The oft-cursed arrangement for locking or unlocking the Western Avenue end gate from the inside has finally been resolved, thanks to attention from PPAA’s contractors. The work should – it’s hoped – reduce wear on the lock, caused by the key being levered to the left whilst turned too.
The initial problem – the keyhole was too close to the shaded part of the gate frame, making entry and turning of the key difficult.After the work – the part causing the fouling has been cut away, and the sharp edges filed safe.
The fabricators have also repaired and ruggedised the security measures to the windows in the shop. The thieves didn’t succeed in entering by these, but they did sufficient damage to necessitate repair to stop the rain coming in if nothing else.
The Committee’s thanks go to D&S Fabrications for their prompt and efficient attention.
It was resolved at the last Committee meeting, that the planting of low-maintenance, visually-pleasing subjects at various locations on the PPA site would bring benefits to pollinators and to other wildlife. Suitable specimens would ideally have long flowering seasons, bear fruit, be shade-tolerant, and be slow-growing or only reach a modest final height.
.Hypericum Hidcote – St. John’s wort, has a very long flowering season and is strongly attractive to beneficial insects. It also provides shelter beneath for larger animals.
However, although the land in PPA site was assigned by deed to PPAA as tenant – in the form of a “rolling lease” – the Council imposed certain conditions, one being that no such plantings by the Tenant Association would take place without Council consent, and so naturally this proposal depends on no Council objection. (It’s incidentally apparent then, that no third party may carry out such plantings without the assent of both PPAA and the Council.) Following on from the recent Biodiversity Workshop, PPAA are also liaising with Emma Morgan, Cardiff’s Biodiversity officer on this and related topics.
Elder – the fragrance of midsummer, with berries and nesting places for birds.
PPAA will carry out a costing for sourcing suitable subjects, but are there plot holders whose gardens are becoming overcrowded by maturing shrubs, and who would be willing to donate some of them for this purpose, rather than to throw them away when it comes to rationalising their plantings?
Fuchsia riccartonii – very long flowering, hardy, shade-tolerant and fruit-bearing
It must be emphasised, that owing to the very limited volunteer effort available for maintenance, such plantings can’t be of fast-growing subjects, which attain a large final height such as blackthorn, and so on. Items with viciously-injurious thorns are also unsuitable for obvious reasons.
Elder cultivar “black lace” – all the benefits of wild elder with an attractive foliage and flower colour.
No doubt this – what can only be described as pleasant – conversation will continue, and PPAA – here’s their contact page – would gratefully welcome any offers for help, donations of suitable small trees and shrubs, or whatever!
Useless materialTypical rubbish being removed by volunteer
Once again this website regrets to report that a private contractor has apparently gained access to the site to tip their waste.
PPAA know the identities of certain contractors who have done this before, or are believed to possess keys, and these would have been reported to the police as suspects.
Unfortunately the matter is complicated, by the fact that PPAA received an email from a plot holder seeking consent for the waste from a job in their garden to be deposited, and before a response could be given this waste was dumped. So it is not known whether this is a repeat offence by a previous, known contractor or a new one. That email has unfortunately gone astray, and so PPAA would be very grateful if that plot holder could contact them again, so that they can establish what happened in this instance.
To be clear:-
Only the Council – who always bring good material – are authorised to deposit tree waste in the common areas, and so anyone else seen doing this is committing an offence. Please can everyone be very vigilant for this, and never admit to site any contractor who is waiting and claiming to have consent. Such consent will never be given by PPAA. (If it ever were then a Committee member would meet them.)
If a plot holder mistakenly thought that such a delivery were in order, and entrusted the contractor with a key, then there is a real possibility that the key would be copied, and used to enable the trader to dispose of their waste for free on PPA site thereafter, when they would otherwise have to pay. This happened previously for a long time, resulted in the car park being near-filled with such waste, and it cost PPAA about £8,000 – along with some other work – to get rid of it. It was also quite difficult to get the offences stopped, with dumping happening after dark and so on.
So as said, PPAA would be very grateful for any information that anyone might be able to give, as to what happened this time. (The material has now been sorted at considerable expense of time and effort by unpaid volunteers.)
Present: Richard Masterman (Chair), Sue Jones, Wendy Gunter (Treasurer), Martin Pasek, Mike Powell, Gordon Goldsmith, Rhys Williams
Apologies: Lewis Evans
Previous Minutes:
Meeting date 6th February 2024: Previously approved.
Actions from previous meeting
Items to be addressed as the agenda.
Chair Report
Items to be addressed as the agenda.
Site Representative
Council.
PPAA unable to attend meeting 14th February 2024. Council minutes awaited.
PPAA
As agenda
Treasurer’s report
Wendy reported that the bank balance is positive.
Site Security
Extra security measures have been implemented at the south gate.
A proposal to modify the key access for the egress side of the north gate (Western Ave) to improve usability will be investigated.
Wildlife cameras will be located adjacent to both gates.
Sadly, there has been a report of malicious damage to a plot. The incident has been reported by the victim to South Wales Police, who are carrying out investigations.
The site gates have been left open again. Please close and lock every time they are accessed.
Plot Inspections
Plot inspections will commence in May. The wording of the notification email will be reconsidered.
Plot Vacancies, letting and structure applications.
Sue reported that 5 plots have been let. There are currently no vacant plots. 1 application for a structure has been processed.
Shop
Seed potatoes and garlic have been received and are being distributed. Onion sets are awaited from the supplier and will be distributed when available.
An updated stock availability will be issued shortly.
Plant Sale
A plot holder has volunteered to donate seeds for a plant sale and is seeking assistance from other plot holders with propagating. Anyone interested in helping with this very popular event is asked to email the committee in the first instance.
Perimeter hedgerows
In order to enhance wildlife/pollinator habitats and to reinforce site security it was agreed to investigate the planting of particular species of small tree/shrub to infill any gaps. A site notice will be issued in due course requesting volunteers to assist with planting.
Any Other Business
The Community Gardens and Cardiff Salad Garden have arranged a meeting for next week with Cardiff Council’s Allotment Officer to discuss their proposal to collaborate.
The 2024 AGM is provisionally scheduled for 12th May 2024.
Date of next meeting
19:00 Tuesday 2nd April 2024 at Butcher’s Arms Canton.
The water supply to the troughs has been restored after its winter shutdown. Volunteers have checked all the troughs and found no apparent sign of frost damage, but everyone’s asked to report any such leaks, overflows etc. should they see them.
The Council are looking very closely at ways to reduce the water bill – including making sites such as ours pay – and so everyone’s urged not to use the water wastefully, and to collect rainwater wherever we can.
Pontcanna Permanent Allotments 