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Rules |
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A short history of the Society
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Revised rules and objectives agreed at the Society's Annual General Meeting on 20 November 2007 2. Objectives 3. Organisation 4. Membership 6. Rents, water and other charges 7. Conduct
1.1 The Society shall be called the "Romford Smallholders Society ", hereafter referred to as the Society. 1.2 The Society manages its site between Pretoria Road and Jubilee Avenue, Romford which includes access roads to the two gates of the site, buildings used by the Society in connection with its business and the allotment field itself upon which plots are let to members of the Society. The Society has produced this set of rules (hereafter referred to as the Rules) in order to govern the conduct of it's members and so ensure the safe running of the site for the benefit of its collective membership and also the local community. Agreement to abide by the Rules is a condition of membership of the Society.
2.1 To lease and let land for the purpose of allotments for cultivation and / or the quiet enjoyment of the allotment field. 2.2 To promote interest within the local community of allotment gardening. 2.3 To provide gardening opportunities for all persons. 2.4 To supply horticultural commodities to the Society's members, by means of a trading store 2.5 To promote bio-diversity on the allotment field
3.2 The Society will hold an annual general meeting in November or each year open to all its members each with an equal vote on attendance. No proxy or postal votes are allowed at the AGM. 3.3 The Society shall be governed by a management committee (hereafter referred to as the Committee) consisting of a maximum of 16 members. Of those committee members, half their number shall be elected to serve for two years at the AGM. 3.4 The Society will maintain this set of rules and its objectives and make them available to its Members. A copy will be displayed in the trading store at all times. 3.5 The rules and objectives of the Society may only be amended subject to the approval by a majority of members voting at the AGM. 3.6 The principal officers of the Committee shall be Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Site Manager and Treasurer each of whom are to be elected annually at the AGM. Principal Officers of the Committee will have their responsibilities agreed by the Committee should they need to be varied. The Site Manager has emergency powers in respect of immediate issues of health and safety on the allotment site without prior reference to the Committee e.g. the banning of fires during dry weather. 3.7 Additional officers as are necessary to conduct the Society's business may be elected annually at the AGM. Such additional officers need not be members of the Committee. 3.8 All the members of Committee will be entitled to the refund of their reasonable out of pocket expenses in respect of their work on behalf of the Society subject to the approval of the Committee in each case. Additional refunds of monies spent by other persons on behalf of the Society may be made at the discretion of the Committee. 3.9 The Secretary and Treasurer shall keep the documents of the Society (minutes of meetings, accounts etc) and produce them at each meeting of the Committee and at the Annual General Meeting. 3.10 The Committee will meet once per month throughout the year at a date, time and place of its choosing. 3.11 The Committee has the right to call extraordinary general meetings. 3.12 The Annual General Meeting and any Extraordinary General Meetings shall be publicised at least two weeks beforehand and be open to all Members of the Society. 3.13 Monthly meetings of the Committee are restricted to Committee members only or to any persons making special representations (such as appealing against expulsion or over rents) or to people specially invited by a principal officer of the Committee. 3.14 The Society's accounts shall be audited by two persons nominated by the Committee.
4.1 Only members of the Society may rent plots on the allotment field. 4.2 The annual subscription for members shall be agreed by the AGM. The subscription entitles members to purchase items from the Society's trading store and to any on-site events run by the Society (such as open days). 4.3 The subscription must be paid by 31 December each year. 4.4 A member shall cease to be a member in any of the following eventualities: (a) failure to pay their subscription by the 31 December of any year (b) their resignation (c) their expulsion
5.1 The Committee may expel any member who it agrees, by majority vote, has so seriously breached the rules of the Society that they should no longer be allowed to be a member provided that at least 42 clear days' notice is given in writing to the member concerned of the intention to expel them and an opportunity given for the member's case to be stated before the next available Committee in person by the member or their representative. 5.2 A member aggrieved by any action of the Committee (including expulsion) may appeal to the next Annual General Meeting, whose decision shall be final. Any expelled Member who intends to appeal to the AGM is not entitled to enter the allotment site or continue to cultivate his or her plot in the interim. 5.3 Any member who withdraws their membership is not entitled to a refund.
6. Rents, water and other charges 6.1 The rents for individual plots will be based on plot size which is to be decided by the Committee who will set the rent in each case. The overall rate will be agreed annually by the Committee. 6.2 Rents are payable from 1 October each year and must be paid by 30 November in the same year. 6.3 Disputes over rents will be decided by the Committee whose decision is final. 6.4 Any person who terminates the rental of their plot shall not be entitled to a refund. 6.5 Charges for tap water are included in the rent for each plot and the committee has the right to levy additional charges. Charges for the use of hosepipes and sprinklers are the subject of an additional charge to be set each year and agreed by the Committee and will be based on the level of water rates for the preceding year. The charges will be publicised to members as soon as possible after they are determined. 6.6 Charges for the use of hosepipes and sprinklers are payable upon first use of such equipment. Upon first use, the full charge for the full year must be paid even where that would amount to a retrospective payment. This is with the exception of new Members who may have joined the Society part-way through the year and only be paying part-rent in which case the hosepipe / sprinkler charge may be reduced at the discretion of the Membership Secretary. Only one hose pipe (and associated sprinkler) may be in use on each plot at any one time. Members must not use more than one hose on their plot nor may they use a hose pipe while at the same time as using another hose pipe and sprinkler. In respect of this rule, using a hosepipe by laying it on the ground or supporting it by any means other than being held by a person will be considered as use of a sprinkler. The use of a hosepipe to fill up water butts on plots will not be considered to require the payment of a hosepipe fee. 6.6.1 Use of a hosepipe or the use of a sprinkler without payment of the appropriate charge as soon as is reasonably practicable will constitute a breach of the Rules. Continued use of a hosepipe or sprinkler without payment of the appropriate fee will result in the matter being referred to the Committee for consideration of termination of membership.
7.1 Behaviour. Members must not use abusive, derogatory or threatening language or behaviour to other persons while on the site. 7.2 Fires. Members may only burn organic material produced on their own plot, they may not bring combustible refuse from other locations to be burned on site with the sole exception of kindling material to start their fires. No plastic waste at all may be burned on the plot. Members may only light bonfires on their own plots (or on others with the express permission of the respective plot holders) when to do so would not result in discomfort to other people working on the site or to persons nearby including those occupying neighbouring residential properties. This is because bonfire smoke is an irritant and can cause respiratory illness. 7.2.1 Members must ensure that fires are only lit when the wind direction will take smoke away from people and properties nearby. Even if a fire is already lit, the person responsible for the fire must extinguish it if asked to do so by another member of the Society because it is causing them discomfort, or by a member of the London Fire Brigade, a police officer or an environmental health officer of The London Borough of Havering. Fires must not be started unless adequate means for their extinguishment is available. Fires must not be left unattended and must be damped down before the member responsible leaves the site. Fires must not be lit on any areas other than plots such as the roadways or designated parking or passing places. During periods of dry weather fires may be banned without prior notice when this is considered necessary by the Committee or the Site Manager. 7.3 Parking. Members may only park in the specifically designated parking areas within the site, on their own plots or on others with the express agreement of the respective plot holder(s). Vehicles parked on plots must not protrude into the roadways; this is to ensure that the roadway is unobstructed at all times. Obstructing passing places or the roadway makes access difficult and may hinder emergency service vehicles. A plan showing the parking and passing places is on permanent display in the trading store. 7.4 Watering. Members using hose pipes will allow those persons using watering cans, buckets etc, to fill up the static water container by the standpipe as soon as the water within it is exhausted to the point that watering cans or buckets can no longer be used to collect water. This is to ensure that as many people as possible have access to water at all times; however this may mean that during periods of high water demand hosepipe and sprinkler use cannot be continuous. 7.5 Pathways. Paths between plots must be maintained in a generally level and safe condition and must not be eroded by cultivation or other means to a width less than 1/2 metre . Neither may objects be placed on or in the pathways which hinder their use. This is because unobstructed access to plots is needed in order to allow the cultivation of the allotment field and to allow access by emergency services. 7.6 Noise. No amplified music may be played on the allotment field. This is to ensure that undue levels of noise are not experienced by other Members or the occupants of nearby residential properties. Members using their plots for recreational use must bear in mind that other plot holders nearby may wish to work on their land at the same time without undue interruption. 7.7 Speed of vehicles. Vehicle speed must not exceed 15 mph anywhere on the site and must slow to walking speed when passing over hose pipes laid on the roadway. Driving at speed over hose pipes laid on roadways can cause them to be forced off taps damaging the standpipes and resulting in a needless waste of water and expensive repairs to pipe-work. 7.8 Use of chemicals. Care must be exercised at all times when using chemical sprays (especially weed killers) to ensure that the spray does not drift onto neighbouring plots. All chemicals must be mixed up well clear of the static water containers by the stand pipes to avoid contamination of the water supply to non-hose pipe users. 7.9 Site security. Gates must not be left open or unlocked. All users of the site are responsible for locking the access gates immediately after their entry or departure from the site without exception. This is to ensure unauthorised persons are prevented from entering the site. Keys for the gates to the site must be returned to the Membership Secretary on resignation or expulsion from the Society. 7.10 Notice Boards. The site's notice boards are only for official notices of the Society which have been approved by the committee. Unauthorised notices will be removed. End. |
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