Topic: hosepipe ban

[superdupa]

Hi,on our site we have recently formed an association and nominated and voted in a committee of twelve plotholders(of which I am vice chair),the local parish council have in the past ran the site and paid for the water bill ,perimeter repairs etc l,they now have given up the running to the new association and are being very helpful with us .They will still pay for any perimeter repairs but will not contribute 100% to the water bill which last year was £2400  between 65 plots,but they have agreed to pay for more taps and to replace the existing pipework.
We as a committee have drawn up and voted on a new set of rules ,one of which is to ban the use of hosepipes to water each plot,although they are allowed to fill butts and baths anyone caught breaking any rules will receive a letter from the committee and any two letters in 6 months will be asked to appear and explain why they should not have there tenancy cancelled ,this is to try and save money and to stop a getting a large water bill,we are on a meter.My question is one plottholder has argued that for us to create this new rule we have to put the  rule to a vote amongst all the plotholders as there has never been a ban on using the hose before
,is he right ? Personally I don't think he is as we as a committee were nominated and voted in to run the site on the parishes behalf.

[Kleftiwallah]

As we on our plot have so few taps, banning hoses gets my vote.  Where do you stand if a plotholder waters his plot for hours on end when someone else merely wants to fill their watering can. 

What about someone having a hose from the tap into their water butt and watering their plot as fast as the water goes in?      Cheers,    Tony.

[Trevor_D]

On our site - private, non-Council - we have a total hosepipe ban. But we have water butts on or near every plot and run extra ones in as necessary. Our water bill for the last twelve months was close on £900, which is the highest ever; but we have just over 100 plots, have just had the driest spring ever recorded and had a couple of smallish water leaks.

If your council is prepared to replace the pipework, run in new taps and make a contribution towards the water bill - in addition to perimeter repairs and no doubt various other things as well - it looks like you're laughing (and they are being very generous). We pay for the lot, do our own repairs, cut the hedge, keep the drainage ditches in repair, see to road & car park re-surfacing, buy & maintain equipment; you name it, we foot the bill. So it's in our interests to keep the water bill as low as possible!

But on the question of whether it should have been put to the members, I'd say yes. You're a new association: you need to take the members with you. Not everyone will agree with everything, but perhaps you should have circulated them with a few major ideas, like this one, and put it to them that you - the new committee - felt they were essential to move the site forward. They may even have come out with some extra ideas you hadn't thought of!

[gp.girl]

Less than £40 per plot then. Even if he's wrong I would call a meeting and get people to vote anyway. Allow 'postal' votes and make both the numbers and the voters known to plot holders only. Give them the choices, ie £40 per year water charge + excess if use goes beyond that, ban and reduced water charge. On my site its troughs and buckets only no hosepipes what so ever and if you want to water a lot be prepared to do a lot of lugging! Personally I would object to paying for other peoples cultivation choices as this makes no more sense to me than making me pay for their pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers ??? something noone would seriously suggest.

[artichoke]

What is everyone's view on syphoning water through a hose pipe? We are not allowed to attach a hose to a tap (sudden council rule after a leak, and we never thought to question it). A syphon does not have the tap's water pressure behind it so the water flows more slowly.

I suppose some might leave a hose running as a syphon for a long time, but I personally move it about constantly, and pull it out when I have finished. I and some other older people couldn't manage if we had to climb the hill up to the dip tank and back down again with a heavy can many times a visit.

[goodlife]

It is the job of the committee to see that the site is run according to the rules..committee can propose recommendation of a new rule to put forward to the members..but it is the members votes that actually decide if the proposed rules become new rules.. ;) It is good to have conversation (=argument  :-X) about these things..if it comes to crunch..you can always say.."it is what members wanted". Treasurer can influence greatly by providing evidence of the availability of the funds..it is other matter if your water bills are affordable. Once you can provide figures what you have and how much things are going to cost per head..many will think the options much harder.. ;) Don't be worried about individual crumbles. Bring it all out in the open..try to avoid 'back door committees' and only deal with it in proper meetings.
That is how it works in our accosiation. Committee only have power withing excisting rules to run the association but not to make them up themselves as and when needed or it is good way to start arguments... ;)

[superdupa]

Thanks for the replies,we done a straw poll about the water situation and majority were in favour of hosepipe ban,the new rules other than the water one were adopted from the old parish ones with a couple of additions ,regarding swapping plots for either larger or smaller which the parish didn't allow.The parish have said if the water bill is not reduced significantly  they will turn it off,but are being very amenable,even giving us a cash donation of £200 too start our bank account with.We have got plot owners who even use a hosepipe to water when its raining ,

[Unwashed]

You can't unilaterallly change the terms of a tenancy agreement.  It's a contract, and that means whatever both sides agreed to when it was signed, that's what they're stuck with.  No reason why you can't ask each tenant if they're happy to accept a change in their agreement, but if they don't want to accept a hosepipe ban then there's no reason why they should - being able to use a hosepipe was part of the deal they agreed to.  You actually need to serve 12 months notice that the current agreement will end and offer the tenant a new contract on new terms.

Like Trevor said, you really need to bring the allotmenteers along with you.  Committees should implement policy, not decide it.

Note also that if the agreement has a clause that allows the committee to make unilateral changes then it's unenforceable.

[BarriedaleNick]

On our self managed plot we can't make a rule without a vote at the AGM unless someone calls for an emergency meeting.  Whatever  happens a majority must vote for a new rule..

[betula]

Our land is owned by a Farmer and we have a contract and what he says is law
LOL  ;D

No committees,not yet anyway but we are not allowed hosepipes although I have seen one person use one,farmer was not about but I must admit I resent people doing that as it will more than likely reflect in a rent increase as water is so expensive.

Yes do involve your plot holders in your decisions,it surely must be the best thing to do.

[Kleftiwallah]

Betula, just as nature abhores a vacuum, some people abhore not being on a committee.  They have plans afoot you'de better believe it and the people who 'volunteer' are those of least usefullness and most officiousness.       Cheers,    Tony.

[betula]

Well off topic slightly but I do know some great people on committees but I have also known some right little Hitlers.

It is the personality of the person that makes the difference.

Some are power hungry,some just want to help as best they can.