Allotment Meeting Feb 2018

Following the emergency meeting held on the 30th November at Idverde's office in Cheam Park, I can now confirm that the date for the next regular Sutton Allotment Group Meeting has been booked for Monday 19th February starting at 10:00 am. to be held at the Salvation Army Church 45 Benhill Avenue Sutton SM1 4DD (The hyperlink shows the location on Google maps)

I have been notified that there have been some problems with invites that I sent from the Facebook Group that I've set up for the LBS Site Reps. If those of you that are not already members of the group could please load Facebook and search for " lbs allotments site rep assoc " you should see the group, and a current members list. You should be able to request to join and I can then approve the request and add you to the group

There are a number documents that have been uploaded and conversations that are taking place, and obviously the idea is that we all communicate so that we can exchange ideas and problems and are ready for the Allotment Group Meeting, as we need to dictate the agenda and run the meeting to ensure we iron out the problems that we have been experiencing before, during and after the transition of allotments management to Idverde.

Please take a look at the Contact List above and let me have your plot number if it's not listed on the page. The web site is a starter for 10 and I would really value your comments and input and if you want anything like Jack did re Tools for Self-Reliance please email the text and any supporting images and I will add it to the blog area.

Alan Wooldridge - Mill Green Site Rep

Tools for Self Reliance

Jack Hamilton of Forge Lodge allotment informed me at the recent meeting with Idverde that he is a member of Tools For Self-Reliance Sutton Group of volunteers with different engineering backgrounds who can dismantle and refurbish just about any tool that comes their way.

Tools for Self Reliance (TfSR) helps people in Central Africa build sustainable livelihoods by providing them with tools along with technical, business and life skills training.

When they have completed training, they receive the tools, enabling them to generate an income to look after themselves and their families, ensuring a culture of self reliance, not dependency.

Groups of volunteers around the UK work to collect and refurbish donated hand tools and sewing machines which are shipped in complete kits to their partner organisations in six countries in Africa: Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Click Here for more information

The Sutton Group of volunteers meets weekly to refurbish tools and sewing machines. They then make up kits – for carpenters, plumbers, leatherworkers, blacksmiths, bicycle repairers, sewing etc.

Last year they supplied around 1000 tools, over 100 sewing machines and 27 boxes of haberdashery, and are always happy to receive donations of tools, sewing machines and haberdashery, old and new hand tools. These can be dropped off either to their workshop which is located at the end of Honeywood Walk Carshalton and is open onon Tuesday and Thursday between 10am and 2pm

There are sometimes donated tools, sewing machines and other items which haven’t been requested, or which are in some way unsuitable or surplus to requirements.

Garden tools are made locally in Africa to different designs from the UK. Thus if you have now allotmenteers who need cheap gardening tools they can be purchased from the workshop, for a small donation.

All funds that are generated from the sale of tools goes to TfSR HQ after the Sutton Group have met their running expenses.

Emergency Meeting - 30th Nov 2017

An emergency meeting between as many Site Reps as we could muster, Idverde and Bill Wyatt was held on Thursday 30th November at the Idverde Cheam Depot to address issues of waiting lists not being dealt with effectively during 2017 and to agree a way forward and set achievable actions that with regards the site inspections, Non-Cultivation Notices, and Notices to Quit in 2018. 

Resulting Actions by

RK = Richard Kelly - Idverde
KM = Kay Mankerty - Idverde
AW = Alan Wooldridge - LBS Site Rep Association
BW = Bill Wyatt - London Borough of Sutton

• KM to work with Site Reps regarding inspections and  the issuing of Non-Cultivation Notices

• KM to work with Site Reps top of the waiting list each Non-Cultivation  

• KM to continue updating Site Reps list and their contact details and pass details to AW
(it was agreed at the meeting that the contact details of site reps could be shared)

• AW to publish details re Non-Cultivation Notices on Facebook Group for consultation between the Site Reps and on the Allotment Site Rep Association website so that Tenants as well as the Site Reps know in advance what the process is.

• AW to coordinate a review if the Gardening Guidelines for approval at the meeting in Feb 2018 

• BW to confirm a date for a meeting in February 2018. RK has offered King George’s Pavilion as an alternative venue if the LBS Civic meeting rooms are booked due to the elections.

Vacant Plots October 2017

Figures from Idverde for the Vacant plots as of 13th October 2017 and waiting List figures supplied on the 19th October 2017 these do not include existing tenants that are after particular normally adjacent plots if they ever become free.

Bear in mind that there will be more vacant plots as a result of those that don't renew their tenancy this year. This list will be updated once the invoicing period is over and it is known how many people have not renewed their tenancy  

No       Waiting  Vacant                                
Plots    List        Plots       Allotment Name           

  15       04           02        Beddington Park        
135       26           05        Belmont                        
172       10           08        Benhill                           
101       17           20        Buckland Way               
  26       07             0        Bushy Meadow              
112       16           06        Bute Road                     
  55       05           03        Bute Road Orchard       
  12       29             0        Central Road                  
  34       09             0        Chaucer Road               
  21       08           01        Cheam Court                  
  61       17           02        Cheam Park Nursery      
  19       10           06        Cheam Park Paddock    
    5       01           01        Clensham Lane              
  24       09           01        Culvers Avenue             
278       12           41        Demesne Road              
  35       05           02        Duke Street                    
    6       07             0        Forge Lane                     
  23       01             0        Fryston Avenue             
217       19           13        Gander Green Lane      
 63        09           02        Goose Green                 
106       21           04        Green Wrythe Lane       
  20       04             0        Lavender Road               
  21         4             0        Mill Green                       
  57       10           08        Perretts Field                
    6       19             0        Priory Crescent              
    2       07             0        Pylbrook Triangle            
  58       05           09        Ridge Road                     
106       10           14        Roundshaw                    
  57       11           01        Spencer Road                
276       14           04        Stanley Road                 
  15       39             0        The Warren                     
  32       04           06        Wandle Road                  
  12       01           01        Wandle Side                    
  27       02           02        Watson Avenue           
171       24           18        Westmead Road           
  14       07             0        Wrights Row                    

138 Plots in total

Idverde are working on conjunction with the LBS Allotment Site Rep Association to recruit site reps on allotments that don't currently have representation on the Sutton Allotments Group.

Where there are Site Reps Kay Mankerty of Idverde is putting those waiting for a plot in touch with the Site Rep so that they can arrange to meet with the site rep to view the plot and decide if they would like to take it on.

Kay Mankerty can be contacted via email using kay.mankerty@idverde.co.uk or using her direct line telephone number which is 0203 876 8812

Annual allotment invoices for 2017/2018

Annual allotment invoices for 2017/2018 that covers the period from 01/10/2017 to 30/09/2018 have been sent to plot holders via email, if email addresses have been provided by the plot holder when completing the agreement documentation.

Bills are based upon Current rates per square metre of Basic=£0.310, Concession=£0.232, Water =£0.064. Plot Holders have 30 days to pay their invoice from the day sent whether sent via e-mail or post. Reminders after 30 days will be sent electronically and by post.

Not all plot holders are aware that Idverde Limited are the managing agents for the London Borough of Suttons allotments, and that payment is now to be made to them and not the London Borough of Sutton. As a result some plotholders have asked if these email invoices are genuine or not. In future years the invoice will also contain the London Borough of Sutton Logo.

LBS Allotment Site Rep Assoc. members have requested a notice informing plot holders about them taking over allotment management which Idverde have created and site reps can place on the allotment noticeboard(s)

There is no longer an on line facility to pay your ground rent, however the invoice provides  all the information you require to pay via internet banking or telephone banking. There are also options to pay via telephone or by sending in a cheque. The Invoice Number is at the top of the page on the invoice and has not been repeated with all the bank details, despite there being a field for it, hopefully this will be corrected next year.

Please note that you can no longer pay in person at the Denmark Road council offices.

Paper invoices can be requested from Kay Mankerty and her direct email address is kay.mankerty@idverde.co.uk. or her direct line telephone number is 020 3876 8812

Next year Idverde wants to move to a predominantly e-mail based invoicing procedure, purely because it’s faster and cheaper. That's only going to happen if they contact everyone on the database and enquire if they have an email address and want to receive their invoice electronically.