AGM 2021 Minutes
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Thursday April 22nd 2021. Virtual meeting
Present: Julian Goss (79)(Convenor), Roger Williams (59), Sue Finch (167), John Sanders (24A), Gavin Sims (33B), Sara Ames (156B),Kate Haynes (55B) Caroline Joll (32B).
Amo King and Kate (79B), Nick Albrow (22A), Jane Grubb (23A), Zahed Khan (25), Darwin and June Hare (180A), Angharad Jones (15A), Jacquelyyne and Steven Price (33A), Dave Harris (412B), Judith Wheeler (140), Gareth Johns (70B), John McCrory (308A), Paulus Thurlbeck (309A), plus three other members who could not be identified.
Apologies: none received.
1 Welcome
The convenor welcomed plot holders to the 21st AGM, and 1st ever virtual AGM, of the Association. He noted that the Covid-19 epidemic had prevented us from holding an AGM last year. Therefore it was essential to have an AGM this year, and the decision to hold it on Zoom made it possible to specify a suitable date and alert all CAAA members.
The papers for this virtual AGM have already been circulated via the CAAA Spring newsletter, giving everyone a chance to read them before the meeting. Therefore, rather than asking committee members to read their reports, it would be better to invite questions on each topic.
2 Apologies – none.
3 Minutes of the 20th AGM held on 24th April 2019
These were agreed to be a correct record and were signed by the Convenor.
4 Matters arising from the minutes of the 20th AGM
None were raised.
5 Renewal of Locally Managed Status agreement
The Convenor explained that CAAA has signed a level 3 Local Management Agreement with Cardiff Council, whereby we receive a proportion of the rent paid by CAAA as a grant from the Council, and out of this money we pay our own water bill and other site expenses.
Unanimously agreed to renew the current level 3 LMS agreement.
6 Chairman’s Report
The Convenor invited questions in his role as CAAA Chairman on his previously circulated report. No questions were raised.
7 Treasurer’s Report
The Convenor noted that the Association has considerable funds to spend on the various projects needed to improve out site.. He invited questions to Sara Ames, the retiring Treasurer, on her previously circulated report. No questions were raised, so the Convenor thanked Sara for her service as Treasurer and hoped that a new volunteer would step forward for this role.
8 Plot letting and Inspections Report
The Convenor invited questions to Roger Williams, Plot Letting, and Sue Finch, Plot Inspections, on their previously circulated report.
Members asked about responsibility for keeping the paths between plots clear. Roger Williams explained that there is a minimum 500mm path between plots, and that it is the joint responsibility of both neighbours to keep this path clear to allow wheelbarrow access and to reach water troughs. Problems with blocked paths should be handled between neighbours, but can if necessary be reported to the committee in person or by email.
9 Shop Report
Julian Goss as Secretary of CAHA has asked the Council to allow allotment shops to reopen officially in line with other retail establishments.
Gavin Sims, newly-appointed Shop Manager, reported that he has been operating on a take-away basis whereby no customers enter the shop. Shop opening hours and prices are available on the website and on-site. Members are encouraged to say what they would like the shop to stock and to buy from our own shop, which generates income for the Association.
10 Appointment of Convenor for the 2022 AGM
The Convenor invited nominations for this post, which involves collecting the necessary reports, circulating paperwork and booking venue for the 2022 AGM. This will be held in April 2020, to allow time for te 2021 accounts to be audited before the meeting.
Jane Grubb volunteered to be Convenor in 2022, and her offer was gratefully accepted.
11 Election of Officers and Committee
The Committee currently has 7 members standing for re-election, and several vacant positions/posts. No nominations for these posts have been received. The 7 members were duly re-elected as follows:
Name Plot No. Role
Julian Goss 79 Chairman
Roger Williams 59 Plot letting
Sue Finch 167 Plot inspections
. Gavin Sims 33B Webmaster/Shop Manager
Caroline Joll 32B Minutes Secretary/Seeds
John Sanders 24A Newsletter
Kate Haynes 55B
The Convenor noted that the committee can co-opt new members and urged members to consider putting themselves forward to join the committee and help to plan the future of our site. Candidates for the vacant roles of Site Manager, Site Secretary and Treasurer particularly welcomed.
12 Appointment of Auditor
Plot-holder Mohamed Moulani ACCA has once again offered to audit the CAAA accounts. His offer was gratefully accepted.
13 Any Other Business
Members raised the following points:
Water Supply. We have been turning the water on in the mornings to fill the troughs and then turning it off again to prevent wastage due to two as yet unfound leaks.
In this dry April, it has sometimes been necessary to repeat the process in the afternoons for the benefit of plot-holders who garden after work, and to leave the water on all day at the weekends. Local plot-holder Zahed Khan has kindly done the morning shifts during the week, with committee members covering the weekends.
The newly-elected committee needs to address water leaks as a priority. Welsh water has, so far unsuccessfully, searched for one leak. We may need to use available finds to pay professional contractors to find and fix the leaks. It was suggested that a way round our recurrent leak problems would be to install a secondary system of pipes above ground, so that future leaks can be identified more easily. The committee will investigate this possibility.
Fires. Council regulations prohibit bonfires or burning green waste on allotment sites, but it is hard to enforce this rule. Illicit fires can cause choking smoke and toxic fumes, and be a source of conflict between neighbours. Disputes should be handled between neighbours wherever possible, but can if necessary be reported to the committee in person or by email.
The meeting closed at 8.32 and the convenor thanked members for attending.
