Minutes
Note: all discussions, which are materially relevant to the site, or to plot holders on it are minuted.
Present: Sue Pasek (Acting Chair), Mike Powell, Martin Pasek, Rhys Williams, Jacqui Boddington (Plot holder observing)
Apologies: Wendy Gunter, Gordon Goldsmith, Nerys Lloyd-Pierce, Lewis Evans, Jane Davies
The meeting opened at 19:00.
Previous Minutes:
Matters covered below.
Chairman’s Report:
Covered with Site Secretary report.
Site Secretary’s report (shared role):
Since the February meeting three plots have been let, with four more viewings booked in.
One structure application has been approved.
Sue attended the Cardiff Council Allotment Site Representatives meeting on the 13th February. With regard to plot holders vacating plots but leaving behind undue mess, council official Anthony Thomas explained ‘colleagues on Waste Enforcement have a Section 9 process in place regarding fly tipping and dumping of waste on Pontcanna Permanent Allotments. This involves interviewing under caution the person alleged to have dumped waste. This may lead to a prosecution. The issue at Pontcanna Permanent Allotments will be a test case. If this works well, we will look to roll this out to other allotment sites’. Please note, that this will not be used to deal with historical waste.
Treasurer’s report: Wendy (by email)
Wendy requested that all invoices be presented before the end of each month.
Orkastrate
Sue was due to attend a training course for the new system on the 17th February, but it was cancelled at short notice due to IT issues. A new date has yet to be announced.
The delay in the system means that the PPAA is operating with waiting and plot holder lists last issued in July 2024.
Bird Boxes: Gordon and Nerys
These works are now complete.
Plant Sale:
Gordon is to contact Chapter Community Garden re opportunity to sell plants at our next AGM.
Rhys said that he was happy to grow a small selection of plants to sell, and suggested that other plot holders might also be willing to do this.
PPA Polytunnel:
The six new bed holders, for 2025-2027 have now been notified of their bed allocations. The existing holders of the other six beds have tenure until February 2026.
Plot holder John Morgan has volunteered to be the point of contact between the poly tunnel tenants and the Committee. Our thanks go to John.
Manure: Martin
Martin reported that after being contacted by Cardiff Riding School, a delivery has been made to site.
The large tractor and trailer used require all available space in the car parks to manoeuvre, and plot holders who complied with the request to keep the car parks free are thanked. However the deliveries need supervision to keep the car parks clear, and Martin suggested that folding signs be bought to put out on such days to assist with that aim.
Martin has also been in touch with Cardiff Council regarding compost delivery from Lamby Way. In principle compost could be supplied free of charge, but would likely be an annual rather than three-or-four-monthly delivery. This would be considered in detail if there were an interruption to the manure supply for any reason.
Plot Inspections:
Plot Inspections will begin at the end of March, with a team from the Committee following the Cardiff Council set process.
AOB:
Rhys mentioned a workshop that he had attended at the Global Gardens Project, and thought that other plot holders might also find them a useful resource.
There was no further business and the meeting ended at 19:40.
The PPAA Committee meetings are regularly scheduled for the first Tuesday in the month, the next being 1st April 2025 at 1900, at The Cricketers, Cathedral Road, Cardiff.
PPAA Committee
Care of children on PPA site
Now that the better weather’s arrived, PPAA Committee have received reports from concerned plot holders of unsupervised children roaming the site. There’ve also been reports of the sort of minor disturbance to plots and to other things that could stem from children amusing themselves, although there’s no further evidence to suggest that this is what happened. Whatever, it’s probably timely to remind ourselves, that it’s in everyone’s interest for those responsible for children to reacquaint themselves with the important information in this article.
Many thanks everyone.
PPA Website Team
