My lottie mate doris has just joined our commitee (we're self managed).Despite there being standard letters about unworked plots they don't seem to follow through with some sort of action resulting in a few plots hardly worked.How to other sites deal with this problem?Given the high demand for plots we think these plots should be re let. >:(
That comes down to what is in your rules IE 75% of the plot MUST be cultivated or all plots must be cultivated to a high standard.
Every year when paying the rent you receive a copy of the rules and you must sign to say you have received and will abide by them.
Any new plot holders are given one years probation if the plots are not up to standard they are off.
Thanks Davyw1 We have rules it just seems they are not enforced.Two plots haven't grown a single thing for two years,grass and weeds are almost waist high.They get a letter -dig a square metre-disappear ::) ::).The commitee seems reluctant to follow through. ???
We have three unworked plots on our allotments but last weekend for the first time I saw one of the plot holders having a go, I'm just wondering if the council have started to crack the whip, :)
On our site we contact them via phone first to see why the plot is uncultivated or in disarray. The council may take photos of these plots prior to sending a written warning stating the plotholder has 28 days to rectify the problems. After such time, if there is no progress they are given 28 days notice to remove all belongings then the plot is reallocated.
I sympathise with you Mac Mac. I have had my plot since January and almost every inch has been dug over and is planted. We have several plots on our site that for what ever reason, have been left to go wild. Some have absolutely nothing growing on them and the tenant has not been seen in over a year. Our site manager is aware of the situation but all he as to say is that he is keeping his eye on it. Several of us have said we would like extra plots and are willing to clear the overgrown ones. These people have not paid their fees-due 1st April- so we feel he has room to reclaim the unworked plots. No such luck. Until a few weeks ago there was no committee- just the site manager and his wife. Out of nowhere, we all received a newsletter informing us of new committee members. I thought that as association members we would all be given the chance to propose and second committee members but it seems have have been done without any consultation of the rest of the plot owners ( one person was put on the committee without his knowledge). These sort of situations are so frustrating especially as we have no idea of how to try and make the site manager take control of the situation. The manager says that the Council are clamping down on unworked plots and as we have offered a way to improve the site, we thought he would have snapped up the offer. Suppose we shall have to be patient and see if the Council do intervene, especially with the unpaid fee plots.
Who's appointed the committee, then, and on what basis were they picked? I'd be up in arms if anyone tried that on my site!
Quite honestly Robert we do not know. :-[ Have tried to ask the site manager but he said that although there was a 'gathering' of several plotholder- mainly the new committee- there was not a meeting called :-\. Am I right in thinking that if there is any meting on a site then all plotholders should be made aware of the time and date in order that they might attend? I have emailed the Council to ask if they know when our AGM is due but I have been referred back to the site manager and his wife. When I asked him he said they had been trying to organise one for several months but the treasurer was too busy with his job. As they are volunteers it is hard to be insistant. I think we are not too popular as we keep on about the overgrown plots and that we would clear one asap.
Reading all these postings it seems our problem is one shared by many >:(Unless you live in beautiful yorkshire (i'm nostalgic i was born there :) lucky you ktlawson)
It seems the rules are there, the procedures are there, but the will to follow them through is not >:(
Iknow the commitee are volunteers and perhaps they don't like confrontation but they could always appoint a "firing squad" erm sorry should have said evicton squad.I'd be happy to do it >:(
We now have this under controll.
Firstly, we contact the plot holder, by phone, letter or email to say that we have not seen them for some time and ask if there is a problem.
At one time the person who was composing the letters wrote a nasty one drawing attention to rule number (whatever) and gave them 28 days to put the plot in order.
Usually these were ignored but often we got replies. Like:-
'My child has been in intensive care for a month. What sort of people are you that think an allotment is more important than my child.'
The friendly approach always gets a response. Usually we can resolve the matter at that point because by listening to them we can advise them with what ever problems they have, even offer help. Even if it is, "If you do not have time, perhaps having an allotment is not for you"
But we do get arguments:-
Other plots are worse than mine was most common at first.
Answer:- You are not the only plotholder who has been contacted.
Argue..What have they said?
Answer:- Other plotholders problems, like yours are treated in confidence.
If they do nothing within a week after the friendly contact a letter giving them 28 days to attend to the plot is sent.
We rarely get it going further but if so,we then send a letter by registered post to tell them that we are terminating their tenancy and we state that they have 14 days to remove personal belongings or we will do so and they will be responsible for any cost.
We also give first time plot holders the first year on 'probation' we tell them that if they do not meet our standards then we will not renew the following year. We do contact them though as mentioned to check if there are problems. Then send an official letter.
It is important to get things through the next AGM to put into the rules certain specifications..
Example.
The plot shall be kept manured and in a good state of cultivation, weeds must be kept under control so that runners and seeds do not invade other plots.
The plot holder shall be responsible for the removal from the allotment at the termination of their agreement any goods or buildings whether or not subject to hire purchase or rental agreements.
Any item left on the allotment 14 days after the tenancy has terminated will be disposed of in a manner the Association's committee thinks fit and the costs of such disposal will be recovered from the allotment holder.
We charge every one £20 as a refundable deposit and tell them that they have to apply for it to be refunded when they terminate their agreement. Any costs like weed killer needed to clear the site to make it acceptable to the next plot holder is deducted from that deposit. It is made clear when they sign up.
We put the £20 from every one on deposit and we get the interest. It is all agreed at the AGM. So there is no argument.
Once some one left and we did not know where they had gone ( we knew they had retired to Spain but they did not give us an address) so we could not refund them, That meant we had £20 we could not spend nor refund. Realising that this could happen again and we could end up with money we could neither spend nor refund we had it written into the rules that plot holders have to reclaim their deposit within six months or it will be considered a donation to the association. Since then there have been several people who have not renewed' just ignored the renewal letter and the reminder. Their plots have been re-let and the association has gratefully accepted their donation of the unclaimed deposit.
You need a strong secretary to do the follow up procedures and it does take time. Firstly, with the deposit some existing plot holders were difficult to get the £20 deposit from but because we got it into the rules at the AGM that if they did not pay it then we would return their rent and re-let their plots. They all paid up and have been quick to tell us when they feel that another plot holder is not looking after their plot.
In time we have got a site with decent plots. Mostly there are just problems with new members now. People simply do not realise the work an allotment needs nor how time consuming they are. In the year of their rental a neglected allotment can cause misery to others and it becomes embarrassing when there are 70+ people on a waiting list, visiting the site asking if this or that plot is being used.
We have halved large plots and let these out to newbies. Often people who would have failed with a large one find these manageable. Just as often half the plot is worked well, the other half is still too much for the other newbie and we let the good one have first option of taking the full plot. Yes we do occasionally get two halves working well but then we give them both a choice of taking on a full plot when one is available. More often, we get both halves not to our (now high) standards and have to terminate both in the first year.
Another thing we do is have a 'Best plot' competition and get a local dignitary (your local mayor will do it free if you book them soon enough) to judge the plots.
We spent just give a certificate and a plaque which the plot holder keeps for a year and has to have their own name engraved on it.
To start with we had several categories.
Best New Allotment holder (We had 15 new plot holders that year)
Best Couple's Allotment
Best Family Allotment
Best Established Allotment
Best Garden (that is a plot which people use as a garden) we have several of these where a patch of lawn is used for barbies and the plot holder has flowers and vegetables.) These people have terraced houses or flats without a garden and can utilise the allotment because they can not afford to move to the sort of house which could provide them with the sort of garden they want to enjoy.
We have introduced other ideas like which children could get involved with like
The best scarecrow
We also ask every one who has a plot to get to the 'prize day' when the local dignitary calls to supply us with samples of products made from the allotment.
Prizes 'Certificates' can be awarded for
Best Jam
Best Wine
Best cake made from part of the produce (carrot cake, Beetroot muffins, courgette cake, strawberry trifle)
It introduced a community spirit and at the end of the event a bar-by can be started up. It only needs, hot dogs, sausages, burgers and something veggie for non meat eaters.
Again, you need some one prepared to ask every one on site. Person to person is the best way. People like to be asked.
There are several allotment holders who adore having the allotment as an escape and do not want to mix much. Often these people are keen to have what they do judged and you get the impression that they want recognition for what they do. One afternoon a year, they seem to be happy to be there and be judged.
If there is some one on your site with the sort of organisational skills needed it certainly helps.
Hope that gives you some ideas you can use to fit your own circumstances.
Don't give up. Most just want to get there and be left alone to grow. But they also want to be best but you need to use the fact that no one wants to be the worst.
very impressive Purpleheather.
I went down to the site yesterday and some of my great neighbours have strimmed 3 of the empty half plots. Hopefully this will make a big difference to people looking to take on a plot (and give me incentive to tidy mine up more / reduce the seeds blown onto mine).
Becky
The tenancy agreement has to say specifically what level of cultivation is required, and how falling below that level will be a breach of the agreement that could end the tenancy.
It needs to say it in plain English too.
The landlord will need to serve a notice under Section 146 Law of Property 1925 which must say exactly what condition of the agreement is being broken. The notice must give the tenant reasonable time to the put the matter right.
The Landlord will need to serve the notice fairly promptly, because if the tenant can show that the council has previously not been bothered about a breach of the rule then the council can lose its right to enforce it.
Mostly the tenant will leave without much fuss if they've had the warning letters and not done enough to fend off the eviction notice, but if the tenant refuses to go the landlord needs to apply to the county court for a possession order. The tenant gets a chance to tell the judge how evicting her would not be legal or equitable, and if the landlord doesn't have the clear right under the tenancy agreement, or if it failed to follow due process, or if the landlord has behaved unfairly or unreasonably then the judge will refuse to issue the order.
If the landlord tries to evict the tenant by moving their gear that's likely criminal damage and possibly conspiracy to trespass, and if the landlord tries to grab their site key or bar their entry to site that's likely assault. Writing another letter after the final notice of eviction is likely to be harassment. Eviction itself is a civil matter and the police have no interest in that, but criminal damage, conspiracy to trespass, assault and harassment are all criminal offences.
Blimey unwashed and there was me thinking we were just growing veg :o :o :o
Quote from: macmac on June 05, 2009, 19:32:25
Blimey unwashed and there was me thinking we were just growing veg :o :o :o
;D
Excellent reply PurpleHeather - I've saved it for future reference.
Quote from: macmac on June 05, 2009, 19:32:25
Blimey unwashed and there was me thinking we were just growing veg :o :o :o
Isn't this a thread about evicting tenants?
Allotment tenancies are governed by the various Allotment Acts rather than the 1925 Law of Property. This has been established in law in numerous cases. As regards clarity regarding what is deemed cultivation, case law applies which has set the level at 51%. Citing the various elements of the law with which Councils have to comply with commercial or domicilary tenancies is irrelevant to allotments as they have their own Acts. The only other consideration is natural justice.
That is why it is important to ensure adequate safeguards against arbitrary eviction are in the tenancy agreement.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=31724.0
Quote from: djbrenton on June 06, 2009, 08:27:22
Allotment tenancies are governed by the various Allotment Acts rather than the 1925 Law of Property. This has been established in law in numerous cases. As regards clarity regarding what is deemed cultivation, case law applies which has set the level at 51%. Citing the various elements of the law with which Councils have to comply with commercial or domicilary tenancies is irrelevant to allotments as they have their own Acts. The only other consideration is natural justice.
That is why it is important to ensure adequate safeguards against arbitrary eviction are in the tenancy agreement.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=31724.0
S.146 Law of Property 1925 (http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Legislation&title=Law+of+Property&Year=1925&searchEnacted=0&extentMatchOnly=0&confersPower=0&blanketAmendment=0&sortAlpha=0&TYPE=QS&PageNumber=1&NavFrom=0&parentActiveTextDocId=432552&ActiveTextDocId=432712&filesize=19760) applies to the forfeiture of any lease, and that includes an allotment tenancy - see
The Law of Allotments 5th edition by Paul Clayden, p54 Power of re-entry. Can you cite a case that refutes that?
Note that the Allotments Acts don't necessarily apply to all council allotments sites, only sites that were acquired by the council specifically for allotments, and not to sites established on land that the council already owned.
The thread (http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,31724.0.html) you reference is discussing termination, not forfeiture, and they're not the same thing. It's an uncomfortable truth that, providing the tenancy agreement was drafted competantly, the landlord always has the right to terminate the tenancy, subject to notice, without any reason - though you might well challenge their decision on public law grounds.
Are you saying that there is a case that establishes that 51% of an allotment should be cultivated? Can you cite it?
what purpleheather said......
we do this too, generally known as RUE on our site:
Reminder
Ultimatum
Eviction
Sometimes you do get excuses, but there comes a time when enough is enough.
As we are a smallish site (47 plots) and have now got all of them being worked the system self polices. All newbies are advised of the "use it or lose it" policy when they take on the plot.
I think you'll find that you can call and Extraordinary General Meeting if you're unhappy with the committee and force a change, but you may have to be prepared to stand yourself. Can you spare an hour or so a week?
As I type an Allotment association is being established on our site after being dormant for several years because of the lack of interest, but because of the resurgence in growing your own and new people coming in to take on the allotments we hope to have lift off we have the support of our local council and we have already had a site meeting this morning with those that are already interested, the council have taken a note of allotments not being worked so that is a start because we do have a waiting list, I have suggested that we notify all the allotment holders of a meeting to form a committee so it is in their interest to attend, :)
Hurray at this weeks commitee meeting my mate Doris rallied the troups and result the two worst plots are being re-let.When I started this thread I didn't think it would happen, some of the information posted here was very helpful so thanks all :)
Unwashed I LOVE your posts ;D
They bring back memories from my younger days when I took contract law for 2 years (before deciding to switch degrees and become a nurse)
Mr Smith it will be interesting to know how you started to get a commitee together and what rules you are planning to put into place as Lake Terrace doesnt have any sort of ruling body, apart from the council of course.
Ishard,
One of the new allotment holders suggested about setting up an association and a committee consequently it turns out that there is a 'Crescent allotment association' set up many years ago, I was talking to one of the founder members of the association and it turns out it was never implemented to do anything because of lack of interest but now that we have an influx of new allotment holders it is now going ahead because of interest so we will have to wait and see, I should imagine that it will be something on the lines of 'Victory street', :)
P.S. You do have a committee at Lake Terrace 'The gang of four' ;D ;D
rotflmao And they are exactly why Im interested in setting up a committee, with any luck to exclude them from it.
Theres more of us newbies! ;)
Quote from: macmac on June 20, 2009, 13:07:53
Hurray at this weeks commitee meeting my mate Doris rallied the troups and result the two worst plots are being re-let.When I started this thread I didn't think it would happen, some of the information posted here was very helpful so thanks all :)
well done to you and your mate Doris that's a real result! ;D
1066
Hello everyone,
This is the site manager's wife here.
I feel I should explain that initially we went to the site to take over a plot and offered to help out with anything, I offered to help the "then Secretary" and we both offered to help in the trading hut.
The next thing we knew (two weeks later) was that I had taken over the Secretary's job full time and we were put in charge of the trading hut.
Never having done this before, we had to learn as we went along.
We cleaned and repainted the inside of the trading hut and put up new shelving, as it was filthy in there and full of spiders, got new stock in and trade started to pick up, most of the plot-holders stated that they hadn't used the hut for years because it was so manky.
John then strimmed down a lot of plots (on his own) that had not been touched for years and let them off and gradually managed to get things moving, he got at least fifteen unused plots back into circulation.
We also have another site about half a mile away that is also part of our site, so there is all that to deal with also.
There was not a proper record of "up to date" plot-holders so we had to walk about each site with a map for quite a few weeks, asking people what plot they had and what their names were.
So, although it has been said that all the hut manager says is "he is keeping his eye on it" that statement intimates that he isn't bothered about it, in fact, quite the reverse is true, but we have other voluntary commitments and we are not going to "jump" when someone clicks their fingers.
Patience is a virtue and once everything has been "got on top of" then it can be kept at a manageable level, including sending out letters to people who have not cultivated their plots.
We know how hard we have worked to come this far and the plot-holders who were there before us know it.
May I also state that although he doesn't look it, John is 77 years old, so I think he's done extremely well.
I am 51 years old and I couldn't have done as much as he has.
The poster is a relatively new plotholder, if she had asked some of the original plot-holders about us, they would have told her that since we took over, the site and the trading hut has vastly improved, even the allotments officer has said that the site is looking the best that it has in years, although in our opinion we are by no means there yet.
We will be effecting more changes because the new Committee is part of our newly formed working party and a lot of the newer plot holders are more than willing to help us cut back all the overgrown trees and brambles to get more plots back into cultivation.
However, she didn't ask, she just assumed and that has now given the whole allotment world the impression that we are just not bothered with our site, well I can now tell the whole world that we are bothered with the site and I think we have done well so far.
Regarding Committee members, I send out newsletters two or three times a year and in one of these I asked for volunteers for the Committee.
That is how they came to be on it and the person that "didn't know" they were on the Committee, happened to appear at the meeting we had in the Trading Hut, so we automatically assumed that he had volunteered for it.
Finally, if anyone has a problem on our sites, I wish they would come and tell us face to face, rather than behind our backs on an allotment forum.
Welcome to A4A Radar Ears (indeed!) I think in the interest of fairness, you should make it clear that you aren't referring to the OP - at least I think you aren't but maybe I'm wrong?
Radar ears comments appear to be directed towards the posts made by Jeanbean.
Which somewhat confuses me to be honest.
I think in general the Secretary?? Site managers wife's post is rather contenscious. ( Never have liked husband and wife teams tbh)
Clearly herself and her husband, the site manager have made a difference to what was the situation at the allotment site before. Hat's off and well deserved thanks I am sure from your plot holders. It clearly isn't enough it seems.
However well meaning and hard working there isn't really an excus for not doing things the right way. "Due Process" I beleive Unwashed might call it. Electing a committee is a brave and realistic way forward but it does sound that there were "shortcuts" to get a committee elected. That in itself is going to lead to problems as the authority and judgement of that committee is forever going to be in question if their actual "election" was not done in a manner that would be approved off by the majority of the plot holders, and indeed the council.
I also think it's very unprofessional for any secretary to a committee to post on a forum countering a complaint about the work her and her spouse has done or not done with trumpet blowing, excuses about other things and then saying the person should have said something to them personally when she clearly states she did but was totally disatisfied with the replies given. Especially as Jeanbeans post was not derogatory or personal. The post itself was indeed a personal voice of disatisfaction about vacant plots and a possibly undemocratic way the committee was elected. Very valid thread topic discussion points.
I think the ball is firmly in the site managers side of the court to get things done properly regarding the committee, to improve communication with the plot tenants and to obviously move the site forward either by doing what is needed himself as soon as possible or delegating "properly" to someone else who might have the time and skills base needed to get it done.
Sorry but if you have been elected, or volunteered or have been paid to do something then you should get it done, whatever "it" may be, without any excuse, or step aside and let someone else do it.
Quote from: BrianK on June 28, 2009, 18:47:39
Sorry but if you have been elected, or volunteered or have been paid to do something then you should get it done, whatever "it" may be, without any excuse, or step aside and let someone else do it.
Yep, there are always hordes of people in the wings waiting for the chance to join the committe and do some work. :D
djbrenton - surely you understate the numbers of people waiting in the wings ready to do their bit for the greater good?
What comes after hordes I wonder? ::)
I think that you get out of life only what u put in.
I have been lucky enough to get 3 plots, that were 100% unworked - 15ft brambles and heaps of rubbish acclimated over 10years. certainly a problem created long before today's site manager and probably before the last one to.
But the politics are a waste of weeding time!!
We (hubbie and I) are fast approaching our 1st anniversary as novice plot holders, and thanks to all the help and advise we have received from the many new friends that we have made, and the support and encourage from the site manager and his wife.....We are champions....!!!We are so proud to have won Best new plot in our borough 2009 :)
We are delighted, not just for ourselves, but for everyone on our site that has worked there socks off weeding planting and planning our plots and the communal areas around us.
unworked plots can be a pain, but only if you just moan about them. Action speaks louder than words, to make that a reality join the working parties.......A lot of action = a lot of new friends a lot of fun and no unworked plots.....I say put your fork where your tongue is ;D
Congrats. Sounds well deserved too.
Sadly there is a waiting list on our site. And only one plot per person. RULE! lol
I agree with you that action speaks louder than words and I think complacent allotment "politicians" are always the loudest to moan and complain when someone finally gets the courage,( or arrives new to the scene ) and starts making waves for change.
It's my experience that there is always someone waiting in the wings. Sadly some wait there all their lives though. Either because they don't get the chance, for whatever reason, or they are scared to take the chance for lots of reasons including confidence, and not the least because they don't know the right way to step out from the wings to get into the limelight... to be elected to a committee in other words.
People with real skill and talent to do things often need help to get to where they need to be.
Most frontline politicians don't get there by their own will. They get there from the dedication of temas of people that support them, help them, encourage them, and in a lot of cases, lead them to where they need to be.
Quote from: radar ears on June 28, 2009, 17:55:37There was not a proper record of "up to date" plot-holders so we had to walk about each site with a map for quite a few weeks, asking people what plot they had and what their names were.
Did your tenants sign tenancy agreements, and do you still have the copies? If they didn't, or you don't, then you'll have difficulty evicting them if they don't want to go - though they probably won't know that.
No, I'm talking in general terms of anyone wanting to say something, say it to us.
I'm just stating that we are not just sitting back and doing nothing, the previous people who site managed let things slip and we have tried our hardest to get things in a semblance of order, that's all.
Welcome to A4A radar and VegR... :)
Quote from: djbrenton on June 28, 2009, 18:56:21
Yep, there are always hordes of people in the wings waiting for the chance to join the committee and do some work. :D
Not on our site. 8) 8) Every year at our AGM we vote for the committee. The meeting is on our notice board outside the shop for a month beforehand. The only people who ever turn up at the meeting are the committee members. We also have a monthly committee meeting that is an open forum but again it is only the committee present. Not everybody wants to put themselves forward but overall we are fortunate to have a good bunch of plotholders on our site. There is the odd occasional whinge but nothing major.
Quote from: Unwashed on June 28, 2009, 20:50:43
Quote from: radar ears on June 28, 2009, 17:55:37There was not a proper record of "up to date" plot-holders so we had to walk about each site with a map for quite a few weeks, asking people what plot they had and what their names were.
Did your tenants sign tenancy agreements, and do you still have the copies? If they didn't, or you don't, then you'll have difficulty evicting them if they don't want to go - though they probably won't know that.
Hi,
There was a few bits and pieces, that's all.
From walking around and asking people, we got the two lists (one for each site) together of "who was who" on what plot.
I asked the Council for a list of the plot holders that they held, so I could make sure that they (and we) had all the tenancy agreements for every plot-holder.
They gave me the list, it had a total of fifteen (yes, fifteen!) names on it, five of those had given up their plots years' previously, four
of them had died and the last six were working the plots.
Lord knows what the Council did with all the tenancy agreements that were given to them in-between by the previous person who dealt with it.
Also, when I took over from the then Secretary I asked her whose plot "number 43" was and she waved her hand in the direction of the nearby road and said "I've let it to a gentleman from Zimbabwe, I don't know his name, but he lives over there somewhere".
So, John and I had to try and see if we could find out who it was, one night we were driving down a particular road nearby and we saw a group of people (who we assumed were from Zimbabwe) talking outside a house and we just stopped and asked them if anyone had just got an allotment plot and one of the gentleman replied that it was him, so we got him to sign a tenancy agreement and that problem was sorted.
Now can you see what we were up against ?
So it's not a case of "trumpet blowing" or "excuses" it was outlining the REASONS why things took longer than they should have.
All the other plot-holders who had been on the site for years did not worry too much about the overgrown plots once they knew that we were trying to get things into some sort of order, the majority agreed that everything would take time to sort out, especially when we had been chucked in at the deep end.
Before we started running the hut, the people who were running it previously, just used to put money in the drawer, they NEVER wrote down what people bought, so how could they keep track of what people had purchased and what stock they had in etc. etc.
We started writing everything in it with a tally for the trading day and also a running total, so we can see at a glance what money we have in hand to get fresh stock.
We are a society site, it has been a society site for donkey's years, it has always had a Committee, but only one or two people were left on it, so when people volunteer you do not turn them down.
At the AGM there are only about twelve people who turn up and most of them are Committee people.
That is why I decided to join and post, because it does hurt when something is stated and others read it without knowing the full facts.
I'm extremely sorry if I've upset anyone, but take a minute to reflect and think if it was you and you knew you had progressed a long way, (even though there is tons more to do) would you feel the same ?
Well there ya go. Hopefully it's been an informative discussion for everyone. But that is all it is. A discussion. A forum website is just that. A place to discuss things.
You will always have discussion, be it on the plot or in a pub or over the phone and on the website is just as efficient a place as any. However this gives everyone , especially the effected parties to see the consensus of opinion and very often to ponder on the situation before replying. That much you cannot do in real life :P
Nobody was back stabbing, and people will vote off people that don't belong where they are in most cases.
In ktlawson's case it seems there don't need to be hordes of people in the wings. Sounds to me people are happy with the committee as it stands! Perfect lol.
Here's a thought. Red tape isn't going to go away. As time goes on and councils etc are bought more to task either by government or european legislation it won't be long before a general tightening up of all aspects of their responsibilities will have to be made. What will the criteria be? Witnessed public allotment committee elections? A standard 75% cultivation of which 50% must be edible of 100% of the plots at least twice a year, with photographic proof of every plot for Brussells to examine the Brussels? ;D
The axe is being sharpened ... lol
Hi radar ears, I have every sympathy for you. I'm pretty sure djbrenton's comment was ironic and meant supportively - there are rearly hoards of allotmenteers stepping forward to volunteer. You've inherited a right pickle and it's a miserable shame that your effort isn't recognised, but then we don't do it for the thanks. The responsibility is yours and you can't just evict a tenant on a whim, even if they've not been on site for years. Best of luck.
Thank you for your words of support, Unwashed, you are quite right.
We don't want to be recognised for what we've done, we don't want thanks, if we didn't want to do it, we'd have walked away from it.
All we want is a little leeway to enable us to get on top of things properly.
Fortunately the new (extra) Committee people have got stuck in to help us and last night in three and a bit hours, our "working party" had jet-washed the loos, strimmed around parts of the edges of the site, dismantled an old wooden compost bin, in it's place, erected a large wooden "corral" for the horse manure and installed two recyling bins (also known as old plastic dustbins!).
That's just for starters !
Long may it continue (lol) raises glass of elderberry wine
Well Radarears what a pickle ::)and all you guys want to do is make things better for everyone,I'm sure your critics just didn't realise the whole situation.
I'm minded of a boss I had ,we used to criticise her "swanning" around all day doing "nothing" until she had a fortnights holiday and we had to do her job ???
What's the saying?"Walk a mile in my shoes" :)