Agenda item

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public, including presentations from:

·         Offley Allotment Association

·         Wymondly Parish Council

·         Kimpton Parish Council

The Committee received presentations from the following public participants & groups:

·                Offley Allotment Association

·                Wymondley Parish Council

The Chair thanked the public for their presentations.

Audio recording – 6:48

Natalie Barton-Pye, Lucy Gallard and Neil Jay – Offley Allotment Association – thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee in support of their grant application and gave a presentation including:

·         They were seeking a grant asking for funds to get running water installed on the allotment site

·         The allotments in Offley had been around in their current location for about three years; previously, the plots were managed by the landlord.

·         Earlier this year, the landlord approached the plotholders and asked if they would create an association, to manage the plots and pay a lease;

·         The association became responsible for maintaining the site, collecting the rent, and making sure everything was maintained and safe on the site

·         Plot holders did not have any access to running water. During the winter months, they have water collection facilities; however, they do not have a source of water that is communal on the site which during the summer months becomes an issue because they collect or store enough water.

·         The allotment accommodates 31 plots, serving around 35 people and their families, and a school;

·         Installing permanent water access would save around a tonne of CO2 a year, and would allow plotholders without vehicles to access water year round.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor Claire Strong

·         Councillor Faye Frost

·         Councillor Lisa Nash

·         Councillor Mandi Tandi

In response to questions the Offley Allotment Association advised:

·         Plot rent was £18 a year for a half plot, or £30 for a full plot;

·         The allotment association was unable to charge much more than that until running water and security could be provided;

·         They were keen to keep rates low to ensure the allotments were accessible to people on low incomes;

·         Fundraising events including a quiz night and a Christmas market were planned;

·         £500 discretionary funding from the parish council had been secured;

·         There were other flat costs associated with running the allotments including ground rent, insurance, and maintenance of communal areas;

·         The landowners had provided some water troughs for water storage

·         Funding from Affinity Water, the supplier, was no longer available;

·         Any support the Committee could offer would be gratefully received, and funds were essential for the future success of the project; without water installed the association were concerned plotholders attracted to the site would lose crops and become disheartened with the project.

The Chair thanked the Offley Allotment Association for their presentation.

Parish Councillor Dr. Rebecca Riches-Duit – Little Wymondley Parish Council thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee in support of their grant application, and gave a presentation including:

·         She had agreed to take on the task of investigating the cost of purchasing and installing a new defibrillator for the parish and seeking grant funding;

·         The Parish Council did not have sufficient finances of its own to achieve this due to competing financial priorities partly related to COVID-19;

·         They were asking the Southern Rural Committee for a grant of £2225 pounds to purchase and install a defibrillator in the centre of Little Wymondley

·         The money would be spent on the purchase and installation of a tier one defibrillator that suits the community or the untrained user situation, to be installed on the outside wall of the Baptist Church on Stevens Road, which runs through the centre of the village;

·         The community would benefit from having a defibrillator accessible to assist anybody in cardiac arrest;

·         There was a defibrillator in the Parish but it was some way from the centre of the village in the locked sports pavilion and primarily intended for use during accidents at sporting events.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor Claire Strong

·         Councillor Faye Frost

·         Councillor Lisa Nash

In response to questions Parish Councillor Dr Rebecca Riches-Duit advised:

·         They did not believe the County Councillor for their area had the funding available to support this project;

·         The defibrillator in the sports pavilion was not sufficient for the needs of the community at large;

·         They would be able to look at funding the installation of the defibrillator themselves but funding from the Committee would be required to acquire it;

The Chair thanked Parish Councillor Dr Rebecca Riches-Duit for her presentation.