CONTENTS

ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

CARDIFF ALLOTMENTS PAGE WITH GUIDE

Specimen Text Of Local Management Agreement

Voluntary Termination of Tenancy Blank Form

Rules of Tenancy – Guidance Summary from Cardiff’s Handy Guide for Growers

WHEN AND HOW THE COUNCIL MAY TERMINATE OUR TENANCY OF OUR PLOT

ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

Please note that the provisions stated – e.g. regarding tool loan, which is not presently possible – are only so far as reasonably practicable, given availability of volunteer effort, affordability of insurance and so on. The reference to HarlechGC is an anachronism, this having been formally wound up by the Council and its remaining assets transferred to PPAA.

PPAA Committee.

Cardiff County Council – Constitution for an Allotment Association

 1. NAME:

The Pontcanna Permanent Allotment Association

 2. OBJECTIVES:

(1) To promote the interests of allotment holders and to take joint action for the benefit of members

(2) To co-operate with any committee set up by the government, local authorities and other bodies, to further the interests of allotment holders

(3) To co-operate with any committee, local authority, national or local body set up to provide seeds, potatoes, tools, etc., for allotment holders

(4) To take whatever steps required with the local authority for the good management and cultivation of allotment gardens

(5) To protect members from damage, trespass and theft, where possible

(6) To encourage use of allotments and advertise plot vacancies

(7) To arrange lectures, film shows, demonstrations, competitions and other social events

(8) To co-operate with other gardening associations in matters of mutual interest

 3. MEMBERS:

The Association shall consist of all persons who are current, legal and paid up holders of allotment gardens on the Pontcanna Permanent Allotment Site.

 4. SUBSCRIPTIONS:

All plot holders are entitled to join the Pontcanna Permanent Allotments Association. There are three levels of membership. All members are entitled to vote at Association elections.

Full Membership (£5)

Free use of manure

Free use of wood chip

Free use of PPAA tools

Use of shop (Harlech Gardening Club)

Associate Membership (£2)

Use of the shop only

Free membership

All other plot holders are members of the PPAA at no charge, but are not able to make use of any of the benefits listed above.

Only full membership entitles plot holders to manure and wood chip.

All members have the right to vote in Association elections.

 5. OFFICERS:

The Officers shall be a Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, who shall be ex-officio members of the Committee. They shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting. Retiring Officers shall be eligible for re-election.

6. COMMITTEE:

The affairs of the Association will be conducted by a Committee of Management of not less than 8 members for the Allotment Site. The Committee will retire at the Annual General Meeting but will be eligible for re-election. Casual vacancies shall be filled by the Committee and the members so appointed shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting. A quorum at Committee meetings shall be not less than 4 members.

7. GENERAL MEETINGS:

The Annual General Meeting, of which seven days’ notice shall be given and at which the audited accounts and Secretary’s report shall be submitted and the officers for the ensuing year elected. If a Special General Meeting is necessary, it must be called by a minimum of ten members at a Committee or a General Meeting. Six members shall form a quorum and in the case of equal voting the Chair shall have a casting vote. Voting shall be on the basis of one vote per allotment holder, irrespective of the number of plots cultivated. Members will be notified in advance of any proposed changes to the Constitution which will be discussed and voted on at a General Meeting. Records of the meeting to be provided to Cardiff County Council.

 8. No party political or sectarian discussions shall be raised or resolutions proposed at either Committee or General Meeting.

 9. FUNDS:

The Committee shall open a bank account in the name of the Association and all monies received from any source on behalf of the Association shall be paid into such account. Cheques shall be signed by two out of three signatories.

 10. AUDIT:

There shall be appointed an auditor, who is not a member of the Committee, to audit the accounts and submit a Report to the Annual General Meeting.

CARDIFF ALLOTMENTS PAGE WITH GUIDE

Cardiff have their own page, with a handy guide, which is reproduced – with acknowledgments – here:-

Specimen Text Of Local Management Agreement

The current signatories are not as shown on the pdf below – which may also be downloaded – but the current agreement is on like terms.

Voluntary Termination of Tenancy – Blank Form

The jpg file below may be downloaded, printed off, and used for this purpose. Right click and “save to downloads” or similar.

Rules of Tenancy – Guidance Summary – extract from Cardiff’s Handy Guide for Growers

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UNDERSTANDING THE ALLOTMENT RULES 

What are the rules for?

The Allotments Act and your Tenancy Agreement dictate how your allotment can be used. The agreement is a legal document and failure to comply with it could result in the termination of your tenancy.

Summary of the rules

Please note: 

This summary is provided as a guide to help you understand your tenancy agreement. It is provided for information purposes only and is not [in itself] legally binding. It does not replace [that is, re-write] the terms and conditions of your Allotment Tenancy Agreement [which is].

Under your Allotment Tenancy Agreement, you are expected to:

1 – Maintain your plot in good condition

This means you must:

• Cultivate all of your plot, keeping it weed free and well-manured.

• Clear all weeds to prevent them from setting seed and causing nuisance to others

• Maintain pathways between your plot and those surrounding it in good condition and free from any obstructions.

• Display your plot number clearly within the allotment plot.

• Maintain any sheds, greenhouses or other structures in good condition, otherwise you may be asked to remove them.

• Leave the plot in good condition, free from rubbish and structures if you decide to terminate your tenancy. The Council will recover the costs of doing this from you if you fail to do so.

2 – Use your allotment only for the approved purpose

This means you must:

• Use your Allotment plot only for growing produce. You cannot keep livestock and you are not permitted to cut or prune trees for timber. However, you are permitted to prune fruit trees on your plot.

• Cultivate your plot for the benefit of you and your family and friends. Allotments are not to be used for trade, business or retail.

• Cultivate the plot yourself. No part of the plot should be sub-let to any other person.

• Get permission to locate any building or structure on the plot (see Section 6). No buildings on site are to be used for sleeping accommodation and you must not install any hard surface or patio on your plot.

3 – Be a responsible allotment holder:

This means you must:

• Always ensure that the gate(s) to the allotment are locked after entering or leaving the site.

• Keep your keys for your own use. Do not give site keys to other people or allow them to visit the site unsupervised.

• Ensure your dog remains on your plot at all times if brought to the site

• Closely supervise any children you bring with you, ensuring they remain on your plot. The allotment site is not a playground

• Avoid causing nuisance, damage or annoyance to the council, other allotment tenants or the residents of surrounding property/land. Nuisance could include the use of bad or abusive language, getting drunk, playing loud music or lighting bonfires. No fires are allowed on allotment plots.

• Ensure no noxious, dangerous or carcinogenic materials are present on the allotment plot. The use of materials containing asbestos is not permitted.

• Be courteous to other plot holders. Do not use any threatening or abusive behaviour on the site, either physical or verbal.

• Make sure your plot is kept in a tidy condition. You are not allowed to bring domestic refuse onto the site or allow any waste materials to accumulate on the plot. Old carpets must not be used to cover bare ground before planting. See Section 5 [of the Cardiff Guide] for alternative ways of reducing weed growth.

• Retain all topsoil and subsoil on your plot. You may not remove or sell any mineral, gravel, sand or clay from the allotment site

• Visit the site only in daylight hours. Do not visit before sunrise or after sunset.

4 – Reduce, re-use and recycle

This means you must:

• Compost all soft vegetable waste on your plot, compost and recycle as much as possible

• Use water sparingly, harvest rainwater where possible. Consider collecting rain water in water tanks for use on the plot. Do not use hosepipes.

5 – Get appropriate permission from the Council when required

You will need formal permission for:

• Planting trees (other than small growing fruit trees) on an allotment site

• Building a shed, greenhouse, pond, fence or any other structure on the allotment

6 – Ensure payments and records are up to date

This means you must:

• Be a Cardiff resident to hold an allotment, unless the Council consents otherwise.

• Pay your rent promptly when you receive your bill

• Contact the Council if you change your address

• Tell the both the Council and the Site Secretary when you decide to give up your plot, we have waiting lists for all sites

7 – What happens if I breach the rules?

Your tenancy may be terminated if you do not comply with the allotment rules. Depending on how you have breached the rules this will happen in one of two ways:

(1 )- Breach of rules, including non payment of rent

The Council will give you one months notice in writing that tenancy is to be terminated.

(2) – Conviction of theft from any allotment plot by the tenant or any person invited by them onto the allotment site

Your Tenancy Agreement will terminate immediately and without notice.

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