AGM 2026 Lewisham Self Managed Allotments AssociationAnnual General Meeting 2026Friday 13 February, 2026 7pmRoom 3 Civic Suite Catford SE6 4RUMinutes of meetingAttendees
Lewisham Self Managed Allotments Association
Annual General Meeting 2026
Friday 13 February, 2026 7pm
Room 3 Civic Suite Catford SE6 4RU
Minutes of meeting
Attendees
Emilia Lorusso | Barmeston Road |
Peter Wood | Barmeston Road |
Paulette Walker | Broadmead |
Kareen Gordon | Broadmead |
Heather Locklear | Broadmead |
John Denton (LSMAA Chair) | Chinbrook Meadows |
Rita Hooks | Hazelbank Road |
Stephanie Brooks | Hurstbourne Road |
Dean Hughes | Knapmill Way |
Judit Chouarfi Pap | Lee and District Land Club |
Allison Streetly | Lee and District Land Club |
Angela Hedges | Lee and District Land Club |
Anna Smyth | Longton Nursery |
Alan Marsh | Meadow Close |
Patricia Gelthooft | Meadow Close |
David Watkinson | Meadow Close |
Andrew Bartlett | Priestfield Road |
Trevor Williams | Romborough Gardens |
Mike Williams | Royal Naval Place and Stanley Street |
Rosy Meehan | Slaithwaite Road |
Ainsley Wickens | Slaithwaite Road |
Joel Xhaard | Taylors Lane |
Katherine Blair (LSMAA Secretary) | Trewsbury Road |
Steve Belk (LSMAA Treasurer) | Trewsbury Road |
Peter Maynard | London Borough of Lewisham |
Beatrice Dandy | London Borough of Lewisham |
Hilary Moore | Lewisham Councillor for LDLC |
1. Apologies for absence
Dorian Watkins | Taylor’s Lane |
Daniel Warren Sheena Roberts | Trewsbury Road |
2. Minutes of previous AGM held on 31 January 2025
Minutes of previous meeting agreed as true record
3. Any matter arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda
None raised
4. Chair’s report – John Denton
Chairman's Address
I would like to welcome our guests, members of the committee, self managed site representatives and visitors, ladies and gentlemen.
Thanks to you all for giving up your time to be here on what is such an inhospitable night.
I welcome you all to our annual general meeting. As the Chairman of the LSMAA, I am delighted to see such a wonderful turnout today. We are especially pleased to welcome our guests, Peter Maynard, Green Space Contracts Officer and Beatrice Dandy, Food Growing Officer, London Borough of Lewisham.
The past year has been one of weeks without rain and weeks with nothing but rain. We are seeing the growing season for many plants starting earlier and finishing later.
We have lost one site from the Association as the small site Jim Hurren at Bellingham has become directly managed by the council.
I would like to pay tribute to all of you volunteers who give so much time and effort to make sure that our Self Managed Sites are so well run.
Despite the challenges you have faced over boundary fences, water supplies, more about that later, vacant plots not being filled promptly, site maintenance, collecting rents, and organising work days to name but a few.
Once again, I welcome you all. I wish for a successful and enjoyable meeting. Thank you.
5. Treasurer’s report –Steve Belk
i. 2025 accounts report
Income and Expenditure for the year ended 31st December 2025
Income
Subscriptions £498*
Total income £498
Expenditure
AT Kotz, competition video/editing £300.00
Awards venue costs £376.32
Emily Millhouse, Awards speaker £75.00
Awards overheads £34.93
Bank charges £48.01
Total expenditure £834.26
Excess of Income over Expenditure £336.26
Balance c/f from 2024 £1021.21
Bank balance at 31/12/25 £684.95
*Subscriptions paid by 16 sites out of 26
In 2025 Lloyd’s bank started to charge a monthly fee as well as individual charges for depositing cheques leading to a total of £48.01 in bank charges. The committee therefore agreed to move the account to NatWest who provide free banking. The new bank details from 2026 are as follows:
NatWest Bank
The Lewisham Self MGD Allots Council
Account number: 10250174
Sort code: 600262
ii. 2026 Levy
It was noted that income from the levy is less than the costs of the competition and awards event. If there had been an increase with the levy in line with inflation since it was first imposed, it would now stand at £1.39.
Discussion was held on the purpose, administration and value of the levy summarized as follows:
· The levy is not mandatory for LSMAA members nor competition entrants but the committee encourages all sites to pay their contribution so some sites are not subsidizing others.
· Some sites had not received the treasurer’s email requesting levy payment and some email addresses were confirmed to ensure all sites get the emails in future.
· An email will be sent for the 2026 levy after this meeting. If your site doesn’t receive it please let katherineTRAS@gmail.com or steve.belk@ymail.com know. [Post meeting note, email was sent out on 18 February2026, please check your spam folders]
· It was agreed that the levy of £1 per plot holder will continue for 2026 with extra efforts to ensure all sites pay their contribution.
6. Election of officers
Chair: John Denton re-elected as chair
Secretary: Katherine Blair re-elected as Secretary
Treasurer: Steve Belk re-elected as Treasurer
No other nominations for officer roles were made but are encouraged.
7. Competition and awards – Katherine Blair
The winners of the 2025 competition were:
· Best plot in Lewisham - Tina and Alain Speed, Trewsbury Road
· Best new plot holders in Lewisham - Jenny and Darren at Trewsbury Road
· Best Site in Lewisham - Longton Nursery
· Best Photo – Anna Smyth at Longton Nursery (right)
8. Site Issues – Katherine Blair
i. Statutory /temporary status of sites – Lewisham response
No response was received from the councillors contacted so a question was raised and answered at the Lewisham council meeting on 28 January 2026. The question and reply are as follows
Question
Will Lewisham council take steps to undertake the conversion of Lewisham's self-managed allotments from temporary to statutory status to increase their protection from development or change of use from food growing?
Reply
Following the formal adoption of the Lewisham Local Plan 2020–2040 in July 2025, the Director of Planning has reviewed the matter and confirms that the Council’s position remains unchanged from the response provided to stakeholders regarding allotment protections in September 2024.
The Local Plan continues to provide a strong and robust policy framework for safeguarding the borough’s open spaces, including allotments and other important green spaces. These sites are designated as Strategic Open Space, with some also benefiting from Metropolitan Open Land status. This policy approach means that proposals for development on such land would be strongly resisted, and the Council is satisfied that the adopted Local Plan offers an appropriate and effective level of protection at this time.
Accordingly, no further changes to the Council’s stance are proposed, and the existing protections remain firmly in place unless future evidence or circumstances indicate a need for review.
Meeting attendees do not consider this gives sufficient protection and LSMAA will pursue it further. PM agreed to find out what our next steps should be
ii. Site documentation and invoicing
PM sent an email with the 2026-2027 Annual Rent letter on 12 February 2026. The rent is as follows
Please return your site declaration and member schedule spreadsheets in the correct formats by Friday 27th February 2026 so invoices can be sent out in April.
Invoices for 2025-2026 will be issued in the couple of weeks following the AGM, by early March at the latest.
9. Lewisham’s Perspective – Peter Maynard, Beatrice Dandy
Peter introduced Beatrice Dandy who is now the Food Growing Officer at Lewisham. Beatrice explained her role is to encourage food growing in the borough and as part of this is keen to encourage sites to take on a community plot on their sites. She will also be administering self-managed sites including managing name allocation for vacancies. She has already supplied 24 names to sites and is working through the backlog.
If your site is interested in having a community plot then please contact beatrice.dandy@lewisham.gov.uk
The Coco Collective film that was shown at the AGM was played for those who didn’t get to see it then. The film demonstrates many of the benefits of community plots from this example in the heart of Lewisham
10.Any other competent business
Ponds on sites – a query was raised about the management of ponds on sites. This includes large communal ponds as well as those on individual plots. Various sites have both of these and they are variously covered with metal mesh or left open, some with signage about the possible dangers of water and stating that children should always be supervised. It was recommended that sites check with their insurance company if they have any particular conditions. It was noted that community plots should have their own insurance.
Water supply – there was discussion about water suppliers for sites. It is the responsibility of individual sites to manage any site water supply and cover the cost of this through their plot holders rent. If sites have any particular issues with their supplier that they can’t resolve themselves Peter can give support.
It was suggested that Lewisham might be able to set up a supplier framework that sites could giving more competitive charges. LSMAA will follow up on this with Peter.
Currently some sites are with Thames Water, Castle Water and Everflow with differing reports of their levels of service.
Collection of rainwater is always recommended where possible to minimise water supply bills. In addition, some sites use only dip tanks and don’t allow hosepipes. Decisions on this should be made by individual sites in agreement with their members.
11.Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be January / February 2027.
Appendix
Awards event feedback responses
Free text box responses
Think everything went well this year.
It felt like the voting was skewed due to two sites dominating all of the categories and therefore having many more people attending. It also seemed odd that someone who got an extra plot was counted as a newcomer.
Some of the presenters were a bit hard to hear at the back. Emily was exemplary, though.
Really well organised event and contributions from all.
I really wanted to attend this year but the notice was too short. I may have made other choices had I known.
I thought Theo the filmmaker should have been thanked at the end for making such a major contribution to the event.
Another really good event and I liked the focus on wildlife and community. Maybe something about sustainable horticulture next?
Think everything went well this year. |
Plot status
Name of Site | Status |
Ballamore Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Barmeston Road | Statutory |
Blackhorse Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Broadmead | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Castillon Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Chinbrook Meadows | Statutory |
Clarendon Rise | Statutory |
Exford Road | Statutory |
Firhill Road South | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Hazelbank Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Hurstbourne Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Jim Hurren | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Kendale Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Knapmill Way | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Lee & District Land Club | Statutory |
Longton Nursery | Statutory |
Meadow Close | Statutory |
Priestfield Road | Statutory |
Romborough Gardens | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Royal Naval Pl. Stage I | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Royal Naval Pl. Stage II | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Sedgehill Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Slaithwaite Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
St Mildreds Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Stanley Street | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Taylors Lane | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Trewsbury Road | Non-statutory /Temporary |
Lewisham response to concerns about protection of sites from development
Comments