, T Munt, S Munt, C Hulston, P Mullins, L Farmer. They were all proposed to be elected by J Weed, seconded by D Johnson and carried unanimously.
A motion to continue with our current arrangements with auditors and NSALG membership for legal protection and insurance was carried unanimously.
It was agreed that the 102nd AGM should be held in mid March 2020 as usual.
The following items were raised as discussion points and suggestions to the committee from the membership. They are not part of the formal agenda of the AGM and will be considered by the committee at its next meeting.
Scott Road site of the former garages, near our main gate has now been given planning permission for new council houses. We have been informed by KBC that the job will now be put to tender and the winning contractors will consult us to maintain our access and security during the construction.
Margaret Road – noted that vehicles have been using the grass ridings in winter and have churned up the ridings with mud. A suggestion to install lockable posts will be considered by the committee. Other suggestions welcome. Noted that the committee had already budgeted for stone chips/gravel to be bought to improve Margaret Road ridings but this has yet to be actioned by the field stewards.
Scott Road – the issue of members creating parking bays within their plots was raised. There is no rule against this in the current rule book. If the parking bay is made of slabs rather than grass then any future tenant will have less than the full plot to cultivate. One suggestion would be that a future tenant who wanted to remove the slabs could donate them to be used in the ridings to fill pot holes. This matter will be considered carefully by the committee and any further suggestions are welcome.
Kings Seeds have a discount scheme and one of the Margaret Road members is administering this. Agreed to publicise this, should the member concerned be willing.
The officers and committee thanked all those attending for their support and suggestions and the meeting closed at 8:40pm