Present: Sue Pasek (Acting Chair), Wendy Gunter (Treasurer), Mike Powell, Jane Davies, Martin Pasek, Gordon Goldsmith, Nerys Lloyd-Pierce, Lewis Evans, Rhys Williams.
Apologies: n/a.
The meeting opened at 19:00.
Previous Minutes:
Matters covered below.
Chairman’s Report:
Covered with Site Secretary report.
Site Secretary’s report: Sue (shared role)
- During May four plots were let, there are another eight plots vacant, plot viewings are ongoing.
- A training morning is booked for Orkastrate (the Council’s new IT tenancy management system) in June.
- Sue attended the Cardiff Allotments Representatives meeting on 14th May, Agenda Item One below covers one concern raised by a Site Rep from another site.
- The annual “Clear or Quit” process required of the PPAA by Cardiff Council has reached its final stage with the PPAA Committee requesting to the Council that seven plots receive termination of tenancy notices.
Treasurer’s report: Wendy
- The PPAA bank account has a healthy balance, discussion re spending some of these funds included:
- Refurbishment of one block of red brick cubicles – awaiting quote.
- Further tree works in the autumn.
- Wendy raised the issue of the sum of money held for Key Deposits. The Committee unanimously agreed that any amount over £3,000 – sufficient to cover all tenants’ claims – should be transferred to the main funds.
Constitution and LMA: Sue
At the recent Council-Chaired Site Representatives meeting, one from another Cardiff site raised the issue of committee members, or of whole committees, who failed to honour the Local Management Agreement or their Constitution.
The Allotments Officer was later clear in stating, that if this were found to be the case, then a site would lose its grant funding, and cease to be self-managed. The ramifications of this for plot holders was discussed.
Plant Sale: Rhys
Rhys reported that there was sufficient plant stock for the plant sale to go ahead after the AGM. It was mentioned that plot holder John Morgan had been a great help to Rhys and also the Committee wished to pass on their thanks to plot holders who had already donated plants.
AGM: Sue
It was raised that many plot holders found it difficult to attend an AGM for a range of reasons, so it was proposed that the PPAA embrace the 21st century and adopt e-voting for the election of committee members and officers. The few plot holders without email would be able to vote by post. After discussion of the merits of the proposal, it was passed by eight-to-one, but with the objector agreeing to co-operate in the process.
AOB:
Mike queried the safety issue raised by the dead willow trees on the spine road. Martin said that he had reported them using the Council’s “report a tree problem” form, but had so far had only the automated reply and nothing else.
Martin noted that the spine road hedge was becoming overgrown, and that motorists were complaining. Nerys agreed to do a birds nest check after the AGM, to allow a moderate cut back with quiet, battery-powered tools.
There was no further business and the meeting ended at 20:10.
The PPAA Committee meetings are regularly scheduled for the first Tuesday in the month, the next being 1st July 2025 at 1900, at The Cricketers, Cathedral Road, Cardiff.
Update: the above meeting has been cancelled. Owing to the fact of group email etc. and to the family and other circumstances of PPAA Officers, acting or substantive, for the time being in-person meetings will likely consist of smaller, informal (non-voting, non-minuted) subgroups. They will discuss the practicalities of routine undertakings specified by the Local Management Agreement etc., among those who’ve volunteered to do these. Those on the Waiting List can nonetheless be assured, that the clearing and reletting of vacated plots will continue as usual, as will site maintenance.
