Report of the SAF 2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
11th April 2017 at Chalvey Community Centre 7:30 to 9pm

SAF Chair Carrie Darby addresses the AGM.

Attentive Allotmenteers.

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SBC Council Officer Ketan Gandhi, Head of Wellbeing and Community, gives the meeting an update.

Ketan Gandhi and audience.

His worshipful The Mayor, Councillor Arvind Dhaliwal, President of the Federation addresses the meeting.

SLOUGH ALLOTMENT FEDERATION CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
2017 AGM
In August 2015 30% of plots were not adequately maintained. We had 16% of plots (156) vacant and 14% (140) tenanted but uncultivated with over 900 people on the waiting list. Many plots belonged to absent tenants who had either died or moved away but they remained on the SBC books as debtors.
In January 2016 a Working Group was set-up between Slough Borough Council and Slough Allotment Federation and significant progress has been made since its establishment. Thanks to all the other members of the Working Group SAF: Colin Mace, Trevor Allen, Jim Breeds   SBC: Ketan Gandhi, Mary Bagley, Bruce Hicks

ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMME

• SAF volunteers surveyed all 931 plots and provided SBC with over 500 photographs of plots that were either poorly cultivated or vacant.
• SBC reviewed the photographs and issued 245 enforcement letters giving tenants one month to improve their plot.  After one month just over 100 tenants had improved their plot but SBC issued 143 termination letters.
• Enforcement programmes will be repeated to maintain and gradually improve levels of cultivation and ensure uncultivated plots are re-let to new applicants promptly.

WAITING LIST & VACANT PLOT OFFERS

• During 2016 SBC issued over 100 plot offers letters however very few people came forward to us for viewings.  Following that we requested SBC write to all applicants on the waiting list. This resulted in a significant reduction of the waiting list.
• SBC agreed to clear a proportion of vacant plots and in 2017, SAF site reps have signed up over 140 new tenants across all sites which must be a record in under 3 months!  Lettings will continue until hopefully all sites will be full and a confirmed waiting list produced. Huge thanks to all Site Reps that have been involved in this process. Of particular mention  Colin Mace  (Horsemoor Green,  Green Drive & Spencer Road), Rob Grinsted  (The Myrke), Trevor Allen (Cherry Orchard), Allen Dixon (College Road), Harry Shelford (Westpoint),Gwenda Cornish (Granville Avenue),  Alan Latimer & Sylvia Straughan (Keel Drive)  

SPENCER ROAD RE-OPENING

• For some time SAF has campaigned for the re-opening of the derelict small Spencer Road site in Langley. SBC agreed to clear the site in summer 16 and this was re-marked by SAF/SBC with all plots let by SAF Vice Chairman Colin Mace. The site is now fully occupied, very well cultivated and a great success story.

SLOUGH IN BLOOM

• The Annual Allotment Competition closed in 2014. SAF have recently worked with Slough in Bloom to be part of their annual competition. In 2017 there will be an award for the Best Allotment Plot and the Best Allotment Newcomer – application forms can be downloaded from the SAF Website

SAF WEBSITE

• Significant improvements have been made to the website this year and it now regularly features news updates and includes full details of all the sites, their location and facilities along with a welcome pack for New Tenants. Thanks to Jim Breeds

SITE IMPROVEMENTS & MAINTENANCE

• The maintenance of the water systems continues to be a problem and we now have a dedicated SAF Water System Monitors per site who checks the tanks regularly and reports to SBC any problems and the status of repairs.
• We have requested that an annual  inspection of the water system takes place to identify maintenance requirements and that the leak repair process be reviewed given the ongoing problem of repairs either not being done or not being adequately repaired so problems re-occur.
• SAF have logged all current maintenance issues including problems with the water system, buildings maintenance, fence & boundary problems and locks & security, Progress is reviewed at the Working Group meetings.
• Long term with have worked with SBC to produce a document detailing potential improvements required/desired for all sites and this will require future funding. We have also put forward amendments to the Tenancy Agreement for review.

As I am standing down as Chair I would personally like to thank everyone that has been involved in the improvements we have all achieved and appreciate the extra time everyone has given up.  There is no doubt that all of us have had to give up more time than we expected but we are already seeing the results and definitely some happy new tenants.
There is more good news to come.
Huge thanks & well done to all!
Carrie Darby

The Mayor Awards the Win & Tom Watson Trophy To Outgoing Chair Carrie Darby. New Chair Elect, Trevor Allen, looks on.

Questions From The Floor

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