Present: Gordon Goldsmith (Chair), Mike Powell (Site Representative), Wendy Gunter (Treasurer), Sue Pasek, Rhys Williams, Martin Pasek.
Apologies: Lewis Evans, Nerys Lloyd-Pierce, Sera Jones, Adrian Peters.
The meeting opened at 19:00.
Matters arising from previous Minutes:
To be covered in agenda.
Matters arising from AGM:
The Committee were re-elected unopposed along with new members. Mike Powell was elected as Site Representative.
Chair’s report:
- Gordon opened the meeting to welcome – in their absence – new Committee members Sera and Adrian.
- Thanks were extended to Sue as she steps down as Site Representative.
Site Representative’s report:
- Mike reported that he will attend GDPR and Orkastrate training on 20/7/26, at the Council’s Forest Farm office.
- He will attend the CAHA (Cardiff Allotment Holders Association) bi-monthly meeting on 22/7/26, location as yet to be confirmed.
- Since May, Mike has let six plots, and Sue three.
- Three structures application forms have been requested.
- Eleven plots have been given up.
- Mike has applied to the Council for our waiting list to be reopened. As yet he has not received a reply. Sue explained that the Council have a “tipping point’ for closing the list based on vacant plot numbers v. number of people already on the waiting list. Mike to enquire re the exact ratio applied.
- Further correspondence has been received directly from a tenant with a long history of making varied complaints and allegations, and receipt acknowledged. No contact has been made to the PPAA Committee by the tenant’s chosen advocate, name unknown, despite the tenant previously stating that they would do so. The tenant had also requested that the PPAA Committee not contact them directly, although their most recent communication demanded a reply. The Council are in the loop.
- £750 has been paid to Jack’s Waste for removal of rubbish from vacant plots.
- The Council have cleared the fire debris following the arson on plot 131a
- £150 paid to an appropriately-insured tenant for strimming down overgrown vacant plots.
- £100 also paid to him for track strimming and mowing.
Treasurer’s report:
- Wendy has received the PPAA’s annual grant from the Council
- The recently purchased card machine has been successfully used at plot lettings and the plant sale
Delivery of wood chip:
- Many thanks go to plot holder Louise Tambini for organising delivery – through her Keep Wales Tidy contacts and Cardiff Council – of some wood chip previously used for pathways at the Blackweir festival site. Thanks also go to Committee member Sera for overseeing the delivery on site.
- Mike proposed that we reaffirm an earlier Committee decision only to accept wood chip from Cardiff Council. This was passed unanimously
Delivery of manure:
- The Committee have been informed that ‘other allotment sites’ have currently got priority for the next manure deliveries from the stables. The Committee are monitoring the situation. Gordon reminded plot holders that they were free to collect manure from the stables manure pile at any time.
Water Supply:
- Following on from the issuing of a Notice to Repair by Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru) to Cardiff Council, a contractor and council official visited site to assess the situation, no further information re time scale for the repair of this significant leak has been received from the Council.
- A group of plot holders have been turning the water off overnight as requested by the Council. The PPAA Committee extend their sincere thanks for this.
Council’s non-cultivation of plots process 2026:
- Ten requests for termination of tenancy were sent to the Council.
Waste removal, skips etc:
- Gordon, Rhys and Mike to research suppliers of one-off waste removal before next meeting.
Vacant Plot Clearing:
- A reminder that there is a work party to clear some vacant plots on Sunday 19th July at 11:00, meeting by the south gate. Any plot holder able to lend their time to this work will be gratefully welcome.
AOB:
- The Committee discussed the rollout by the Council of their new Tenancy Agreement for every plot holder. The Council intend to start the process the week beginning the 20th July 2026. Plot holders are reminded to keep across communication on this matter, and to be aware that it is being applied by the Council across all sites in Cardiff.
- Martin mentioned that one of the recently bought green trollies has gone missing. Gordon proposed that it be replaced, being popular and well-used on site, and would also look at other sizes available.
There was no further business, and the meeting ended at 20:34.
The next PPAA Committee meeting will be at 19:00 on Tuesday, 11th August 2026, in the upstairs meeting room of The Cricketers, Cathedral Road, Cardiff.
