Month: July 2022

A general waste skip has been arranged for the Western Avenue car park from Monday 01 August 2022.

This is to let plot holders dispose of bulky waste from their plots – e.g. any carpet left by previous plot holders, old fencing, hard plastics, and wood.

It is not to be used for any compostable material e.g. weeds, roots, grass.

Any metal should be put at side of skip and will be disposed of separately.

We would thank you to note that this is not for bringing unwanted materials from off-site.

It would be appreciated if people could do a quick litter pick from around their plot, and if there should be any awkward rubbish, then please let the committee know via the PPAA message page so that arrangements can be made to get it to the skip.

The skip is being provided out of PPAA funds and not by the Council, therefore it is a finite resource,  and does not cancel the general condition of tenancy for plot holders to dispose of their rubbish off site themselves. 

Thanks for your cooperation and assistance.

Richard Masterman, 

Chair, PPAA Committee

PPAA Committee are saddened to have to report that there’s been yet another such incident in the verges at the Western Avenue end car park. Someone – presumably a plot holder – has left a quantity of old timber items there, and there’s also a bag of what appears to be household waste.

Unfortunately, this can only be regarded as fly tipping. The Council doesn’t collect rubbish from site, and therefore any such wrongdoing results in expense and inconvenience  to all of us plot holders in removing the rubbish. Money spent on clearing up fly tipping is money lost to communal benefits elsewhere on site.

If anyone has any rubbish for disposal, then it should be left on their plot and arrangements made by them to dispose of it off site. Sometimes a post on the website or on Facebook can find someone interested in old wood – e.g. for their wood burner – or they may find someone making a trip to the Council tip willing to take a few items for them too.

It must also be pointed out that fly tipping is a breach of tenancy under the rules, and may possibly result in a heavy fine too.

Kind thanks all, PPAA Committee

Minutes for PPAA Working Group held on 11 July 2022 at 19:00 by Zoom

Present: Phillip Reardon (Site Rep), Wendy Gunter (Treasurer), Richard Masterman (Chair), Jenny Howell, Sue Jones, Jon Townley, Dan Phillips, 

Apologies:  Alan Coombs, Martin Pasek.

Introduction

• Richard advised that a number of issues had arisen which warranted a dedicated working group to separately consider outside the normal framework for committee meetings.

Constitution

• The Committee are aware that the PPAA Constitution as it stands is out of date and contains references which are no longer appropriate and an overhaul should be considered.
• Any changes to the Constitution must be accepted by Cardiff Council and also by a vote of plot holders at a special or annual general meeting.
• To avoid any misinterpretation a note has been included on the website to explain that amendments are being considered for future implementation.
• With this in mind the group agreed that the original Constitution would remain in place unaltered whilst revisions are drafted for consideration by the Committee and submission to the Council in readiness for discussion and vote by plot holders at the AGM 2023.
• The working group will report to the Committee and reconvene in due course to assess progress.

Website

• In a similar manner the website also requires an update to make it more relevant to current plot holders.
• A committee helper has undertaken a few obvious alterations and the working group will provide further suggestions for inclusion and consideration by the Committee.

General Information for Plot Holders

• The document on the website will be amended to be in line with the Constitution 

 

Maintenance of Plots

• The Committee are fully cognisant that a number of plots are badly overgrown and can be a source of great irritation to adjacent plot holders not to mention the huge list of people waiting for a plot who otherwise might be more productive.
• Phil explained that official process of Clear or Quit notices managed by the Council had got back to a slow start following the Covid enforced moratorium and a number of notices were with the Council awaiting execution.
• There was lots of discussion regarding what if anything the Committee can do to improve the site situation with the following plan:

1. Site inspections will continue and a schedule of plots of interest and status will be produced for regular review by the Committee. 
2. The Committee will be considering ways to follow up poorly tended plots with the associated plot holder in advance of the formal Clear or Quit procedure.

Finance

• Wendy confirmed the grant had now been received.
• The simplified method for paying for the website is now in place,
• Wendy highlighted the requirement for the return of the key deposit from leaving plot holders and the collection from new.

Hedge and Verge Trimming

• Plot holders are to be reminded that they are responsible for maintaining the dividing path between plots and also their part of the verge to a site road.
• Some careful hedge trimming has been carried out by a committee member with emphasis on minimising any interference to wildlife.

Exposed Drainage Chamber on Road 3

• The lid has been recovered and reinstalled by a committee member.    

Any Other Business

• None. 
• Actions from this working group and the previous committee meeting will be discussed at the next committee meeting.

Date of Next Committee Meeting

• Revised to Tuesday 09 August 2022 at 19:00 by Zoom.

Looking around the site, it really is fun to see the diversity of ways in which people have numbered their plots.

Part of our tenancy agreement requires that plot holders clearly number their plots. If anyone isn’t sure what number they are, then it’ll be on their tenancy agreement, or they can find their plot on the site map.

As the reader can see, I’ve taken a few pictures of a variety of numbers dotted around the site – maybe they’ll give some of us a little inspiration. Whatever, as long as our plots are numbered they can be as plain or fancy as anyone likes!

Sue Jones, PPAA Committee

The Terms, Policies and Documents page on the PPAA website has been updated to include important new items, and to make all of them more conveniently read in a user-friendly manner. This page contains all the essential information for those interested in how the allotments are run, what the responsibilities of the Committee are, and indeed, what we all need to know and to do as plot holders.

The hedge on the eastern boundary has been cut. We’ve cleared the clippings from the road, but be alert for the odd hawthorn twig that we might have missed or later falls into it – these can easily give you a puncture.

The most problematic parts of the hedge – the sycamore, hazel etc. have been lightly cut. This is most of it. A quiet, battery-operated cutter was used, and no nesting birds were disturbed. They don’t favour sycamore anyway because of its sparse, mainly vertical stems.

The beech section has not been cut, except just by the NE gate, where it was making access to the gate and vehicle turning awkward. This was not as badly overgrown as the rest, and is favoured by nesting birds. There’s also a bumper crop of blackberries ripening just above it!

Minutes for PPAA Committee Meeting held on 08 June 2022 at 19:00 by Zoom

Present: Wendy Gunter (Treasurer), Richard Masterman (Chair), Jenny Howell, Sue Jones, Jon Townley

Apologies: Dan Philips, Alan Coombs, Philip Reardon (Site Representative), Martin Pasek.

Previous Minutes:

• Items from previous meeting to be addressed as agenda items

Chair Report

• Richard suggested committee WhatsApp group and agreed to set up.

Site Representative – items for discussion: 

Council matters

• Nothing further received regarding storm damage to perimeter walls
• Nothing further received regarding the off-site tree report
• No further information received regarding the overflowing culvert. It would be useful to have an update so silt discharges can be effectively cleared.
• A point was raised at the AGM regarding Council’s revised procedure for new structures and clarification of what qualifies as requiring permission. The revised document has been issued to plot holders and the committee are not aware of any further query.

PPAA matters

• The principal matter for concern is the over grown nature of many plots.
• Phil had reported for the AGM the situation regarding vacant plots, void plots, waiting list and “clean or quit” notices
• The committee are actively looking in to the management of unattended plots although a number of constraints hamper progress:

1. Unattended plots cannot be cleared until the Council advise rental payment has not been received and a tenancy has been terminated. This has often taken an unnecessarily long time and is not within the control of the Committee.
2. Plot holders are responsible for maintaining a minimum level of cultivation and the Committee are unable to intervene.

• It is recognised that the pandemic has caused an unavoidable increase in the number of unattended plots but Council restrictions are now lifted and enforcement of the Plot Holder Agreement signed by all to maintain their site will be implemented.
• The identification of each plot number was discussed and the merit of holding a competition for the best plot sign or issuing each plot with a permanent plot number tag was considered and, although this has been done in the past and labels have disappeared, it was agreed that this would be looked at further.

Treasurer’s report

• Wendy confirmed that audited accounts have been issued to the Council and grant payment approved and payment is awaited.
• Wendy requested submission of any outstanding PPA subscriptions and key deposits from new tenants so she can update records.

Any Other Business

• Fly tipping remains a problem. 
• It was previously agreed to obtain two skips for litter picking and for plot holders to dispose of awkward waste from their site. Richard undertook to arrange for early July. 
• It was noted that the leaking water trough by the old shop has been repaired.
• Sue highlighted all paths and verges separating plots from the access tracks and neighbouring plots should be kept clear by the associated plot holder(s). This includes the verges up to the edge of a made-up roadway.
• It was agreed that the committee would consider hiring a large brush cutting machine and obtaining additional weed barrier matting to assist with clearing overgrown plots and other areas although it was noted that some communal ground would be left for re-wilding and pollinator habitat.
• The plant sale has been set for Sunday 12 June 2022 at the poly tunnel. Dan Philips and Ian Douglas are coordinating and have issued a general flyer advertising the event.

• Next meeting – to be confirmed nearer the date

Committee 19:00 Tuesday 02 August 2022