Following the PPAA AGM on Sunday, June 8th, 2025, the serving Committee members are all standing for re-appointment. There were no new volunteers to add to the candidate list. Voting will remain open for fourteen days from the time of this post, that is, it will close at 1400, Sunday, June 22nd. The published Minutes for the AGM will be updated with the result. That is, there won’t be a separate, notified announcement.
They are:
Jane Davies
Lewis Evans
Gordon Goldsmith
Wendy Gunter (Treasurer, ad hoc Acting Chair)
Nerys Lloyd-Pierce
Martin Pasek
Sue Pasek (Acting Site Representative, ad hoc Acting Chair)
Mike Powell
Rhys Williams
Voting response form
The Acting Chair and the Treasurer – the two signatories to the LMA – recommend that the member vote FOR all candidates.
As has been customary at AGMs, this is an en bloc vote, and not a secret one, simulating an open show-of-hands. 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.
It’s probably fair to say that very few people have ever met a gardener, who wasn’t sensitive to nature and to its beauty. Trees are a central feature of that beauty, which is why we find so many in parks and in gardens. They’re also of great importance in supporting many species of wildlife, and so, for good reason, they’re often the subject of protections, such as Tree Preservation Orders, and Conservation Areas.
The necessary curating of parks, gardens, and so on, means that trees aren’t always inviolate however, and the maintenance of the proper purpose of land generally means that many trees will have to be pruned, transplanted, or sometimes felled.
The PPA site is fortunate in having many attractive trees around, and in places, on it. There are the hawthorns in the row beside the northeast boundary, and the sycamores and maples in Llandaff Fields adjoining the southwest boundary. We have the magnificent and interesting oaks on the embankment besides Road Three on the site, along with the miscellany of specimens besides the Western Avenue boundary, and finally there’s the intended row of graceful silver birches, planted, we understand, as a planning condition for the development of WJEC, on its land adjoining PPA.
The situation on PPA
Over the years these trees have grown, and have, inevitably, caused some problems for the PPA site and for certain plots on it. The hawthorns by the spine road were hanging low enough over the hedge to starve it of light, and so it became sparse and insecure. (There was clear evidence, that intruders had entered through it on the night of the appalling arson attack on the Riverside Community Gardens shelter.) The trees by Road Three were also hanging very low over some plots, making areas of them quite useless for growing, and there was scope for improvement in that regard for the plots beside the historic wall too. So, after very careful consideration, a program of works was decided upon by PPAA Committee, and those deliberations happened in the light of what Jon Maidment – Head Of Parks – had said at a gathering of Site Representatives, delegates, and other Council officials. Our understanding of that was, that where Associations encountered a need to deal with problems stemming from trees, then notwithstanding the letter of Tenancy Agreements or LMAs, the Council would tend to take an understanding view of decisions and actions taken by them to help.
Legal and contractual considerations
No work on trees subject to Tree Preservation Orders or which are in a Conservation Area can be undertaken without planning consent. At the time of the works though, none of the trees considered for work were subject to either of these.
When it comes to work on trees not growing on PPA, but with overhanging branches, e.g. those in Llandaff Fields, then the common law of Abatement of Private Nuisance allows for those branches to be lopped by the occupier of the affected land, as this article by RHS explains. Neither notice to, nor consent from the other landowner are required.
Whereas both the Tenancy Agreement and the LMA say that no conifer, broadleaf or willow trees must be planted or maintained about the site, provision six of the Tenancy Agreement says (perhaps apparently contradictorily) “6. The Tenant shall not without the like consent, prune, or remove or interfere with any timber or other trees…” However, our view is, that a proper interpretation of the meaning of “trees” in that context could only sensibly mean trees growing on PPA site, otherwise the tenant would be prevented from working on any trees – including his own at home. In other words, it doesn’t prevent work on trees such as the hawthorns by the Spine Road. That interpretation has been put to the Council as intended for consideration by their Legal Services, but so far they’ve remained silent on the matter. (This might be a subject, on which a legal professional could in future contact the Council.) So it’s taken to mean that trees large enough to be “timber”, that is, of landscape significance, and actually growing on PPA site shouldn’t be pruned without Council consent, but then again they’ve also stated that disallowed trees growing on plots can be removed whatever...)
Works to hawthorns beside the spine road hedge
After the arson attack on RCG, the Council’s Allotments Officer, Celia Hart, visited PPA to meet Sue, Site Rep, and to discuss what might be done to improve security. To increase lighting to the Spine Road hedge, Celia proposed the complete removal of every other hawthorn tree.
Sue considered this to be unnecessarily drastic, and perhaps not the most effective solution. So, at Committee, it was decided that to retain all the trees, but to crown lift them would be far better, and no objections were raised to this proposal. A pole pruner was bought, and four volunteers did the work, which seems to have been very effective indeed, with both the hedge and adjoining bramble thicket now growing profusely, making the whole length of that boundary section secure. The volume of nesting medium for a number of bird species has also been greatly increased. (These trees formed the historic boundary hedge for PPA, and custom-and-practice has always been that PPAA maintained both them, and the land between them and the present-day fence.)
Works done by contractors
Some of the works, e.g. at a height, or involving the removal of large trees where plot holders had requested assistance, required the expensive services of professional arborists. The works done included the coppicing of some overgrown hedging by Western Avenue, and the very modest pruning of the oaks and so on by Road Three, which nonetheless greatly improved matters for several plots there. It perhaps needs to be made clear however, that contrary to some inaccurate reports apparently circulating, no sitting tenant has had any tree removed without their agreement.
Overhanging branches from Llandaff Fields
These works were done by volunteers on the claimed legal basis explained earlier. They involved the removal of relatively few low hanging branches, but despite the limited scope of the works they made a very worthwhile improvement to the growing conditions of eleven plots. (They were overseen by a volunteer with a working life background that included safety considerations in the project management of public events.)
(It’s worth noting, that although the method used didn’t usually result in clean sawn ends, the Council’s arborists themselves deliberately simulate rough breakage of boughs in parks to avoid the stark appearance of amputated stumps.)
Volunteers’ “sawn” endCouncil arborist’s “sawn” end (some years old now)
Allotments Officer did express some concerns however, about certain aspects of these works, mainly relating to safety, and her advice is being followed.
The trees along the WJEC boundary
At one time, there was a row of large sycamores along the End Road, but these were felled, perhaps to facilitate development of the WJEC site. The stumps were deactivated, and the remains of some of these are now covered in ivy. (One of them was kindly removed completely by a then volunteer from RCG, Frank Berry, which made access and turning for vehicles far easier.)
There are now some nearly mature, graceful silver birches along this boundary. As mentioned, our understanding is that their planting was a Planning Condition of the WJEC development, and that they were intended to form a continuous row for its full length.
However, perhaps for practical reasons, WJEC have put up their security fence on the inside of that row of trees, which seems to have led some to believe that the trees are on PPA site, but our understanding again is that this isn’t the case. Nonetheless, for their own purposes, we gather that the Riverside Community Gardens volunteers – and perhaps others – have either removed or significantly pruned some of these trees, and so the row is now only partial.
Dead sycamore stumps by WJECLopped silver birch by WJEC – perhaps to allow sunlight to the RCG’s solar panel on their shipping container roof
Dead or diseased trees
Unfortunately the PPA site hasn’t escaped such ravages as silver leaf and ash dieback. Where plot holders have asked for assistance, volunteers have removed members of the prunus family affected by the first, and the Council are watching some large ash trees, by plot ninety for the second. There’s also a clump of semi-mature willows, which appear to be pretty lifeless, and that’s perhaps down to the repeated but so far unsuccessful attempts by contractors to eradicate Japanese knotweed growing around them. (However, as it stands there at least isn’t any of it on the PPA side of the fence this year.) The trees have been reported to the Council as needing removal for safety reasons.
Surviving – as ever – Japanese knotweed near dead willowsOn the other hand, a willow outside of PPA, at the southeast end seems to be dying too, so perhaps the cause is other.
e-Voting emails/post will be sent to all tenants soon after the AGM.Comments will be kept open on this article until voting closes.
Personal statements:
Jane Davies, plot 88a (existing Committee member)
Personal statement
I’ve enjoyed growing my veg, and in particular watching the birds and insects that inhabit my plot with me. My reason for joining the Committee is to encourage other gardeners to enjoy their plots and also to consider the importance of protecting the wildlife around us, whose numbers are so sadly declining.
Lewis Evans, plot 118b (existing Committee member)
Personal statement
I’m keen to see these allotments continue to be as well managed as possible, and working properly for all plot holders.
Present Works
Forming part of Council-required Plot Inspection Team.
Gordon Goldsmith, plot 120a (existing Committee member)
Candidate content with information below. Present works include:
Forming part of Council-required Plot Inspection Team.
Affixing nesting boxes about the site.
Inferred:
Aims
To make PPA site a convivial place for all plot holders.
Wendy Gunter, plot 113b (Existing Committee member, as PPAA Treasurer, ad hoc Acting Chair, and signatory to LMA deed)
Personal statement
General
I’ve spent my life in or near Pontcanna (I’m now in Canton) where I have a small garden, which I’ve always tended devotedly.
I’m retired from a demanding job, which has given me time to run an allotment.
Present works
As Treasurer, updating income and expenditure records.
Paying invoices, and ensuring I have an invoice/receipt for any expenditure.
I’m a signatory on PPAA bank account.
Liaising with Site Secretary on expected payments from plot holders as well as updates on any cash received.
Preparing and organising the audit of annual accounts for the Council to ensure that our grant is paid.
Additionally, dealing with contractors over major works e.g. wall rebuild, waste heap removal.
Aims
As a signatory on the Local Management Agreement, to honour this agreement.
To carry on as long as possible with the current Committee.
Nerys Lloyd-Pierce, plots 33b and 44 (existing Committee member)
Personal statement
Nerys Lloyd-Pierce joined the PPAA Committee as she has an interest in protecting wildlife; encouraging the planting of wildlife friendly plants amid the veggies, and encouraging butterflies, bumblebees and birds in the process. Along with fellow Committee member, Gordon, nest boxes were put up around the allotment for robins, blue tits, and great tits before the nesting season started. Blackbirds, wrens and song thrushes prefer bushes and scrub, where they will be nesting now.
Martin Pasek, plot 73 (existing Committee member)
Personal statement
General
I grew up on a family smallholding, a horticultural nursery.
After university at UCL, I worked in a range of areas, including public facing ones.
I’ve maintained an interest in gardening, both ornamental and culinary, throughout my life.
I welcome the proposed new Tenancy Agreement, because it appears to me to dispel some widespread misconceptions about allotment gardening that have arisen in recent times.
I’m a member of Open Spaces Society.
I’m an organic and ecological moderate and pragmatist.
Present works
Clearing of plots for letting.
Removal of fly tipping.
Maintenance of gate locks and site plumbing.
Grounds maintenance of hedges, tracks, parking areas etc.
Propagating pollinator-sustaining shrubs from cuttings, for planting about the site.
Website admin.
Aims
To do all that I can to prevent Pontcanna Permanent Allotments from falling into any condition, where anyone could claim that they are “failing”, and would therefore be of more benefit to the public if developed – as has happened at many sites across the country.
To help to preserve and to impart the traditional, and self-evidently sustainable gardening methods, which have supported human life for thousands of years.
Sue Pasek, plot 73 (existing Committee member, Council’s Site Representative, ad hoc Acting Chair, and signatory to LMA deed)
Personal statement
General
I was never happier as a little girl than when helping my late grandfather with his vegetable garden, especially when playing in his compost heap, and that emotional attachment to the soil has remained with me throughout my life.
My working life was quite demanding and stressful, and made me appreciate the sort of relaxation that gardening can give.
I’m a member of Open Spaces Society.
I’m an organic and ecological moderate and pragmatist.
Present works
In the absence of a substantive Site Representative, and as the Council-nominated contact for PPAA, I manage correspondence with the Council and with plot holders. I also introduce prospective tenants from the waiting list to plots, in one-to-one meetings.
I assist with plot clearance, grounds maintenance, and act as Chair with PPAA Treasurer as agreed.
I presently represent PPAA at Council and other meetings.
Aims
To honour my binding undertakings, as a signatory to the Local Management Agreement deed with the Council.
In general, to do all that I can to promote Pontcanna Permanent Allotments as a thriving, productive community of gardeners.
Mike Powell, plot 142 (existing Committee member)
Candidate content with information below. Present works include:
Clearing neglected plots for re-letting.
Hedge laying work etc.
Dealing with arborist contractors.
Forming part of Council-required Plot Inspection Team.
Inferred:
Aims
To work with others towards ensuring the fullest and most productive occupation of the plots on PPA site that can be achieved.
Rhys Williams, plot 137a (existing Committee member)
Candidate content with information below. Present works include:
Hedge laying works.
Sowing for increasing bramble thicket along spine road hedge.
Growing subjects for the plant sale.
Forming part of Council-required Plot Inspection Team.
Inferred:
Aims
To make PPA site a convivial place for all plot holders.
PPAA Committee are indebted to plot holder Patrick Flood-Page, who drew their attention to the existence of the above toilets, just a couple of minutes walk from the PPA Western Avenue gate.
They’re in working order with separate male and female. They’re flush toilets, with running water and wash basins. The chinaware is in reasonable shape, though in need of cleaning. Users will need to take their own soap/hand wash, tissue, and whatever, understandably. We gather that they used to lock just for nearby plot holders, but the new doors are now left unlocked, to spare the cost of vandalism.
Present: Sue Pasek (Acting Chair), Wendy Gunter (Treasurer,) Mike Powell, Gordon Goldsmith, Nerys Lloyd-Pierce, Martin Pasek, Rhys Williams, Lewis Evans
Apologies: 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):
Sue reported that she had let four plots during April, and viewings were ongoing.
The PPAA plot inspections teams had completed the first round of the inspections and as a result a total of twenty-eight “Letters of Concern” had been sent. The process also flagged up six plots where the tenants had notified the Council of their intention to end their tenancies, but unfortunately the Council had not passed on the information to the PPAA.
Owing to the Council’s ongoing move to the Orkastrate computer system, there have been no new plot holder or waiting lists since June 2024.
[Edit: Content removed as not to affect, possibly, legal proceedings]
Sue is to attend the bi-monthly Cardiff Site Representatives meeting on 14/5/25.
Treasurer’s report: Wendy
Wendy confirmed that the annual grant from Cardiff Council had been received. She also confirmed that the Site Representative’s fee had been paid and that the recipient, Sue Jones had donated it to the PPAA funds.
New Tenancy Agreement Progress: Martin
Martin reported that the final draft document had been submitted to Cardiff Council’s Legal Services. However, it seemed to be uncertain, as to whether the mid-May target date, originally understood to be the time for circulating the document to all Cardiff Allotment tenants for comment would be met.
Clarification of Cultivation: Jane
In Jane’s absence, the question of how the Council define a plot as being “cultivated” was asked to be raised by her.
Sue referred to the Tenancy Agreement as – when reasonably understood – being the guide to the basic requirement for cultivation.
AGM:
It was agreed that this years AGM would be on Sunday 8th June 2025 at 11:00, outside the PPA Communal Poly Tunnel situated at the south end of the site. All plot holders are welcome and encouraged to attend, but only the person(s) named as the plot holder on the Council Lists will be able to vote.
Although this year a large scale plant sale has not been possible, it is hoped that a small range of plants can be on sale on the same day, and plot holders are encouraged to bring along any surplus plants to donate to the sale.
Toilet: Nerys
Sue opened the discussion by stating that PPA is designated by Cardiff Council as a No Toilets Site, and that the lower plot rental rates reflect this. With this in mind there is no requirement for the PPAA to provide or to maintain any toilet facilities on the site.
A recent survey of two hundred and twenty-six subscribers on the PPAA website had asked the question as to whether plot holders were concerned by the abandonment of the ex-RCG toilet. Of non-Committee comments in response, one person said that they were, one was for its removal, and one comment seemed to be neutral. (Ten plots had no email address, and so were not part of the survey.)
No one on the Committee considered themselves to be in a position to offer any material action aimed at replacing, building or maintaining any toilet facility on the site, and so all agreed that no such action by PPAA Committee would take place.
Noise Nuisance: Martin
Several plot holders had remarked upon the loud unpleasant noise, assumed to be from a random bird scarer animal noise player, coming from the direction of Llandaff Fields Allotments.
Further investigations suggest that its origin is actually further away across the river. If anyone has more information about this, then PPAA Committee would be interested in sharing it.
AOB
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 on June 3rd 2025 at 1900, at the Pontcanna Permanent Allotments, outside the poly tunnel.
Note: in view of correspondence recently received by PPAA Committee, it’s considered that it needs to be pointed out, that their intentions are as may be indicated by the Minutes. If tenants should receive information differing from that, from any individual Committee member acting in a personal capacity, e.g. via their personal email or otherwise, then that information may not have been endorsed by PPAA.
There’re no Council-maintained or Committee-maintained toilets on the PPA site, and the plot rental’s therefore cheaper than on sites where there are.
However, quite some years ago now, the Riverside Community Gardens – we understand – with the assent of the then PPAA Committee, but nothing more, built a composting toilet shed, in an unused corner of the site, near to Plot 90, for the particular needs of their quite numerous volunteers. They very kindly and generously made the facility available to all plot holders on the site too. (RCG are completely autonomous, and independent plot holders like everyone else. They’re not affiliated to the PPAA Committee, nor otherwise connected with the general running of the site. Moreover, if RCG have since made more private arrangements closer to their plots, then there’s never been any “handover” or discussion of this facility as a legacy for adoption by the PPAA Committee, and our present understanding is that Allotments Officer once remarked that it should never have been there anyway.)
Whatever, we’re sorry to have to report, that this facility’s now apparently been trashed, and treated with reckless disregard or even deliberate nuisance, and left in a state resembling the “dirty protests” of prisoners from time-to-time. Whether this is a result of plot holders’ acts or those of intruders to the site is unclear.
Volunteers have now listened to several, sometimes angry complaints from aggrieved plot holders, but we must emphasise, that owing to the site’s “No Toilets” status, however unpleasant and inconvenient this position might be, no one is being deprived of any entitlement under their tenancy by the fact of this toilet’s no longer being usable, and it’s absolutely not the job of any unpaid PPAA volunteer to maintain or to restore it.
Furthermore, we’ve every sympathy with the RCG volunteers, as to their being presented with this disgusting filth, and if they’ve given up maintaining the toilet in despair as a result, then we fully understand that.
We haven’t inspected the toilet ourselves, but from the descriptions given it would appear to be a serious health hazard, and we’d therefore caution everyone against entering it.
This yearly routine’s now under way, as foretold in the last few meetings Minutes, and as mandated under the PPAA’s Local Management Agreement with the Council.
The full process is described in detail here, but readers would perhaps like a few words about just how the people involved go about this.
Basically, it’s done – as far as possible – blind. That is, the site’s divided up into blocks, and Committee members are allocated plots as far away from their own as possible. This is to avoid, or to reduce the likelihood of any possible awkwardness with neighbours, and so on. This approach was decided on some years ago under previous Committees.
(The Council’s nominated Site Rep has delegated her share of the work to other Committee members, owing to the sheer size of the PPA site, and the corresponding burden of all the other work involved with it.)
The great majority of plots – as is almost always the case – aren’t expected to give any reason for concern at all, but where one appears badly neglected or deserted, dated photographs will be taken, and the plot holder contacted to ask if there were any difficulty of which PPAA Committee and the Council should be aware, so that where appropriate (e.g. because of a period of illness) allowances can be made or help offered (e.g. by passing on a request for assistance to those who offer it.)
The terms of tenancy apply to all plot holders equally, so if there should be a temporary difficulty which stops a tenant from maintaining their plot, then there needs to be some kind of workaround while the problem lasts – if it’s going to be anything other than for a short while.
The central purpose of the exercise is to support the full productive use of the site, and also to identify unwanted plots, so that these can be offered to people on the waiting list – who are keen to get gardening.
(Any questions will gladly be answered, either in the comments below, or, for anyone who wants to enquire privately, by email.)
There’s apparently an underground leak in the supply on PPA site, which is losing about ten cubic metres of water per day, and the meter indicates that it seems to be getting worse. A cubic metre costs about two pounds, so this would equate to over £7,000 per year, if the water were left on all day. (That’s well over PPAA’s annual grant from the Council.)
The Council proposed that the water could be turned off completely, full time (at the off-site valve), until the leak were fixed, but volunteers offered to turn it on for just a few hours each day, and the Council commended this. If it’s only on for six hours a day, then the cost of the wasted water is reduced to “only” about £1,750 per year.
Two Committee volunteers have so far offered to attend site twice a day – every day – to attend to this. There’s also a plot holder who’s very kindly helped out when they’ve not been able, e.g. because they weren’t even in Cardiff, and PPAA Committee are very grateful to him. The personal and family lives of these volunteers mean that the water will often be turned on around 0900-1000 and off at about 1430-1530, though this may vary quite a bit. We appreciate that those in full time work would perhaps prefer the water to be on at a later time, but there just aren’t the people on hand at these times to do that as it stands.
We’d emphasise the importance of no water being wasted. The Tenancy Agreement gives an implied right to use it for watering crops, but for no other purpose. This means that e.g. any ponds shouldn’t be refilled unnecessarily. (In principle they shouldn’t be refilled at all, but we understand that this could result in the preventable loss of quite a range of wildlife, now that it’s established).
The Council’s Allotments Officer’s also pointed out, quite unequivocally, that no person on Cardiff allotments has any dispensation or understanding from or with the Council to attach hose pipes and pumps or similar equipment to the water troughs for the drawing of water from them.
It’s particularly the case during the drought conditions of late, that while these restrictions remain, we all owe it to ourselves to be sparing and considerate in the use of such water as might be in the troughs.
The Council have a single team working on these leaks – there are those on other sites too – and they’re doing so in order of seriousness. However, we’ve no information on how long our own wait might be. The leak was first noted at the end of last summer, and we’ve been waiting since then already.
It’s a fact of life, that unfortunate things happen, and when they do, they’re often going to have impacts that we might not like.
Thanks to all, for everyone’s patience and understanding.
Intruders – and it must have taken some work – succeeded in detaching one of the security fence palings at the top, so that it could be displaced as shown. It’s now been repaired, and the top of the fence garnished with climbing rose prunings. It was the fence adjoining Llandaff Fields Park, near where it meets the listed old wall.
Doors had been forced on nearby sheds recently, and this would explain that. It doesn’t look as though this has been done for any length of time though, the damaged metalwork was still bright.
It solves another mystery too. A few days ago, a gardener messaged a PPAA Committee member to ask if his dog had been seen, having “run through the metal fence”. It was wrongly assumed that it must have been a small dog, or somewhere else, as the fact of the fence’s having been damaged wasn’t mentioned.
In a way it’s encouraging, in that the recent improvements to gate and hedge security, along with the wall repair, seem to have forced intruders to take ever more laborious action to get in.
Let’s hope that they’re too bored to go through it all again this time.
