Committee
The Society Committee shall have the authority to make rules for the good running of the Society. Those rules must be approved by the majority of the Members at the Annual General Meeting.
The Society Committee shall be responsible for:
Supplying a list of Committee Members to the Council.
Setting the yearly rent for the plots taking into account vacant plots and any water charges etc.
Taking in and issuing receipts for yearly rents and membership fees. (The Council may inspect these books at any reasonable time.)
Allocating vacant plots according to the agreed procedure.
Managing the site according to the agreement with the Council and in line with the Society’s policies and procedures.
The Secretary will maintain
A list of all members’ names and addresses. Lists are to be made available to the Council when requested.
A waiting list where appropriate. Vacancies will be allocated according to the agreed procedure.
A file, to be kept in the shop, containing Society documents and minutes of meetings.
Use of Land
The land shall only be used for horticultural purposes. The land shall not be used for:
- Any commercial purpose.
- Keeping horses or other animals
- Keeping cockerels, ducks, geese or pigeons.
- Storage of vehicles of any description including trailers and caravans.
Rent
The Society has the authority to give notice to any tenant for non-payment of rent and/or non-cultivation of land or misconduct, or any breach of these rules.
Subscriptions shall be paid as determined by the Committee.
Members
Every tenant shall be aware of the terms of the lease under which the Society holds the land and observe all conditions laid down in the lease. A copy of the lease will be available in the shop and displayed on the website.
Members’ Responsibilities
- All members are responsible for keeping the sites tidy and free from rubbish. The Committee should be notified of any risks/problems.
- Nothing should be brought to the sites which will create a problem with future removal or pose a danger to anyone on the sites, invited or not.
- Plots shall be kept cultivated and weeds under control. Tenants have a responsibility for everything relating to their plot i.e. cultivation, structures, safety.
- Paths and roadways are to be kept clear and weed free by Society members.
- No trees shall be cut down or pruned except with permission from the Committee acting in compliance with the terms of the Lease with North Tyneside Council.
- Hedges should be kept trimmed to a maximum height of 1.2 metres (4 feet) and maintained to the satisfaction of the Society Committee and North Tyneside Council.
- Greenhouses and sheds to be kept in good repair and painted in muted shades
- In the interests of safety, plot holders shall act in a manner so as not to cause danger or injury to themselves or others. For example materials such as barbed wire and asbestos should not be brought on to the site and any hazards present on the plot, for example broken glass, should be removed.
- Plot holders must be responsible for the behavior and safety of their children on the site.
- Plot holders must act in such a manner so as not to cause a nuisance or annoyance to the local community, occupants of adjoining properties or any other plot holder.
- Plot holders should be considerate of neighboring plots and nearby houses when lighting bonfires and ensure they are fully extinguished before leaving. No fires are allowed on the Extension site between and including March and October.
- Dogs must be kept on a lead and under control at all times and faeces are to be collected and disposed of in a proper manner. Dogs must not be kept on site overnight.
- Plot holders must inform the Committee if at any time, they have difficulty in maintaining their plot or require assistance.
- No plot shall be sub-let. No member may assign, sub-let or otherwise dispose of their plot or any part of it. Any tenant who delegates the majority of the cultivation of the plot to an associate will be deemed to be sub-letting.
Plot Inspection Policy
It is the policy of Red House Farm Allotments to ensure that the Alder Grove site and the Extension site are maintained in a workable condition to garden and to uphold the conditions of the lease issued by North Tyneside Council ( copies of which may be viewed at the shop). The Committee will take all reasonable measures to ensure that this objective is met.
Through monthly plot inspections the committee of Red House Farm Allotments Society will identify issues which contravene the conditions of the lease, adversely affect other gardeners and which may pose a danger to the plot holder, other gardeners and visitors to the site.
It is the duty of every allotment holder to maintain their plot by cultivating crops, controlling weeds, maintaining sheds and greenhouses and removing rubbish.
This policy will be reviewed annually.
Implementation
Plot Inspections will generally take place on the first Sunday of the month from March to October by members of the Committee.
Set criteria will be used to establish the condition of each plot and these criteria will form the basis of plot inspections
Plot holders who do not meet the standards set down will be informed in writing or through e-mail about the issue which needs addressing, the action to be taken and the time scale by which it has to be addressed.
Criteria – please see checklist
The Committee inspects the plots and the site every month to ensure that the Society keeps to the terms of our Council Lease. The plots were inspected on Sunday______________ and we would be grateful if you would rectify the problem(s) listed below.
| Problem | Action to be taken | Complete by | |
| 1 | Weeds affecting neighboring plot | Remove tops until weeds can be pulled up and disposed of or cover with weed suppressant. | |
| 2 | Seasonal crops not harvested. | Remove | |
| 3 | Insufficient cultivation. There will be difficulty in restoring the uncultivated area to a suitable state for cultivation | Clear and dig over the area | |
| 4 | Structures in a state of disrepair. Health and safety hazard for tenant, visitors and nearby plot holders | Repair damage or remove. | |
| 5 | Boundaries (fences, hedges, gates) | Secure, repair, remove, trim. | |
| 6 | Frontage of plot bordering the alleyway overgrown | Trim or clear | |
| 7 | Rubbish and non horticultural items | Remove | |
| 8 | Untidy | Tidy up the plot, weed and prepare beds for planting |