Agenda item

To receive the minutes from the meeting held on the 26^th May.

The minutes of the last meeting were circulated and two inaccuracies were noted; The sub-group exploring different management possibilities were asked to further look at options 2 & 4 and Dan hoped to be able to provide details of the management of composting loos. Apart from these, the minutes were passed as an accurate record.

Matters Arising:

1: Dan circulated copies of the management instructions for the Compus Twin Full Access Toilet. The chamber usually took between 2-3 years to fill, after which the pan could be moved across to fill the other chamber. The composted matter had always been intended for use on tenants' plots after it had been left to further break down for a full year. The resulting compost could safely be used on fruit trees and flowers but not it is not meant for use on edible plants and vegetables. This meant that there was free compost for any tenant who wanted to dig out the composted matter, estimated at 1 cu metre. The Parks Department estimated that the cost of emptying the chamber would be £50-£80, more to dispose of the matter.

2: Dan presented some figures for the overall allotment maintenance costs for the year 2015/16 and some discussion followed. David Hayes (Topsham) compared the figures with those given during the original Consultation in 2014. The income now appeared to be about £47,000 and the expenditure about £46,000. He asked if that meant that the crisis had passed. Dan replied that the situation was certainly much better but that the expenditure figures did not include the contribution each department makes towards the running of ECC. He said that  Allotment Maintenance figure included all maintenance including the clearing of very messy plots. Although ECC cannot strim overgrown plots, the clearance of all physical rubbish and unlettable plots would be done asap by ECC.

Sue Chedzoy (Hamelin Lane) said that of the 35+ plots let on their site, none had been cleared by ECC. Indeed new tenants who had cleared a very messy plot and taken the rubbish in their car to the Pinhoe Recycling centre had been refused permission to deposit the rubbish there. Dan said that he would take this up with DCC.

Ron Blakey (Cowick Lane) asked if a skip could again be left on sites, as before. Dan said that this had been open to misuse, with off-site rubbish dumped by tenants. There was, however, a possibility of there being lockable skips, with access policed by Associations on larger site this Autumn.

Simon James (MMAA) asked about the asbestos figure and Dan replied that the biggest clearance had already happened but that there was certain on-going specialist clearance necessary.

Ken Camm (PCR) thought that the water bills were high and wondered whether people were using hosepipes to water. Dan said that, although it is allowed to siphon water via a hose into a water butt, it is against Allotment Rules to water plants direct with a hosepipe. He asked that he be immediately informed of any infringements. He confirmed that there were no leaks on sites. Some sites had no water supply and relied on rainwater capture.