Topic: self management help please

[albion]

Our site rep has called a meeting about the possibility of self management for our site. I am a bit concerned as I am not entirely sure of the effects and impact of this or how it should be run.  I would appreciate any views or guidance. Thank you in advance

[tonybloke]

first step is to read this
http://www.nsalg.org.uk/uploads/article459/Notes%20on%20self-management.pdf

then give the nice people at NSALG a 'phone call.

Oh, and welcome to the forum! ;)

[argali]

  hi albion

  you may also want to read A place to grow.  Shows what local councils should be doing and their take on how plots should be managed

 http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/publications/publication-display.do?id=9027596

[albion]

Thanks Tonybloke and Argali very helpful

[Unwashed]

Our site rep has called a meeting about the possibility of self management for our site. I am a bit concerned as I am not entirely sure of the effects and impact of this or how it should be run.  I would appreciate any views or guidance. Thank you in advance

Hello albion, welcome to A4A.

For the allotmenteer who doesn't want to get involved there's little practical difference between council-managed and self-managed as there's a lot of variability in quality and accountability of both.  At one time councils were subsidising their administration so self-managed wasn't necessarily any cheaper though now council's are feeling the pinch their rents are getting silly and self-managed is definitely the way to go to keep the rent down.  But self-managed also offers the allotmenteers the chance to get involved in administering and maintaining their own sites and that can be rewarding.

Running a site isn't much different to running any other sports or social club.  You need someone to keep the books, send out the bills, take payments, and pay bills.  You need a management committee to organise working parties, plan the site maintenance, arrange insurance, and generally keep people invoved in their site.  You also need someone to manage the customer care, arrange lettings, and keep an eye on what's going on.

If you can federate with other sites then there's the potential to pool resources and administration.

Did you have a particular concern?

[Robert_Brenchley]

We've been self-managed for some years; it's no big deal as long as you've got a few willing people. It's a lot easier than running a church, believe me!

[tonybloke]

Where in the UK are you, albion?

are you in the east of England, perchance? ( I may be of more assistance if you are)

[albion]

Thanks everyone. This is only a general enquiry, the meetings tomorrow so I wil report back, incidently Tonybloke unfortunately I am in cheshire but thanks anyway.

[mahonia]

I suggest you read my topic "Unlawful Eviction From My Plot" which does illustrate what can go wrong with self management.

In our association we have a committee which has too much power and it is difficult to remove them.

The council are not interested and so we are stuck with an unhappy allotments.

From my own experience I feel self management has to be taken very seriously and it is critical for success that the chosen management are trained to do the job effectively and lawfully. I feel that the appointed committee must be given very strictly defined powers and they should automatically stand down after 1 year. Also there should be an agreement with the council that if self management fails, they would take the allotments back.

Our allotments were well run but since new management took over 3 years ago it has got steadily worse and has now hit rock bottom.

Regarding rents, our autocratic committee have decided to increase substantially membership fees and rents such that the annual rent would be higher than the council run allotments elsewhere in the town.

It is all about democracy and sadly we do not have that.

So, yes I think self management is a good idea in principle but beware of the pitfalls and don't rush into making the decision. A wrong decision could mean your allotments are spoiled.

[Trevor_D]

I think you've hit the nail on the head there, mahonia. The "appointed committee" should - must - be elected annually by the members.

At our AGM, the entire committee stands down; if anyone wishes to stand again they must be proposed and seconded. (In practice, as very few people actually want to volunteer to do the job, I hand out nomination forms beforehand, simply to save time at the AGM. But - as happened at our last AGM, there can be further nominations on the night.) There is then a vote to elect the proposed members.

And our meeting starts with the Chairman summing up what has happened in the previous year, then with the Treasurer presenting the accounts. And after the election bit is over, the Chairman then says what the committee feels are the priorities for the coming year, then the meeting is thrown open to the floor for further comments or suggestions.

Yes, the committee has got to lead - it's their job; and anyway, they should have a better overall view than the ordinary man-in-the-plot. But we are also the servants of the members and have to take the site in a direction the members actually want to go!

[Unwashed]

I suggest you read my topic "Unlawful Eviction From My Plot" which does illustrate what can go wrong with self management.

Or feel free to read about my experience with Newbury Town Council which illustrates what can go wrong with council-management.  My situation is virtually identical to mahonia's - I've been evicted, council have threated court action, neither councillors nor officers will talk to me, and there's no higher authority to appeal to, and they are completely in the wrong.

You'll get crap, tyranical, oppressive management with either self- or council-management, and you'll equally well find outstanding self- and council-managed sites.  Whichever form of management you have makes no difference whatsoever to how easy it is to deal with tyrants.

[albion]

crikey just got back from the meeting what a turn off I only want to grow a few veg'
Too many personalities and maybe some self interest.
Really put me off the whole allotment thing.
Apparently we already have a commitee they just do not meet!!
Some plotholders are for, some are against, some do not know and some evidently do not care .
Another meeting in a month to decide, might not bother!
If councils want to do away with allotments altogether encouraging self management then watching it implode may be the way.

[gp.girl]

That bad Albion?

Not too bad here, committee ain't power mad (would stand down if anyone else wanted the job), the yobs don't do too much damage, council don't do much but you can't expect miracles and the plots are all taken if not exactly perfect (good thing cos they'd be chasing me).

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've seen both churches and an allotment site degenerate into dictatorships; I've also seen them overthrown. In any situation, democracy depends on people's willingness to get involved, make the powers that be accountable, and take over from them when necessary.

A site committee has to be easier to overthrow than a council!