Month: February 2023

Minutes for PPAA meeting 7th February 2023 by Zoom, and other news

Pontcanna Permanent Allotments

Minutes

Present:  Richard Masterman (Chair), Sue Jones, Dan Philips, Wendy Gunter (Treasurer), Jenny Howell

Apologies: Alan Coombs

Previous Minutes:

Approved. 

Items not on the agenda:

  • No communications from Council regarding issue of termination notices.

Other matters arising from the Committee meeting 28th November 2022 addressed as the agenda.

Chair Report

As agenda

Site Representative 

Council

Minutes from the Site Reps meeting held on 9th November are awaited. 

Next Site Reps meeting 15th February 2023. Richard to attend.

PPA

Covered by agenda items.

Treasurer’s report

Wendy confirmed she had updated the account and reconciled with bank statements. 

It was noted that a quantity of ground cover membrane had been purchased which is now in stock.

Agenda Items

Tree management

A conversation ensued about the recent felling of some of the trees in the forest garden area. While it was not clear who might have done this, it was pointed out that broadleaf trees are not allowed to be planted, that inappropriate trees can shade other plots and we should set a good example. It was noted however that some of the trees were edibles and would have been maintained within the permitted height. No resolution was reached at the meeting. On the wider issue of tree management across the site, it was agreed that a certificated tree advisor would be asked to inspect and propose a tree management programme.

A plot holder had also contacted Sue regarding recent work to boundary hedges and protection of wildlife habitat to which Sue had responded directly.

Polytunnel

Dan, as Polytunnel Coordinator, gave an update on progress on the poly tunnel bed draw 2023.

He confirmed that expressions of interest had been sought from PPAA plot holders, as agreed. Eleven expressions of interest were received, of which nine appear to meet all the agreed criteria. The two that didn’t meet all the criteria had not yet paid their PPAA subscriptions for 2023.

A draw was held to allocate the applicants to the beds, with the first 6 drawn allocated the new beds under construction (numbers 7-12) for 2 consecutive years. The remaining applicants who met the criteria will be allocated one of existing beds (numbers 1-6) is for one growing season 2023/24.

Expressions of interest for any remaining poly tunnel beds will be sought, once the allocation process is complete. (A draw for 2024 will be held next year for beds 1-6, for 2 years).

Dates for the working party to build the new beds are being canvassed.

Overgrown Plots

Re-inspections will be carried out following the issue of Council invoices and in advance of the main growing season.

Clearance of Void Plots

Keith has now finished work although Plot 135b has a lot of roots to be grubbed out.

Sue will offer the plot for occupancy. 

Plot Letting and Viewing

Sue advised that currently there are 5 un-occupied plots which will be offered to prospective new tenants.

Manure

A further delivery was made last week.

Shop

Richard to circulate to the committee a list of seed potato varieties available for purchase and sale at the shop.

Communication Sub-Group

Nothing further to report.

AGM and Plant Sale

Date for AGM to be agreed. 

Any Other Business

Richard to look into the upgrade of the 4-wheel trolley.

Date of next meeting

It was agreed that Committee meetings would revert to monthly as the growing season approaches.

19:00 Tuesday 7th March 2023 on site or Zoom.

Pea Sticks Up For Grabs!

The Riverside Community Gardens have a sizeable pile of sticks and twigs ideal for this purpose – or for kindling etc. They are in the area between the car park and WJEC. RCG invite plot holders to help themselves freely!

Update: please note that this pile is constantly being restocked with various kinds of sticks, so if there was not what you needed previously, then there now might well be.

Website works

Owing to work by WordPress on the theme supporting this site, visitors may notice some temporary changes in appearance, but functionality should not be affected.

If anyone should notice that anything does not work however, then could they please message the Website Team.

Thanks all.

Fly Tipping Update

The general level of fly-tipping around the site appears to be decreasing – we’re happy to report – though this might just be seasonal with the site’s being quiet.

However, there’ve still been a few significant incidents, notably someone’s having left a large pile of used chicken wire and other wire netting by the park wall and middle brick cubicles at the end of Road 4. There was also what appeared to be a pile of trade gardener’s waste nearby – privet trimmings etc. – which someone had perhaps brought to site to fly tip. There was another pile of wire netting at the Bring And Take Point. If anyone has any scrap metal on their plots though, then could they please notify the Committee, as there’s a volunteer who collects this from time-to-time for charity.

The Council – unfortunately – operate no waste collection services whatsoever from allotment sites, and so PPAA have to pay for the removal or treatment of anything needing it. So everyone’s reminded that we must either compost our waste plant matter on our own plots – and nowhere else – or remove it from site entirely. We’d thank everyone on this point.

(Someone’s also in the habit of throwing their takeaway lunch rubbish into the Bring And Take Point, but another, kinder soul often seems to remove this, and their acts of thoughtfulness are very much appreciated.)

So on balance then, a big thank you to all considerate, responsible plot holders!

Site volunteers