Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 13 February 2025, be received and approved as a correct record.

The Chairman introduced the item and advised that following an officer request and a subsequent discussion at a recent Chairs and Vice Chairs meeting, it had been agreed that a draft of the revised Allotment Site Rules would be placed before Committee for consideration.

Andy Burgin, the Council’s Green Space Manager informed Members that as part of the Council’s Allotment Strategy, the Council produced a comprehensive set of ‘Allotment Site Rules’ that were last updated in 2019.  

Whilst officers were reviewing and redrafting the current Allotment Strategy, it had been agreed that the Allotment Site Rules would also be updated to ensure that allotment users and those impacted from allotment activities would have a clear set of rules that officers could enforce against if required.  The refresh had also been timely, as officers had recently needed to address an excessive bonfire issue at a specific site (following a series of complaints) resulting in full prohibition on setting bonfires at the site due to the actions of the non-compliant plot holder. 

Temporary changes had been made to the current Allotment Site Rules to help officers to immediately address this type of issue, with the intention to embed the wording into the refreshed document thus ensuring swift action could be taken in the future should bonfires cause ongoing issues for nearby residents.

Following presentation of the report, Members discussed the following:

·         the allocation and distribution of keys to plot holders for access to the sites including how the contact details of key holders are monitored

·         the frequency of allotment site inspections and the processes employed to deal with non-compliant plot holders (i.e. uncultivated plots, disrepair or excessive bonfires)

·         the eviction process for removing plot holders (which included written warning letters over a series of months prior to any court action)

·         the levels of resistance from some compliant plot holders to the tighter restrictions on setting bonfires

·         an understanding that the refreshed Allotment Site Rules would be circulated to plot holders via a letter in the coming weeks

·         the potential of having CCTV cameras at allotment sites notwithstanding the lack of electricity provision at most sites and the restrictive costs of implementation.

RESOLVED that

a)    the proposed changes to the existing Council ‘Allotment Site Rules’, as presented, be received, noted and welcomed;

b)    officers intention to develop a new Allotment Strategy for 2025 – 2035 for submission to Cabinet, be also noted.

A Member of the Committee  is asked to move:-

“That in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and in respect of which the Proper Officer considers the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

RESOLVED

that in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and in respect of which the Proper Officer considers the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Ashlea Mongomery, the Council’s Team Leader for Improvement & Change presented the report regarding the project undertaken by Neighbourhood Services to review and update the Cemeteries and Memorials Strategy and identify additional cemetery space to meet future anticipated demand.

RESOLVED that

a)    the contents of the report and the ongoing project to review and update the Cemeteries and Memorials Strategy, be received and noted;

b)    the land options for Cemetery land expansion, as displayed, be also noted;

c)    the Team Leader for Improvement & Change be requested to arrange an information meeting with Hucknall Councillors to elicit their feedback in respect of the land options for cemetery land expansion, as presented at the meeting.