BHAF AGM 2024 minutes

The BHAF AGM on 26th March 2024 was a great event, thanks to BHAF organisers, Brighton & Hove Council and the many plot holders, co-workers and people on the waiting list who attended. This was probably the most important AGM to date, as warning signs suggested the allotment service was broken and everyone was keen to hear reassurances from the Council that action would be taken to redress this.

Given this importance, the minutes are pretty detailed and we have an audio transcription too for anyone keen to catch discussions on a specific topic. Here are some headlines:

1. It was a packed room at Brighthelm’s auditorium, with great representation from the council:

• • Rob Walker – Manager, City Parks
  • Cllr Tim Rowkins – Chair, City Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee
  • Theresa Fowler – Deputy Chair, City Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee
  • Chenine Bhathena – Assistant Director of Culture, Tourism and Sport
  • Cllr Mitchie Alexander – City Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee
  • Cllr Keri Pickett – Cllr Kerry Pickett – City Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee (Opposition Spokesperson)

2. Mark Carroll (BHAF Chair) presented a brief summary review of the allotment strategy 2014. The council had only completed 7 out of 83 actions in this agreed allotment strategy.

3. The waiting list has increased by 500 people in the last year, representing £9,400 in revenue for the council. Everyone agreed reducing the waiting list was a priority.

4. Site reps (passionate allotment volunteers) are not sufficiently supported and feel their contribution is not valued by the council currently. They need access to email addresses of people on the waiting list to get things moving and address the rise in vacant and overgrown plots. The council acknowledged their contribution and conceded this required improvement. A new post and a management focus on the allotment service has been agreed and this will hopefully result in positive (and swift!) action.

5. The council confirmed it is not planning to outsource the allotment service, but to create an actionable short-term plan focused on the key priorities: site lettings, site rep training and inspections.

6. The Allotment Oversight Board introduction (BHAF and Council representatives) has been positive. The council promised to deliver an improvement plan to the Board at the next (end April) meeting.

7. BHAF Development Fund applications have slowed and these are positively encouraged from site reps. If you have an idea, speak to your site rep! More info here.

8. Dr Beth Nicholls & Leah Salm, University of Sussex presented a summary of recently completed biodiversity projects and the impact they’d had. Bitesize Biodiversity is a new project seeking participants to record their growing activities. Contact Leah for more information l.salm@greenwich.ac.uk

So what next?

The council representatives were keen to listen to and respond to concerns and promised to deliver an improvement plan to the Allotment Oversight Board at the next (end April) meeting. As many of the concerns and conversations are not new, with more experienced volunteers jaded by repeated problems and lack of action, we are truly hopeful that this improvement plan is delivered and we can all realise the full benefits of allotments.

You can download the minutes here:

AGM 2024 Minutes (PDF)

BHAF AGM 2024 minutes (Word)

Audio recording of meeting on YouTube here