HAS documents

Harley Allotment Society Rules 20260916

The rules of the Society come from two sources

A  From the terms of the lease from Wentworth Estates

B  From rules passed by members at Annual General Meetings and by committee at committee meetings

A1.  Rents are due to be paid to Wentworth Estates on 1st January each year. 

A2   Plot holders shall keep their plots reasonably cultivated and tidy unless there is reasonable excuse e.g. illness

A3   Animals and birds are not permitted to be kept on plots. Bees can be kept in hives with the approval of the committee.

A4   The plot holder indemnifies the Landlord (Wentworth Estates) against any damage or claim arising from any cause whatsoever connected with the land and its use. (i.e. garden at your own risk)

A5   Not to do or permit to be done any act or thing which may become a nuisance, damage, annoyance or inconvenience to the Landlords, plot holders or the occupiers of any properties in the neighbourhood, e.g. uncontrolled fires

A6 The plot holder shall be responsible for the upkeep and repair of all hedges, fences walls, gates and paths.  If the plot holder defaults, Wentworth Estates shall, if deemed necessary, undertake the work itself and recover the costs from the plot holder as if it were arrears of rent.

A7   No trade or business is permitted on the land other than for gardening purposes.

A8 One polytunnel per plot that is no bigger than 8' x 6’ is allowed. It must be kept tidy and intact and removed from the plot upon the termination of the tenancy

B1   The Society shall be known as the Harley Allotment Society.  Its affairs shall be run by its 3 officers (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) and 3 committee members. Total of 6 committee members. To be eligible to stand for the committee a plotholder must have cultivated a plot for 2 full growing seasons. (March – October)

B2 The committee shall meet as required to conduct the affairs of the Society

B3 Special meetings may be called on requisition in writing to the Secretary by at least 3 members.

B4 All plots (half or full) are allocated to applicants by the committee.  Vacant plots are allocated to the next person on the waiting list or to the first applicant if there is no one on the waiting list. A plot must have a named plot holder who is the responsible affiliated person.

A plot (half or full) can have two named persons at the time of accepting the plot.  It is only in this circumstance that the plot can be allocated to the remaining person if one gives up. The remaining person cannot name a second person as joint plot holder. A mutual exchange of plots must be approved by the committee.

B5   Plotholders must be aged 18 years or over.All plot holders must be affiliated members.

B6   No financial transactions may be undertaken on the Society’s behalf without the approval of at least 2 of the 3 officers of the committee

B7   The Society has the right to expel any member not complying with the rules.

B8   It is the plot holder’s responsibility to pay rent on time and to notify the committee of changes of address and/or contact details.

B9   The Annual General meeting shall be held each year when appropriate.  The financial statement shall then be presented, and officers and committee elected.

B10   Only dogs belonging to plot holders are allowed on site and must be kept on a lead.

B11 Children must be accompanied by an adult on site. They must be supervised by an adult at all times and must not be unduly noisy

B12 Fences must not exceed one metre in height.

B13 Fires are permitted only in the months of October, November, December, January,                                                                                     February,March. Fires allowed only on Saturdays and Wednesdays until 1:00p.m. during these months.

No fires to be left unattended.  Do not light a fire if wind taking smoke towards houses. Fires must not cause a nuisance to neighbours.  Do not bring rubbish or household waste to burn on site. 

B14   No structures are to be erected without consent of the committee.  All proposals to erect structures or fences must be submitted to the committee in writing.  The proposal should state dimensions and materials to be used. Annotated drawings or photographs are also acceptable.  The committee’s permission must be given before construction begins. Only 2 structures per plot or half plot are allowed e.g. 1 shed and 1 greenhouse of approximate size 8ft x 6ft. Consideration of casting shade on adjacent plots to be made. Bases for structures must not be immovable/permanent e.g. concrete

B15 No trees, except fruit trees allowed on plots because of root spread. Trees on the allotment site boundary are exempt. Trees can be grown in pots. Fruit trees to be reduced by plotholders to 7 feet high (2m approx) after leaf fall each year.  A maximum of 12 fruit trees can be cultivated on a full plot, 6 on a half plot. Any greater number than this must be grown in pots. Hedges to be always kept below 7 feet high (2m approx.)

Harley Allotment Society

Structure proposal form

Only 2 structures allowed per plot or per half plot.

Proposal form for the construction/ replacement of a structure or fence on plot ___________

Date________________        Name_________________________

What is the structure?

What are its dimensions? ( height, length, width)

What materials will be used?

Where on the plot will it be placed?

Harley Allotment Society plot application form

Name:

Address:

Tel:

Email:

Please return form to The Secretary, Harley Allotment Society, 71 Park Avenue, Chapeltown, Sheffield, S35 1WH or email to wlee3377718@gmail.com

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Harley Allotment Society Use

Date application received:

Received by 

Harley Allotment Society

Data protection and privacy policy

To ensure compliance with recent changes in legislation, including the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) that came into effect on 25th May 2018, Harley Allotment Society’s Data Protection Policy is outlined below.

 The Committee and Officers of Harley Allotment Society will ensure that all data protection legislation is adhered to and will protect securely any data that it collects.

 The data that the Allotment Society collects, stores and processes is limited to the contact details of members, prospective members (on waiting lists) and former members who have recently relinquished their allotments.

Contact details include names, postal and email addresses, telephone numbers including landlines and mobile phones.

 This information is stored on the Secretary’s computer and will be used for the purpose of contacting members, for example to send information and collect subscriptions.

 Individual members may be contacted for other legitimate purposes, for example if there has been damage to an allotment or shed, the plot is being neglected or other reasonable purposes.

 The data may be shared between other committee members to enable them to perform their duties.

Harley Allotment Society members’ data will not be shared with other individuals or organisations.

 Data on former members, who have relinquished allotments or been evicted will be stored for a reasonable time in case they need to be contacted about their former plot.

 Individual members are welcome to ask for details of any of their own personal data that the Society holds on them.

 Members are advised to inform the Society if their personal details change e.g. name, address, phone number; so that records remain updated and members can be informed of Society news and business.

HAS procedures

 Collection of rents  Committee minutes March 2015 : New escalating protocol for pursuing rent was agreed; First a telephone call to request payment of rent within 14 days.  If not paid then a warning letter giving 14 days to pay with threat of eviction if not paid within the period.

Neglected plots  Practice adopted 2025. Phone call from committee officer to member to notify neglect and seek reasons.  Committee members informed of reasons.  If neglect continues after warning then standard letter of eviction sent to member giving 7 days to appeal or clear plot.

Letting of plot to new plotholder  Practice adopted June 2021. First month without payment of rent. This period to be used by new plotholder to discover if having an allotment is what they want.  New plotholder prohibited from putting any structure on the plot during this time. After one month plotholder and society decide whether or not to proceed with tenancy. Rent is now due if plotholder continues on plot.

Half plots  Committee minutes September 2025. If a half plot becomes vacant contiguous with an adjacent half plot, that is a plot with the same number, it does not apply to plots separated by a path, then the tenant of that has the first chance of taking over the vacant half with the committee’s approval, before it is offered to the first on the waiting list.