M I N U T E S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Wednesday 18 March 2015

Transcription

1 M I N U T E S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Wednesday 18 March 2015 Present: Marianne Stevenson (Chair), Lynda Robinson (Secretary) Neil Robinson, Arthur Stanway, Leslie Ash, Julie Ash, Eileen Harrison, Alan Jones, Janet Potts, Margaret Jones Phil Jones, David Marshall, Jeanette Thompson, Tom Hughes, Keith Brierley, Susan Brierley, Alan Lord, Frank Brierley. 1. Apologies:, Andy Bolam, Sue Bolam, Shaun Grace, June Watts, Pat Harvey, Steve Barnes 2. Minutes and Matters Arising from 6 March 2014 meeting The Minutes for the 2014 AGM were read by Marianne Stevenson. The Minutes were agreed and taken as a correct record with the following updates:- Requests for information from the Parish Council are now to be put into writing so that the committee can keep track of responses in addition to reports made by David Marshall to Parish Council meetings as agreed with Marianne on behalf of the Committee. It was also suggested that individual members should put their concerns to the Parish Council directly. So far as the allotment waiting list is concerned, The Parish Council has informed us that this information is protected by the Data Protection Act and as such cannot be given to TAGA. 3. Chairs Report Marianne Stevenson gave her report, a copy of which is attached for ease of reference. Arthur Stanway thanked Marianne for her efforts during the year. 4. Treasurers Report The Association s Treasurer, Steve Barnes, was unable to attend the meeting and has expressed the desire to step down. Marianne therefore gave a summary report on the profit and loss account (copy attached) which shows that the Association s bank balance stands currently at 3, Membership Secretary s Report Neil Robinson reported that there are currently 103 members of the Association consisting of 43 full members and 60 Associate members. Due to the substantial increase in membership numbers it was not proposed to increase fees for the coming year, 2015/16. However, it was envisaged that there would be an increase in the

2 premiums for insurance due to the new buildings, etc. that the membership fees will need to be increased next year. 6. Election of Officers Lynda Robinson announced that June Watts would be stepping down from the committee due to work commitments and that Steve Barnes was, as previously mentioned, also stepping down from his role as Treasurer. Completed nomination forms have been received for the positions of Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary and 4 committee members, being Marianne Stevenson, Lynda Robinson, Neil Robinson, Arthur Stanway, Alan Lord, Phil Jones and Janet Potts respectively. Eileen Harrison also advised that she would be prepared to sit on the committee and this was proposed by Margaret Jones and seconded by Janet Potts. The nominations were put to the meeting and carried unanimously. committee for 2015/16 will be as follows:- Therefore the Chair Marianne Stevenson Secretary Lynda Robinson Membership Secretary Neil Robinson Committee Members - Arthur Stanway Alan Lord Phil Jones Janet Potts Eileen Harrison 7. Membership fees This was reported in item 5. above. 8. Village Show Marianne reported that we had had a very successful Show with lots of help on the day and asked if anyone would like to be involved in the Show Committee please attend the next meeting to be held on 25 March at the Liberal Club. A request was received from Les and Julie Ash for a class for Peas in the next show as there wasn t a suitable class for them to show their excellent crop, only a class for specialist peas! This would be rectified for the 2015 Show. Marianne also asked for anyone who still has a Trophy which required engraving to please return it to her. The date for the 2015 Show would be decided at the Show Committee meeting. 9. Big Lottery New Shoots Project Marianne gave her report and the background to the Project up to the present time (copy attached). 10. Constitution Marianne advised the meeting that the Constitution was last revised in The Committee felt that the appropriate time to go back to look at it would be for the next AGM in Marianne asked the members to have a look at the Constitution and to give any thoughts they may have for any changes. There is a copy of the Constitution on the website and also in the Cabin.

3 11. Members Ideas and Proposals/Any other Business There were no further ideas and proposals put to the meeting by the members present. 12. Any Other Business David Marshall advised the meeting that he had been asked by the Police to contact them should the new security lights/alarm be activated. He had agreed to do so.

4 TINTWISTLE ALLOTMENT GARDENERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015 CHAIR S REPORT Welcome to everyone and thank you very much for getting here this evening. And thank you Sheila for opening up for us this evening. This is my second year as Chair and it s certainly been the busiest I have experienced since I became involved with TAGA. The Committee stepped up its meetings to once a month and the New Shoots Project Group has met regularly too. In addition we have convened for our annual Show meetings. So thank you very much indeed to all those who have turned up for meetings and kept our activities going. There is a lot we do that happens because of people s enthusiasm and desire to support TAGA but attending meetings is the less exciting aspect of what we do so my grateful thanks. As last year David Marshall has been our independent link between the Parish Council and the Association and continues to present issues which the Committee raises. Thank you, David. This year s activities have been almost entirely dictated by our successful bid to The Big Lottery. We shall tell you more about what we have achieved so far in that agenda item. For me the most striking aspect has been the range and number of individuals and organisations who are supporting us to make the changes for which we ve been funded. You will have witnessed our transfer of cabin activity from the old storage container which was becoming more like a freezing leaky sieve, to the much bigger portacabin. With Steve s limitless energy, sales have gone from strength to strength, the income from which is essential to enable us to purchase all the items the Big Lottery funding does not cover. Our breakfasts have got increasingly popular though until the electricity is connected we have postponed that monthly event. I hope we can start up again the first weekend in May. However we did have a very successful Xmas event on 21 December where a lot of bacon butties and mince pies were consumed. Thank you very much to all those who helped with that. Alan Jones has continued to help us maintain the polytunnel planting and, now four different beds around the village the Old Well at the junction of Old Road, the Memorial Garden further up Old Road, the Small Well and most recently the flower beds at Regency Kitchens. Every now again we get others helping including some youngsters. We had been concerned about the safety of the original raised beds. Last summer we reduced the number of raised beds and relocated 3. A further lower bed will be created and advertised as soon as it is ready. Community plots 12 and 13 have tenants for 2015/16. Finally I would like to say my heartfelt thanks to this year s committee, their relentless hard work and enthusiasm as well as their ideas and support. And thank you to our members for all your support, ideas and interest in our activities. Allotment sites are always vulnerable to potential developers and it is only by maintaining allotment activity on our 3 sites that we can be sure this amazing resource is here for future generations. 18 March 2015

5 TINTWISTLE ALLOTMENT GARDENERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015 NEW SHOOTS REPORT At our AGM in 2013 you gave approval for the Committee to pursue grant funding for improvements to the Arnfield Community site. Not everyone was enthusiastic about this proposal, feeling it unnecessary and too difficult to achieve. A small group were determined to prove them otherwise! In November 2013 we submitted an application to the Big Lottery. On 17 April 2014 we received the very welcome news that we had been awarded 10, to install a portacabin, electricity and water connections and the creation of toilet facilities. So for the last 11 months we have experienced the rigours, challenges and frustrations of getting the project underway, starting with gaining planning permission from the Borough Council. I think those who have worked most closely with me would say that the frustrations continue but we are delighted with what we have achieved so far: The relocation and renovation of three of the raised beds Relocation of the storage container Installation of new fencing for plot Purchase and installation of the new portacabin A start on creating paved areas The first phase of the electricity connection Putting in the internal electric connections in the portacabin The acquisition for free or a much reduced cost of furniture, flooring, kitchen units, oven and hob, fridge and crockery A huge thank you goes to the New Shoots Project Group Steve, Phil Alan Lord and Arthur Stanway who have persevered in all weathers to get the necessary work done. We have also had a loyal Saturday Working Group. The Big Lottery have given us an extension to the end of June to complete the project and we shall let you know the date of our Opening Event. An ever growing number of individuals and organisations have supported us and we want to be able to acknowledge this. In particular we have had funding from the Police for an alarm system and security lighting and succeeded in getting a grant of from High Peak Borough Council which will be used to go towards the costs of the toilet facilities. To date we have spent 7, of the lottery grant.

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