Minutes for PPAA Committee meeting, 4th February 2025, at the Cricketers Inn, Cathedral Road

A Place To Grow Your Own

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

8 thoughts on “Minutes for PPAA Committee meeting, 4th February 2025, at the Cricketers Inn, Cathedral Road”

  1. Think a change of manure supplier would be great idea
    We have stopped using the manure from the riding school some time ago
    Even after sieving the amount of rubber going back into the plots is unacceptable
    Try sieving one wheel barrow load and you will be surprised and appalled at the amount there is in one load

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    1. Thanks for the feedback Chris.

      We’re awaiting a reply from the Council’s officer who deals with compost deliveries, to see whether they could let us have the amount that we’d need on a regular basis.

      If the answer’s yes, then we’d need to have a vote of some kind as to whether a majority of gardeners wanted it.

      Haven’t seen much tyre rubber of late, to be fair, though at one time the contamination was really bad.

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      1. I havent noticed any rubber for a long time. Prefer to stay with local manure, if delivery problem is resolved. Much greener to use the manure as it is opposite our allotments, thus saving time and diesel.

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        2. Well, the Council have replied, and although it appeared at first that takers would have to arrange their own transport – presenting a problem – it seems that for those wanting more than say six tonnes – as PPAA would want – the Council may arrange that.

          However, it all depends on what the site as a consensus wants, and we must bear in mind that our tenancies seem to ask us to keep our plots “well manured” though that would be subject to modern interpretation no doubt.

          Update: the Riding School tell us that there should be a delivery of manure some time next week. We await further information.

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        1. Indeed, Alec, and the Council compost would be completely free.

          Moreover, being a Council department they could be issued with a key and not require significant unpaid time by volunteers to co-ordinate deliveries.

          However, there’s a lot to be considered.

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