As last year, due to the covid situation it was not possible to hold an AGM this year, therefore the committee officers have issued annual reports which are shown below. Any comments or queries should be addressed to members of the committee.

Chairman's Annual Report 2021

I think the last 12 months will certainly be one that will be remembered for a long time and not for the right reasons. I can honestly say that having an Allotment has made the last year more bearable knowing I can still carry on gardening whilst the rest of the country was locked down.
You will be aware that most of our yearly events had to be cancelled which left only our outdoor competitions still able to go ahead. But this pause in our calendar gave me an idea to have a look at our show to see how it could be improved. It always concerned me that the flower section of our show was either in the back room or in the conservatory, flowers should be the focal point of any show which is why I thought let’s have a flower show in its own right and a separate vegetable show, it’s gives us more room to show off our hard work. This will give exhibitors more time to display rather than rushing and also having two shows will give two days support to the social club. I put the ideas to the committee and two new shows have been created. We are all geared up for the shows but we are still in the hands of government as to whether restrictions will be lifted in time, fingers crossed.
At this point I would like to congratulate the competition winners from last year, standards remained high as usual
We had our usual site tidy up back In July, there was a great turn out from committee members and plotholders and my thanks goes out to everyone who helped.
My thanks also go to the committee members for helping where they could during a difficult year, thank you to Allan our Secretary who in my opinion has a difficult job with the day to day running of the site, plot allocations, dealing with the city (and that deserves a medal) and trying to sort out problems, thank you to Mike, our money man for ensuring our accounts are accurate and presented to the city on time and thank you to John our show Secretary who may have thought he was having a year off until I came up with the idea of two shows, John went away changed all the show schedules (several times) and started the planning process for the event.
Looking ahead will see a change in our landlord, as I write this final preparations are being put together to hand over all Sutton Coldfield Allotments to Sutton Coldfield town council. Due to the restrictions meetings with all 10 sites have not been able to take place but I know the councillor is desperate to have a meeting with the site secretaries when he can. Day to day plot holders should not see any changes, there has been an updated rule book put together but this is very similar to the one in place with the city but from a site management point we as a committee should see a more proactive landlord than the one we currently have.

Health and safety
There have been no accidents reported to me over the last 12 months and no issues outstanding

This concludes my report
Jason
Chairman


Site Secretary's Annual Report 2021

What a strange year! A year unlike any other we hope but one to have behind us. But the allotments have been the salvation for so many and there are many more names on our waiting list now, many people who want a plot. When I get a request for a plot I tell them that there is a long waiting list but the only way to get a plot is to go on the list and wait. All the sites in Sutton Coldfield are in the same position with very long waiting lists.
The plot has been the safe destination for so many and a relief and release like no other. I wish to thank everyone for their consideration and care while being on site.
There are 76 plotholders on site at the moment with four new plotholders joining us in October. Peter Lane on plot 1B had to finish on the plot due to health reasons. He had been with us for a few years and was very reluctant to leave. Samantha Howell has taken over from Peter. Sam, very successfully worked with Peter last year helping him out with the heavier tasks. Making it easier for Peter to finish. Sam is doing a good job on plot 1B.
Phil Harris on plot 25b moved house to go to live in Wales.
Jo Murphy always wanted a plot higher up the site and this plot was the one, leaving plot 1A. Jo has spent a lot of time and effort getting the plot into a layout for her to work successfully for years to come. This was a good and long awaited move. The option is available for anyone to request a move within the site to a larger plot or a smaller one or simply to move to a different part of the site as this proves.
The plot vacated by Jo was taken over by Kyrstina Kornak, (Kristina and Thomas) and they also have worked hard to remodel the site for their convenience. To get the plot into a layout that they need. Progress is being successfully made.
Peter Cooke finally admitted that he would have to give up his plot after 20 years on site. He joined us in 1999 as a very active 70 year old. He invited Mathew Smith off the waiting list to help him out last year and this worked well. Mathew has since taken plot 41c as a mini plot and continued where he left off last year.
This created plot 41D. A mini plot which was offered to James Bevan . James has set up his plot effectively for his own purpose. Very enthusiastically and with the help of a little one, very effectively.
All our new plotholders should be with us for a long time.
Peter Cooke sadly passed away quite soon after releasing the reins on his plot. He is missed by all of us who knew him and worked along side him.

It has been difficult to keep the store shed stocked up due to the national growth of interest in gardening. Our supplier has done all he can to get the stock in to supply his customers with what they require. Compost is at a premium. I thought that I had overstocked with canes, they all sold out. The compost suppliers cannot fill the bags fast enough to keep up with orders. They even have had a problem getting the bags printed quickly enough to cope with the demand.
Colin Jones installed the solar powered lighting to our store shed and maintenance shed. This has proved to be very successful and is a big step forward. Our thanks go to Colin for sharing his expertise with us by planning the job securing all the relevant parts and installing the very successful system.
The year to come should be very important to us. We will have to find a successful alternative to the commonly used slug pellets as the chemical used will be banned from March 2022. They should be disappearing from the shelves from now on.
Peat will disappear from the garden centres during the next four years. What alternatives are there?
And more important news is still to come.

My thanks go to all the committee for helping us to keep the site going in difficult times. Things are improving and better times are ahead. Thankyou for reading my report.
Allan

Treasurers's Annual Report 2021

As you know, we have 2 accounts. The Management Account relates to the money that Birmingham City Council give us each year to carry out maintenance and repairs.

They also give us a commission of 10% of the rent collected each year.This money is provided for the cost of running the site as distinct from maintenance and repairs. We do not have to report to the Council how this money is spent. As I said in my report last year, in order to make things simpler, I have transferred this money into our Main Account where it is shown with the other income and expenditure.

1. Management Account
Income
The total income was £716.14. This includes £290 for water and £277 for repairs etc.
Expenditure
The outgoings totaled £793.29 . An overspend £77.15 .
This was due to the money (£232.91) that we spent on replacing the padlocks and supplying new keys to plotters
This left us with a bank balance of £1827.68. This information has been sent to the council (BCC) for their approval.

2. Main Account.
Income.
The total income was £1077.31, expenditure £556.28, leaving a surplus of £521.03.
Looking at the income in detail.
The plant sale produced a profit of £127.00. This was almost entirely due to the sale of Hostas, which a plotter kindly donated.
The commission on the rent collected last year was £360.75
The major income came from the store shed which produced a profit of £527.56. This is up from last year and is a result of increased sales.
Expenditure.
As in the last few years, we paid the rent for our over-80s, at a cost of £147.00
(There was no trophy engraving last year so we saved £146.50.)
As a result of all this our bank account showed an increase £631.10 and now stands at £5,581.97

I would like to finish by thanking the committee for assisting me over the last year, particularly in the storeshed.
Mike Hubball
Treasurer

Show Secretary's Annual Report 2021

Sadly there’s not much to report for the last twelve months, none of our anticipated events were able to go ahead, however all plot related and certain other competitions did, so congratulations to all those who took part. Hopefully we’ll be able to have the relevant trophies engraved with the winners names later this year.
Plant Sale
This was held on 22nd May , originally intended to be held on both Saturday and Sunday it was decided that in view of the amount of plants sold not to continue on the Sunday but as the store shed would be open sales could be dealt with through there. Many thanks to everyone who donated, purchased and often both for this event.
Annual Show
Late last year Jason suggested we consider holding two show events for 2021as a precursor for future years. The last few years have seen us running out of exhibition space with exhibits often cramped together and this does not do justice to either the exhibit or to the hard work put in by the exhibitor. Also it would help the Social Club revenues.
Consequently we propose two events this year, Sunday 1st August a ‘Bloom’N’Bake’ Bonanza for flower and domestic classes with 31 flower classes and 9 domestic. There are numerous new flower classes and the range of domestic classes has been revised and increased. On Sunday 22nd August the show is devoted to fruit and vegetables, 38 veg and 8 fruit. Some previous classes attracting only minimal entries have been deleted but there are numerous new additions. The hope is that these new shows and revised scheduleswill appeal to more plot holders and social club members thereby attracting more contestants. Remember they are meant to be a social and fun occasion. We also purchased a supply of revised entrant cards for last year so hopefully we’ll start to use them this year.
Quite a number of allotment society sites were researched for ideas as to what to include/exclude in our schedules and whilst doing so it was noticed that the majority of societies who also held scarecrow competitions requested that entrants did not use mannequins as not everyone had access to one. Your committee have therefore decided to adopt the same request.
Once the shows have been held ( hopefully, fingers crossed) we hope that entrants etc will be willing to tell us what worked, what didn’t, what could be improved so that future shows will be even better.
Looking to the future I hope we will be able to hold our Plot Luck Supper Night in October and hand out numerous awards and certificates.
As usual , and it can’t be said enough, without the enthusiastic support of our plot holders there would be little point in holding competitions and shows so again please accept my thanks for taking part and if you haven’t why not?
Finally my thanks to my fellow committee members for their continued support.
John


Site Maintenance Annual Report 2021

Water. Year 2020 total used was 263 cubic meters which was 143 cubic metres more than 2019. This was due to the extremely dry spell, coupled with hot weather. We have already had a period of a long, dry spell, before the welcome rain arrived. If this is the way the weather is going to be we will all need to think more of water conservation.
The hedges by the seed shed have been tidied up.
Thank you to people who help keep the area around leafmould skip tidy by bagging up the horse manure bags and putting them in the compound.
Efforts by plotholders on site clear up days are much appreciated by all on the committee.
Paul