Pontcanna Permanent Allotments, serving over two hundred Cardiff gardeners, traditional and organic
Insole Court at Llandaff have sent Allotments the following:
Gardens Tour: Scenic Summer at Insole Court
July 5 @ 10:00 – 11:00
Our tour guides will show you the highlights of the season, as well as telling you all about the history of our magnificent site.
Please note the tour will involve walking for around 45 minutes and will take place on some uneven paths. Sturdy shoes and suitable clothing is recommended.
Meet outside the Gift Shop around 5 minutes before the start time.
PPA Website Team
Reminder: owing to back-siphoning of groundwater when the supply is turned off, the site supply is not drinking water.
I met with Rhodri Edwards – who is Allotments Officer’s line manager under Parks – today on site.
To recap, there is a serious underground water leak somewhere in the southeast segment of the site, that is, between the mid-point stopcock (at the junction of Road Three and the long track), and the main stopcock at the southwest of the site. It’s losing over a cubic metre of water per hour, which equates to a rate of about £17,500 worth of water a year.
A project manager and contractor have been engaged, and the purpose of today’s visit was to assist in the decision as to the best of the several options to resolve the problem. I proposed a conservative one, which would minimise cost and disruption, while making future leak tracing much easier, and also reducing the likelihood of their happening again. Whether that would be chosen or not remains to be seen, however.
Rhodri said that work should begin within the next week or two. However, given the cost and seriousness of the leak he said that the Council would very much encourage us to turn the water off overnight. I explained that this had been tried before, though with the limited volunteer effort available meaning that it was turned on at 1000 and off at around 1400, but that this had led to resentment among those who attend before or after work and who found the troughs empty, with opprobrium being attached to the unpaid volunteers.
So a main aim of this article is to see if there are people who often attend before work – who’d be willing to turn on the water early in the morning – and others who come after work, and who’d be prepared to turn it off when they leave, ideally giving the water on from say 0700 – 2030 or so. It could also be turned off during spells of wet weather (if we get any.) A group could be set up, to arrange and to share this between themselves, if there were enough offers. Please contact PPAA Committee if you might be able to help.
Martin P. (Volunteer)
Please read the whole of this post attentively before voting. The vote is for the most important office on the Committee. This post has been updated to make certain clarifications.
At the PPAA AGM on Sunday, June 14th, 2026, it became apparent that there were two people willing to be Site Representative, and that a second vote would therefore be necessary to enable tenants to choose between them. Sue asked them to submit their personal résumés by 0900 on Wednesday 17th June to avoid undue delay.
They are (in alphabetical order):
Personal résumés
Sera Jones
My name is Sera Jones and I’ve been a plot holder at Pontcanna Permanent Allotments since October 2021. When I took on my plot it was very overgrown, so I understand the work involved in getting a plot back into shape and the challenges of balancing it with everyday life.
I work for Natural Resources Wales in information governance, where I regularly work with a range of people, deal with challenging situations, and make sure information is handled clearly and fairly. I would bring those practical skills to the role of Site Secretary.
I’ve taken an active interest in the running of the site since joining, attending AGMs and keeping up to date with what’s going on. While I’m not currently on the committee, I’d hope to bring a fresh perspective while respecting the experience already there.
I am a first-language Welsh speaker and comfortable communicating in both Welsh and English.
One of the things I value most about Pontcanna is the strong sense of community. I’ve been very lucky to be surrounded by long-time plot holders who’ve shared their advice (and the occasional biscuit). That kind of support is what makes the site special, and I’d like to help maintain that.
If elected, I will:
I’d like to give something back to a community I really value, and I’d do my best to support both the committee and fellow plot holders.
Thank you for your support.
Sera
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Mike Powell
I have gardened since my childhood and have been gardening at Pontcanna for more than fifteen years, and before that at Colchester Avenue allotments.
For the last two-and-half years I have been a member of the PPAA Committee and have been acting Chair for the last five months.
I am Cardiff born-and-bred. I am retired and I believe I can devote the time necessary to be Site Representative.
From my Committee work, I believe I understand the rôle. I have been involved in the plant sale, plot clearance work, organising the removal of rubbish, plot inspections, supervising tree pruning and dead tree removal by contractors, plot viewings and setting up new tenancies.
I have also interacted with the Council on allotment business and understand the difficulties that can be involved. The rôle of the Committee is to implement the Local Management Agreement on behalf of all plot holders.
It is not our rôle to tell tenants how to garden. I love nature, trees and woodland, but I am fully aware that this is an allotment site. We need to be aware that the allotments are prime land for sale and property development, and the best way to avoid this is the proper management of the site.
Cymraeg:
Dwi wedi bod yn garddio ers fy mhlentyndod ac nawr wedi garddio ym Mhontcanna ers dros bymtheg mlynedd, a chyn hynny yn Rhandir Rhodfa Colchester.
Ers dwy flynedd a hanner dwi wedi bod yn rhan o bwyllgor PPAA ac wedyn yn gadeirydd dros-dro ers y pum mis dwetha.
Cymro Caerdydd ydw i. Dwi wedi ymddeol ac felly dwi’n credu allai rhoi’r amser i fod yn Gynrychiolydd Safle.
O fy ngwaith ar y pwyllgor, credaf fy mod i’n deall y gwaith. Fues i’n rhan o’r sêl planhigion, gwaith clirio rhandiroedd, trefnu’r cludiant o sbwriel, arolygu rhandiroedd, cynnal a chadw coed, dangos rhandiroedd i’w rhentu a threfnu tenantiaethau newydd.
Dwi hefyd wedi cyfathrebu gyda’r cyngor ar fusnes y rhandiroedd, ac felly yn deall y problemau all godi. Rhan y pwyllgor yw i weithredu’r Cytundeb Rheolaeth Lleol ar rhan pob un sy’n rhentu rhandir.
Nid ein swydd ni yw i ddweud i bobl sut i arddio. Dwi’n caru natur, coed a choedwigoedd, ond yn gwbwl ymwybodol taw safle rhandiroedd yw hwn. Mae’n rhaid i ni fod yn ymwybodol bod rhandiroedd yn dir gwerthfawr i’w gwerthu ac ar gyfer adeiladu, felly’r ffordd orau o osgoi hwn yw i reoli’r safle yn briodol.
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The PPAA Committee are deeply indebted to, and warmly welcome all new volunteers such as Sera and Adrian. PPA is, by Cardiff standards, a very large site with well over two hundred tenants and sometimes up to forty plots changing hands each year. So there’s a lot of scope, indeed need, for role-sharing and collaboration. The Committee announced the AGM on 9th April, and said that those interested in standing for election should contact by email. No offers were received however, and so the Committee anticipated that Mike Powell would likely assume this demanding position, especially as he had kindly offered to cover Sue’s central duties while she was incapacitated by her condition and during recovery from her operation on May 7th, with Allotments Officer also informed of this. This involved their spending many hours working on a handover of those, which was complicated by the Council’s IT problems with the new Orkastrate system. Other Site Representative’s duties, such as organising repairs to gate locks and water troughs etc., and arranging and supervising manure deliveries, are already presently delegated to other Committee volunteers who offered to Sue to do this for her.
For these reasons, the retiring Site Representative (Sue Pasek), continuing Treasurer, (Wendy Gunter) and proposed Chair (Gordon Goldsmith) recommend that the elector vote for Mike Powell. We trust that Sera will understand the reasoning for this recommendation, and hope that – whatever the outcome of the vote – both she and Mike will enjoy being part of the Committee. In due course further votes can be taken, with everyone in a democratically better-informed position in any case.*
This vote – as the previous – will be kept open for two weeks from its sending.
PPAA Committee are very grateful for every voter’s engagement.
PPAA Committee
*As in the previous two e-votes, including last year’s, there is a voting recommendation, and again comments are closed. Comments remain open on the AGM Minutes, however.
The PPAA Constitution is silent on the matter of voting recommendations. However, we asked AI the following question: Is it normal for the boards of PLCs, mutuals, and voluntary groups to make voting recommendations as to candidates for posts at AGMs?
This is what it said:
“Yes, it is entirely normal and standard practice for the boards of Public Limited Companies (PLCs), mutuals, and voluntary groups to make voting recommendations for director elections or other resolutions at Annual General Meetings (AGMs). The board acts as the steward of the organization and uses these recommendations to guide members and ensure leadership continuity.”
PPA Website Team
Present:
Committee: Mike Powell (Acting Chair) 142, Wendy Gunter (Treasurer) 113b, Sue Pasek (Acting Site Rep) 73, Martin Pasek 73, Lewis Evans 88b/118b.
Plot holders: Tim Robinson 104a, Martin Keane 127a, Sera Jones 129, George Grigg 129, Sue Waring 60, Roger Phillips 60, Caroline Ritchie 51a/53a, Jane Bush 51a,53a, Adrian Peters 157, Alec McSkimming 38, Katrina Couper 104a, James Matthews 13b/24b, Mel Ford 64, Louise Shenstone 157, Wanda O’Connor 6a/b.
Apologies: Jane Davies 88a, Margaret Mathias 159, Gordon Goldsmith 120a.
The meeting opened at 11:00.
Chairman’s Report:
Mike opened the meeting by welcoming everyone in Welsh and English. He went on to say:
Pontcanna Permanent Allotments is a locally managed site, the allotments Association has a Constitution, and there is a Local Management Agreement between ourselves and the Council.
The Association has three main responsibilities:
The allotment Association is made up of unpaid volunteers, we are not staff.
The Association receives an annual grant from the Council based on the number of plots.
The Council has its own responsibilities under the Local Management Agreement including eviction in the case of non-cultivation. They are of course staff and not volunteers.
To us this is a fantastic allotment site with wonderful soil. However, others may see this as prime development land, and so we need to make sure the site is fully cultivated and managed as required by the Tenancy Agreements and the LMA.
He introduced Sue as giving her report next, and explained that she had been Site Representative for many years, most recently as Acting Site Representative when nobody else came forward after Phil Reardon stood down. Sue has indicated that she was now stepping down in this role.
Mike proposed a vote of thanks to Sue for all her work and general applause followed.
Site Representative’s report (shared role):
Sue explained that despite the continuing issues with the Council Orkastrate system she had been able to let out twenty-six plots. The Council have not been able to provide an up to date list of vacant plots.
The Clean and Quit process for this year has been completed, with the PPAA requesting that the Council issue termination of tenancy for ten plots
Rubbish and rotting structures is an ongoing issue for the site, and is responsible for a large proportion of site volunteer time and expenditure to remove.
Alec McSkimming asked from the floor the current situation with the site underground water leak. Mike Powell responded it was the responsibility of the Council and ongoing.
Treasurer’s report: Wendy
Wendy talked through the accounts for 2025/2026, and although they had been submitted to the Council on time, along with proof of site insurance, the annual grant was late in being paid.
She discussed that plot holders should think about setting up an annual DD to pay their £5 PPA subs.
Alex McSkimming asked why no interest was being earned on the funds held.
Sera Jones asked if the sum held for plot deposits was larger than the number of plot holders. Wendy confirmed that this is regularly assessed and monies transferred to the main funds block if the amount becomes too large.
Election Committee Members: Mike
Chair: Gordon Goldsmith had self nominated in absentia
Nominated – Gordon Goldsmith
Seconded – Wendy Gunter
Site Representative:
Nominated – Mike Powell
Seconded – Martin Pasek
Nominated – Sera Jones
Seconded – Martin Keane
It was agreed that as their were two candidates a separate e vote would be sent out on Wednesday 16th June, with both candidates being invited to provide a short resumé to be attached.
Treasurer: Nominated – Wendy Gunter
Seconded – Lewis Evans
Committee: Existing Committee all standing for re election
New nominee – Adrian Peters
Seconded – Mel Ford
The two candidates standing for Site Representative both indicated that they were happy to stand on the Committee if not elected to the post.
Plant Sale: Mike
Approximately £352 had been raised. Thanks were extended to John Morgan plot 21, and Seren Morris-Watts plot 5, for their work.
There were positive responses from around the floor as to the success of the sale.
AOB
Alec McSkimming thanked the Committee for their work over the past year, and singled out the hedge development work along the spine road for praise.
Caroline Ritchie and June Bush offered to have an “open morning’ on their plot to discuss “No Dig” without unnecessary cost. This was welcomed.
Martin Keane said if people joined the Charles Dowding Society they would be given many techniques to help garden in the manner that Caroline and Jane had discussed.
Martin Keane asked about wood chip deliveries and was reminded that they are provided only by the Council. He asked if he could have his own deliveries and the answer was yes, but only on to his own plot, and for Martin to let the deliverer in and out himself.
Wanda O’Connor and Alec McSkimming stated they were happy with the current system and with the quality of the wood chip delivered.
There was no further business and the meeting ended at 11:52.
Caroline Ritchie and her sister Jane are two of the site’s most effective and enthusiastic gardeners, and their plots are a joy to see.
They use the No Dig Method, and garden organically, but their approach doesn’t require bought-in hardware, growing materials, weed suppressant or wood chip, nor the labour of installing and maintaining these. When the time comes – as it does to us all – to give up the plot, there won’t be any derelict or rotting materials or structures to be dismantled and removed from site, either by themselves, or by the effort of unpaid volunteers, and at the cost of the Council Tax payers of Cardiff either. This last point is one of the main burdens on PPAA Committee resources at present.
They’d be pleased to converse with other gardeners about their technique, and have sent PPAA Committee this message:
“Jane and I would be happy to have a chat with people who want to know about our no-dig method on Saturday 4th July. We usually get there at about ten in the morning, and our plot numbers are 51A and 53A. Adrian Peters has suggested we use the Riverside Community Garden hut if it’s raining, but Jane and I think that seeing is better than just talking, providing the weather is okay.”
PPAA Committee would encourage all interested in this way of gardening to take up this kind offer. It would be best to let Caroline and Jane know, and the easiest way would simply be to post a comment to that effect on this article. (They can tick the box to be notified of such comments if they choose.)
Many thanks to Caroline and Jane.
PPA Website Team
Following the PPAA AGM on Sunday, June 14th, 2026, the serving Committee members are all standing for re-appointment, although two Officer posts are changing. There were also two new volunteers to add to the candidate list, Adrian Peters, and Sera Jones, who have kindly stepped forward. Voting will remain open for fourteen days from the time of this post, that is, it will close at 1400, Sunday, June 28th. Some people may wish to wait until the AGM Minutes have been published before voting, but others may be content to vote on the basis of their experiences over the past year. The published Minutes for the AGM will be updated with the result. That is, there won’t be a separate, notified announcement.
They are (in alphabetical order):
The covering Site Representative and the Treasurer – the two signatories forming a party to the Local Management Agreement deed with Cardiff Council – recommend that the member vote FOR all candidates.
*PPAA advertised for those interested in joining to inform prior to the meeting, but it only became clear at the meeting that there were now two people, Mike and Sera, willing to be Site Representative. After Sue explained to Sera that “Site Secretary” was the old term for “Site Representative”, and that there is only one person to carry out all the duties for the post, she stated that her interest still stood. There will therefore be a second e-vote – sent out separately later this week – for tenants to choose between these candidates, and their résumés will be published with that.
As has been customary at AGMs, this is an en bloc vote, and not a secret one, simulating an open show-of-hands at such in-person meetings. A list of plot numbers – but not names – and the way that their tenants voted will be available upon request. Only in the event of failure to reach a majority in favour would there be a further one on these candidates.
PPAA Committee are very grateful for every voter’s engagement.
PPAA Committee
As previously published in this article, the PPAA 2026 AGM will take place next Sunday, 14th June, in the area by the communal poly tunnel, near to the southeast gate, at 1100. The agenda and procedures will be as outlined in that post.
As announced, it will be chaired by Mike Powell.
The Committee have since received an offer from a tenant to join, and further such offers will be very warmly received.
The weather – as it stands – looks to be good, and so we hope to see many plot holders there!
PPA Website Team
It’s understandable, that during the recent very strong sun and heat, those parking vehicles will seek shade. However, there’s no excuse for what’s happened here.
As was very well publicised here, there was a program of planting – by unpaid volunteers – of pollinator-supporting flowering shrubs last year, and many of these have grown well, thanks to the tending, weeding, watering, and feeding by those volunteers, and by kind others.
So it’s more than disappointing, to see the lack of observation and consideration for that work on the part of some drivers, who apparently think that their desire to park in as much shade as possible trumps everything else.
A lot of unpaid work went into propagating these shrubs from cuttings, in preparing the ground for their planting, and in maintaining them since.
Please, everyone, support your fellow plot holders in such works.
PPA Website Team
A Dwr Cymru Inspector visited site a few weeks ago – accompanied by a PPAA Committee member – and concluded that there’s a leak of about 1020 litres per hour, from the pipework below ground. (When we last checked, a cubic metre, 1000 litres, cost £1.98. Those fond of arithmetic can work out the annual cost to the council tax payers of Cardiff.)
Under PPAA’s Local Management Agreement, Cardiff Council are responsible for the maintenance of water infrastructure.
It’s an offence for a property owner to allow water to leak to wastage in contravention of the purposes for which it’s supplied, and on that basis Dwr Cymru – we understand – issued a Notice to the Council, requiring a response within thirty days.
It would appear that the Council have taken action in response to the Notice, and accordingly, today, Martin met the Council’s Project Manager for this matter, along with an experienced water services contractor on site to gather details on the problem.
They apparently accepted Dwr Cymru’s position, and discussions on the best solution were begun. (Our understanding is that this matter has gone beyond Allotments and Parks to Council Board level, and that like consideration is extended to all Cardiff allotment sites with similar problems.)
We can, therefore, reasonably expect significant works before too long, and the need to work around these, but it’s encouraging to see apparently meaningful action being taken at last on this serious issue.
PPA Website Team
We’re into the first full growing season since the intermittent row of mature hawthorns (the historic boundary hedge for the site) was crown lifted, to allow light to reach the under storey of mainly brambles. The hope was that these would then proliferate and flourish, to produce a thicket impenetrable to intruders, and also to enhance habitat for a range of animals, notably hedgehogs, and low-nesting birds such as robins, wrens, black caps, and so on. Previously, owning to shade, this undergrowth was very sparse – as was the PPA hedge – or completely absent in quite a few places, making access for intruders very easy. The work was also coupled with the removal of fast-growing, unsuitable subjects from the hedge beside the PPA track, such as sycamore.
The position now is:-
So we hope that the few who were concerned – alarmed even – by the temporary reduction in biomass that the initial work involved are now reassured to see that this is being greatly more than offset by the recent profusion of new growth.
PPA Website Team
