Month: January 2018

Congratulations to the following Plotholders, who have had their names pulled out the hat for a polytunnel bed for the 2018 growing season.

Alan Turner; Chris Sprignall; Ian Douglas; Adrain Walsh; Monica Nobrega; Hywel James & John Morgan

Good luck all!

Cardiff Council have issued a city-wide notice and required it to be affixed to all site’s in-use brick cubicles, for which they do not receive rent. It is quite bluntly worded, and does not explain all options open to the shed user.

On Pontcanna Permanent Allotments there are many sheds in use, but no rent being paid to the council, therefore the user has no right of use.

If you wish to pay the rent, (approx £28 per annum), then please contact the Parks Department, or Sue Jones the site secretary. Quote your plot number and shed number (all sheds will be numbered within the next few days).

If you do nothing, then as the notice states, from the 20th January 2018 the council have the right to remove your property from the shed and to let it to someone willing to pay rent.

In the opinion of the Committee this notice period is too short, given that it is winter and some people may not even visit their plots during this time. Fortunately, the Council has delegated the practicalities of this work to the PPAA Committee, and we can reassure shed users that no action will be taken before 14th February (a month’s time) at the earliest.

Re the state of some of the sheds, the PPAA committee are currently tendering for their renovation work. Obviously, the cost could mean that the project may have to be spread over a few years.

Contacts

Cardiff Parks Department (Tel: 029 22330235 / email: parks@cardiff.gov.uk)

PPAA Site Secretary – Sue Jones email: pontcannapermallotments@gmail.com)

Present: Tim Llewellyn (Chair), Sue Jones (Site Secretary), Wendy Gunter (Treasurer), Alex Brown, Ray Edwards,Ian Douglas, Dan Phillips, Martin Pasek (Operational Support). Apologies: None.

Minutes of November meeting and matters arising- Tim

 Site Secretary’s Duties. Sue said that there are 44 people on the waiting list and that the turnover is about 25 plots per year at the moment, with a wait of around a year. It was agreed that identifying untended plots during the winter is not easy, and that the re-division of the observation areas should be made before spring gets under way. AP Sue.

Storage unit. Alex expects to move on this fairly soon. AP Alex.

Polytunnel bed allocation 2018. The draw was conducted and all beds are now allocated.

Programme of works.

 i) Bad weather and culvert flooding etc. have hampered general tidying. As and when, AP all.

ii) Sue will attend the Brick Shed Working Group meeting, organised by the Council’s Allotments Officer, Celia Hart, tomorrow, 10/01/18. AP Sue.

Asbestos. The Council still have no approved removal contractor.

Committee numbers. As at the last meeting, there have been no volunteers as yet, but a few people had been identified, who had implied in conversation that they might be interested. AP all.

Fly tipping/tree waste dumping/manure/woodchip supplies. It is still not entirely clear who is depositing woodchip, the Council, Mike, or someone else. There is a problem at the main car park, in that deliveries are being made before the pen is empty, and the unused material at the rear will soon rot. Martin will speak to Mike again.

If any plotholders are able to clear the backlog, by using this woodchip, then that help would be much appreciated.

Ian said that he has identified a plot holder, who is apparently responsible for much of the tipping over the fence by the spine road. It was agreed to remind the plotholder concerned of the likely consequences of continuing to do this. AP Ian.

We remind all plot holders, yet again, that their tenancy is at risk, and that they may be exposed to heavy fines, for fly-tipping around the site or over the fences.

 Water supply. Any trough cleaning will need to be done before the water is turned on again in mid March. AP all.

Gardening Tutorials. Michele Fitzsimmons’ lecture and demonstrations are to be held on 04/02/18, from 1400-1600. A fee of £5 was proposed. Numbers will probably need to be kept to about 20, for one-to-one guidance. Publicity was recognised as being a matter to be addressed without delay. AP Ray.

Wendy Gunter is point of contact for those interested in attending, and to pay the fee. She may be contacted by email at the PPAA address: pontcannapermallotments@gmail.com

Shop. As at last month, there is no further news from the Council.

Potentially usable land behind polytunnel. Ian and Alex proposed their preliminary hacking down of scrub to enable our gathering of loose rubbish and its removal by the waste contractors. AP all.

Spine road. Fly-tipping over the fence. There is to be a Great British Tidy, in progress on March 4th. Ray proposed a site event to coincide with this. It was also proposed to invite the Community Gardens to become co-involved. AP Ray et al.

Budget Plan. It is anticipated that there will be significant outlay on the brick cubicles before long. There are also the boreholes project under consideration, along with on-going costs to private contractors for waste removal and for other site maintenance. Improving the boundary fencing was added. AP Wendy et al.

CAHA donation. Wendy said that the £50 donation had been gratefully received by CAHA.

Hedgehog release. Alex has released two since the last meeting, and is waiting for better weather before releasing more on site.

Gardeners could not have better friends, and we ask that plot holders make theirs as safe for them as they reasonably can. In particular abandoned coils of netting are a danger to them, and slug pellets, if used, should be in accordance with their instructions, that is, scattered only thinly.

 AOB

Speeding vehicles- Sue. Sue said that she has had to speak to two drivers, who were clearly driving at considerably more than the 5mph (brisk walking speed) stipulated in the Tenancy Agreements.

Please observe the speed limit and comply with the terms of your Agreement. This is for everyone’s safety. It’s easy to forget, and the Committee know this, so if you should be reminded, then please try to respond with good humour.

There was no further business, and the meeting ended at 2011. The next meeting will be at the Butcher’s Arms Canton, on 06 02 2018, at 1900.