AGM Minutes 2024

Kettering Allotments Society

Annual General Meeting 19th March 2024

Present: Peter New, John Roberts, Bec Profit, Glenda Profit, Martin Profit, Pat Mullins,Sarah Dexter, Robert McIntyre, Chris Hulston, Clive Thorley, Terri Attwood, Adrian Bew, Sarah Taylor, Harry Pope, Monica Ozdemir, Sheren Everson,  Maysie Martindale, Bernie Hagyard, Gretchen Ivey, Pat Draper, Dai Johnson, David King, Farai Chinyama, Simon Sherbourne, Fran Sherbourne, Greta Lilley, Maria Thurland, Grey Lindley, Tracey Westley, Katie Behan, Ray Clatworthy, Gloria Elmore, Mandy Thompson, Brett Thompson, Maria Chagos, Eduardo Olivera, Marcin Worzala Monica Worzala, Jane-Charlotte Winton, Iain Hiton, Mike Thurland, Stephen Payne, Russell Attwood

Apologies: Andrew Payne

1. Welcome - the Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Minutes of the 2023 AGM were summarised. The full 2023 minutes are available on the Society’s website for anyone to read. No questions or comments arose.

3. The secretary’s annual report for 2023 was presented. The full text of this report is available on the website.

4. The Treasurer submitted the financial report, including the audited annual accounts for 2023. The treasurer outlined income and expenditure for the year. More detailed notes are in a separate document along with copies of the auditor’s report.This will be made available shortly and uploaded to the FCA Mutuals Register.  A loss of £1982 was made over the year; this was easily covered by funds in our bank account and came about through our decision to invest in improving and maintaining our allotment sites. Rents were increased for 2024 to ensure that we remain solvent and to provide funds to be able to continue investing and improving our fields. Generous grants from Kettering Town Council enabled further improvements, namely the superb new fence at Windmill Avenue and safe asbestos removal from Margaret Road. Water bills have been erratic partly due to weather/rainfall variation but also because of estimated bills from Wave (subsidiary of Anglian Water). The Treasurer is now able to submit accurate water meter readings every month to Wave, so in future years the accounts will accurately reflect actual water used, not estimates. Proposal to accept the Treasurer's report and audited accounts -proposed by Dai Johnson, seconded by Rob McIntyre - all votes in favour (carried unanimously by all those present). Further notes on the Society’s finances are at the end of these minutes.

5. Election of Committee Chairman.  Stephen Payne was nominated. Proposed by Bernie Hagyard, seconded by Pat Mullins. Votes in favour 39, votes against 1, no abstensions. Mr Payne was duly elected Chairman.

6. Election of Secretary. Russell Attwood nominated  Proposed by Peter New, seconded by Sarah Dexter. Votes in favour= all those present, no votes against or abstensions. Mr Attwood was duly elected secretary.

7. Election of Treasurer. Mike Thurland  nominated  Proposed by Sarah Taylor, seconded by Pat Mullins. Votes in favour = all those present, no votes against or abstensions. Mr Thurland was duly elected Treasurer.

8. Election of Committee members: George White: proposed by Chris Hulston, seconded by Glenda Profit. All present voted in favour, George was duly elected. Sarah Taylor: proposed by Chris Hulston, seconded by Bec Profit. 15 votes in favour, 2 against 1 abstention. Sarah Taylor was duly elected. Monica Ozdemir, proposed by Sheren Everson, seconded by Sarah Dexter. All present voted in favour; Monica was duly elected. Chris Hulson: proposed by Russell Attwood, seconded by Monica Ozdemir. All present voted in favour; Chris was duly elected. Pat Mullins: proposed by Sarah Taylor, seconded by Sarah Dexter. All present voted in favour; Pat was duly elected. Rebecca Profit: proposed by John Roberts, seconded by Sarah Dexter. All present voted in favour; Rebecca was duly elected. John Roberts proposed by Peter New, seconded by Glenda Profit. All present voted in favour; John was duly elected. Andrew Payne:proposed by Dave King, seconded by Sarah Taylor. All present voted in favour; Andrew was duly elected. Peter New: proposed by Russell Attwood, seconded by Bernie Hagyard. All present voted in favour; Peter was duly elected. Sarah Dexter: proposed by Pat Mullins, seconded by Rob McIntyre. All present voted in favour; Sarah was duly elected.Sheren Everson: proposed by Maysie Martindale, seconded by Sarah Dexter. All present voted in favour; Sheren was duly elected. Rob McIntyre: proposed by Sarah Taylor, seconded by Chris Hulston. All present voted in favour; Rob was duly elected

9. Proposed new tenancy rules. The committee has revised and updated the tenancy rules to make them clearer and remove ambiguities. Proposed by Sarah Dexter, seconded by Maysie Martindale. All present voted in favour, the new Rules are now adopted.

10. Proposal to give authority to the committee to increase membership subscriptions in January 2025 should the need arise. The committee will only increase subscriptions from the current £3 if the National Allotments Society (NAS) increases its affiliate subscription rate. Such an increase is likely as it is on the agenda of the NAS AGM in June. Proposer - Grey Lindley, seconded by Pat Draper. All present voted in favour, the motion was adopted.

11. Amendment to new Tenancy Rules. An individual member had contacted the secretary in February with a proposed amendment to Rule 72 concerning Poultry. This was seconded by another member. The proposed amendment is to restrict geese, specifically “No new or additional geese will be permitted from 2024. Existing geese may remain until they die or are removed but no replacements or new geese allowed from 2024”. Discussion took place and then a vote was called. Proposer = Sarah Dexter, seconded by Terri Attwood; 23 votes in favour, 3 against 4 abstentions. The motion was carried and the amendment will be added to the new Tenancy Rules. (Rule72)

12. Appointment of Auditors - It was proposed that we continue with Azets, the auditors we have used for a number of years. Proposed by Mike Thurland, seconded by Russell Attwood, All present voted in favour, the motion was adopted.

13. Appointment of Solicitors. It was proposed that we continue our membership of the NAS and call on their legal expertise if the need arises. Proposed by Rob McIntyre, seconded by Sarah Taylor. All present voted in favour, the motion was adopted.

14. Date of the next AGM will be in March 2025. An actual date will be set by the committee at its December 2024 meeting and is subject to the availability of the venue.

15. AOB. The formal business was concluded and there followed an informal discussion. This allows members to ask questions,  make suggestions and put forward ideas to the committee. All comments and ideas will be considered carefully by the committee at its April meeting. The following points, numbered 16 - 23 are the suggestions made.

16. Poultry numbers. The current Rule and Poultry Policy limits Poultry to a maximum of 9 birds. A few members who had existing poultry before this limit was introduced have more than 9 birds. The suggestion is to restrict replacement birds when the current stock die naturally so that in time every member (family) is limited to 9 birds maximum.

17. Bonfire policy. Some members have medical conditions that mean smoke from bonfires is particularly intolerable. The current Policy has banned fires on Sundays and the use of communal bonfires has reduced their frequency and locations. The suggestion is to restrict bonfires further, perhaps have no fires on another day as well as Sunday, or limit fires to certain days and times? Consider whether this applies to barbecues.

18. Linked to number 17 above. To develop further the use of communal composting areas for members to bring their weeds and certain crop waste to a central area for bulk composting. This will further reduce the need for bonfires.

19. Consider whether a red card or flag be hoisted when a fire is lit to inform all members of the hazard? This relates to point 17 above.

20. A show of hands was done to inform the committee of the strength of feeling on this issue. 26 voted in favour of more restrictions on bonfires of some kind or another, so a majority of those present.

21. A question was asked about the frequency of plot inspections by stewards to check on non-cultivation or other rule-breaking. Stewards answered, explaining that these inspections do occur regularly in the growing season. Tenants of plots that are under-cultivated are contacted; sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that may be confidential. Tenants are sent letters, warnings and eventually evictions following due process which takes time. When there are  extenuating circumstances tenants may be given extensions. We try to be fair but firm. 

22. A suggestion of moving the gate at Scott Road uphill a bit. This is the gate in the dip where puddles form in wet weather.The committee is already considering putting in a soakaway, so this suggestion will be considered along with that.

23. Collecting and storing rainwater. It was suggested that the Society should have a stricter Policy on collecting and storing rainwater so that our use of the mains water is reduced further. Such a Policy will need to be enforced.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and contributing and closed the meeting. Below are the additional notes provided by the Treasurer about the annual accounts. 

End of meeting

Notes to Accounts for the Year ended 31st December 2023

Turnover

Rent and Subscriptions

Rent received was less than 2022, but is affected by the turnover of plotholders during any year. However subscriptions were up as the committee made a conscious effort to ensure that all persons tending an allotment plot paid the £3 NSALG subscription, which is designed to provide liability cover protection to member plot-holders and leisure gardeners accused of accidently causing injury or damaging property. As a member plot-holder you are protected both at your allotment plot but also if you attend shows/events which are allotment related.

Other Income

HSBC 

During the year, the committee agreed to move all plot deposits to the HSBC BBM account to ring fence them from day to day activities. Interest received in the year was £21 v. £0 in 2022, as this account is an interest earning account, whereas the standard current account isn't.

NS&I

The balance held continued at £5000 and the interest earned each month was automatically transferred to the main HSBC account, and amounted to £151 v. £101 in 2022 due to the NSI increasing its savings rates during the year.

KTC Lottery Grant

During the year Kettering Allotments Ltd submitted an application for a KTC lottery grant to remove asbestos from the Margaret Road site, and we were successful in receiving a grant of £1000. The actual cost was only £829.99 due to the use of asbestos bags versus a specialised skip (thanks to Pete New) and we were able to make a refund of £170 to KTC.

Expenditure

Rent - KTC charged the same amount as they have done for the past 14 years.

Water Rates - There was a significant decrease in costs due to online access to the Wave (Anglian Water) system where actual readings being taken by the Field Stewards were submitted, this is particularly important during the period of October through to April when the water is turned off, but where previously Wave would continue to charge for water through estimated bills. We are now only being charged for actual consumption.

Bank Charges

This has increased due to the number of cheques being received for the annual rent. A charge of 40p per cheque, and an additional 40p per banking is made by HSBC. A monthly cost of £5 is charged by HSBC for servicing the account. These are standard charges across most banks.

Field Maintenance

A significant amount has again been spent on field maintenance this year, with the majority of spend being at Margaret Road where planings have been laid on several of the ridings to ensure safe access to plotholders, the hedge at Scott Road had it’s annual flail to keep it tidy, a chipper was hired for Northfield Avenue, and the renewal of a small section of internal fence at Windmill Avenue. Skips were also hired for general rubbish removal. All spend is precosted and approved by the Committee, and minuted at Committee meetings. Further spend is budgeted in 2024 for planings on riding 2 at Margaret Road, and to create a soakaway at the second gate at Scott Road to reduce waterlogging. 

The Windmill Avenue fence was replaced in 2023 with a 2m high security fence which was fully paid  for by KTC, and was featured in both the Evening Telegraph and in the NSALG magazine. 

We have recently met with KTC with regard to the fencing at Northfield Avenue from the main gate to the hospital, and also the access gate at the B&Q end, but at 139m this is a much longer fence than Windmill Avenue, and the clerk to KTC has now visited twice.

Subscriptions

As commented above, this increase is due to the Committee ensuring that all persons tending an allotment plot are paying the NSALG subscription.

Insurance, Accountancy 

Increases are due to inflation and the general increase in the cost of insurance.

Loss for Year - this is mainly due to the continued high investment in keeping all our fields properly maintained and to be a safe environment for all our plot holders, although there were also general increases in many costs due to high inflation. 

Despite this loss, which may be seen as a negative position by some, Kettering Allotments Limited is highly solvent, with more than sufficient funds in the bank to meet its expenditure, both day to day and for future planned expenditure.The bank position and any impact from spend, which is all fully pre-costed and approved, and fully discussed at each Committee meeting.