Month: February 2025

The PPA site’s there for all of us, and there’s nothing at all in the terms of our Tenancy Agreements to say that anyone shouldn’t take it upon themselves to make improvements, to lend a hand, or to end nuisances beyond their own plots. That is, there’s no formal necessity to be a Committee member to do such things.

There’s nothing new in people doing this either. For many years, individuals – with whatever skills – have, at will, done such things as to pick litter and other rubbish, to remove damaging ivy from the listed wall, to clear accretions from tracks, to deal with vegetation – which might have been encroaching on tracks, car parks, or other used areas – to trim hedges so as to facilitate car access, to tidy manure and wood chipping heaps, to clean sediment from water troughs, and so on. All such help is very gratefully acknowledged too.

The independent volunteer does need to make quite sure, however, that what they’re thinking of doing doesn’t break their Tenancy Agreement – e.g. by planting broadleaf trees anywhere – and that it also works with the grain of both the PPAA Constitution and the Local Management Agreement. That is, it doesn’t hinder any right or freedom of any other plot holder to cultivate their plot, or to use the site in any way that they might choose within the rules, or cause any other nuisance to a gardener. It’s also best for them to make sure that such work wouldn’t clash with any Committee project either.

It’s through doing such things that many former and present Committee members decided that they’d like to work with others in these endeavours, and it’s often why they joined.

Long may it continue.

PPA Website Team

Present: Sue Pasek (Acting Chair), Mike Powell, Jane Davies, Martin Pasek, Gordon Goldsmith, Nerys Lloyd-Pierce, Lewis Evans, Rhys Williams

Apologies: Wendy Gunter

The meeting opened at 19:00.

Previous Minutes:

Matters covered below. 

Chairman’s Report:

Covered with Site Secretary’s report.

Site Secretary’s report (shared role):

During December/January four plots were let. There are currently two ready-to-let plots. Plot viewings are ongoing.

One structure application has been approved.

Sue is to attend the training course for Orkastrate, the Council’s new computer system on February 17th. It is anticipated by the Council that this system will enable quicker access to information e.g. re plot status etc .

The situation regarding some plot holders not having yet received invoices for the year 2025-2026 is acknowledged by the Council. They say that it is due to the roll-out of the Orkastrate system. More information will be shared when made available . 

Treasurer’s report: Wendy (by email)

The Public Liability Insurance for the site has been paid.

Many thanks to the plot holders who have paid their £5 PPAA subs for this year, and a reminder to those who have not, that this is now due.

Trees: Mike 

Three days of work was completed by contractors between 20th and 22nd January. Works focused, as previously agreed, on Road Three, on four plots where plot holders had requested tree removal, and on some of the Western Avenue boundary.

Rubbish left by vacating plot holders: Sue

[Edit: content removed so as not to affect, possibly, legal proceedings]

Hedge on spine road: 

Security of the site has been improved, by the addition of brashings from the tree works to the rough-laid dry hedge (beside the dilapidated and insecure wire netting fence.) Bramble seeds will be purchased to sow, to colonise this material, and as an incidental, to increase further its wildlife benefits (action: Rhys Williams)

Bird Boxes: Gordon and Nerys

Several bird boxes specifically for different bird species have now been installed around the site. There are plans for further installations, in time for nesting season.

Manure: Martin

It had been noticed that a recent delivery of horse manure from the Cardiff Riding School (CRS) had been made to our neighbouring allotment sites but not to PPA, despite their pens already being quite full but ours empty. The Committee will approach CRS to verify whether our agreement re supply negotiated at the end of last year by Wendy and Nerys still stands. 

Martin wondered whether plot holders might, on balance, prefer deliveries of free Council compost (made from garden and food waste) instead of manure, if the latter’s supply appeared to be unreliable, and would look into what the arrangements would be for the Council to deliver this. (Action: Nerys, Martin)

Plot Inspections: 

In line with other Cardiff Allotment sites and as previously agreed by the PPAA, plot inspections will begin at the end of March. Details of this process are available here.

AOB: 

Nerys proposed to write an item re the symbiotic relationship between trees and ivy.

Gordon and Lewis will investigate ways to encourage a larger turnout attendance at the next PPAA AGM

There was no further business and the meeting ended at 19:45.

The PPAA Committee meetings are regularly scheduled for the first Tuesday in the month, the next being 4th March 2025 at 1900, at The Cricketers, Cathedral Road, Cardiff.

Our special thanks go to Gordon Goldsmith for arranging for the Committee to be able to use the Meeting Room at the Cricketers free-of-charge.

PPA Website Team