Present: Mr M Still (Tredegar), Mr A Hewitt (W Dartford A & G S), Mr J Rowden (Bean), Mr S Gousy (Dartford Rd), Dr R Wiltshire (Research Officer), Mr R Johnson (Secretary).
1) Apologies for Absence: Mr G Laidlaw, Mr B Ringrose, Mr W Mundy, Mr R Stone.
2) Minutes of Sixteenth Meeting: Accepted.
3) Matters Arising from Minutes of the Sixteenth Meeting: None.
4) Research Officers Report:
a) Since the last meeting, advice on allotments in Local Agenda 21 and related matters has been provided in writing to allotment groups in Roehampton, Gateshead, Bolton, Harlow and Huddersfield also to Leicester City Council, the Sunnyside Ecology Centre (Islington), Ash Consulting Group (Liverpool) and Mr Simon Hughes MP.
b) Dr Wiltshire has given talks to the Southwark Environment Forum, the Reigate Environment Forum and to the Annual Conference of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (Plymouth).
c) Mr Said Gousy hosted a visit to Dartford Road allotments by a party of council members and council officers from Maidstone Borough Council, aspects of the use of reclaimed and recycled materials were demonstrated on a tour of the site together with discussion of the routine aspects concerning management of an established site. A letter of thanks to Mr Gousy for his hospitality and the site tour has been received by the secretary of Dartford Road Allotments from Maidstone Borough Council.
d) Dr Wiltshire will attend the City Harvest launch event at the Bromley by Bow Centre on 30th June and received the committee's endorsement to attend the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens AGM in Bristol on 12th July.
5) Publicity: Fifteen items related to QED Allotments have appeared in the press since the last meeting, including items in HDRA's Growing Organically (featuring Richard Stone), NSALG's Allotment and Leisure Gardener, Amateur Gardening, Holistic Health, Gardening Which? and Urban Environment Today (circulated by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens to all member projects). There have also been six press mentions of the QED Food Forum, and several mentions of Tredegar Allotments on BBC Radio Kent.
6) Joint Activities with the QED Waste Management Group:
a) Pallets: Pallets from National Power have been delivered to Tredegar and Hawley allotments.
b) Barrels: A second batch of plastic barrels should be available from Akzo Nobel later this month. Ms Julie Morton has identified a local source of barrels which are available in small quantities from Propump Eng Ltd, 2 Waldeck Road, Dartford, 01322- 273737 (contact Mr Trevor Ansell for availability).
c) Carpet: Mr A Hewitt to contact Nova Carpets with reference to carpet waste and offcuts that may be available.
7) Joint Activities With QED Health Group: No report is available as their recent meeting was cancelled.
8) QED Food Forum: Report on progress will be available at the next meeting (Mr R Stone).
9) QED Trip to Ryton Organic Gardens: Visit to be arranged later in the year or for the HDRA "Potato Day" event in the spring.
10) Vegetarian Barbecue Day: Committee members were invited to attend a barbecue at Dartford Road Allotments on 19th June as part of National Vegetarian Barbecue Day sponsored by the Vegetarian Society and Gardening Which? magazine.
11) Dartford Festival Allotments Competition: Competitors are needed, preferably at least a couple from each site. Judging will take place on the weekend of 10/11th July and photographs taken will be on display at the Dartford Festival. Contacts will be required on each site to show the judge around who will be Mr Mike Williams secretary of Bexley Allotments. Secretaries note: A telephone call to me will register competitors.
12) Planning Policy Guidance Document PPG3: The QED Allotment Group's response to the consultation document was submitted to the DETR on time.
13) Early Day Motion 631 (Allotments): This Early Day Motion sponsored by Bolton's MP, follows on from last years EDM 1598. 56 MP's have signed so far including Dr Stoate and support has been obtained from all political parties. Letters requesting support have been sent to all the allotment groups which supported EDM 1598 and to the gardening press (see Amateur Gardening 5/6/99 page 8). The committee agreed that later this month letters would be sent by QED Allotments to all MP's who signed EDM 1598 but have not yet signed EDM 631, asking for their support.
14) Mr Mario Rozanski: The committee approved a motion proposed by Dr Wiltshire that: "The QED Allotments Group wishes to record its thanks to Mr Mario Rozanski for his contribution to the success of several QED projects over the past year and for his contributions to the allotments movement. The Group also looks forward to continuing a successful working relationship with the new Committee of Management at Uplands Allotments".
15) Allotments Coalition Trust: It was agreed by the committee that QED Allotments will require Dr Wiltshire to work with ACT on allotment related issues when the link with the TLIO has been severed.
16) Any Other Business:
a) The QED Steering Group would welcome well argued proposals for expenditures from the QED budget.
b) The committee discussed a leaflet from the Composting Group Association an organisation affiliated to HDRA.
c) The Southern Gardeners Association are organising a trip to Amiens 15-18th October (£220 per person).
d) Mr Still reported on progress at Tredegar Allotments.
17) Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting has been arranged for Monday 6th September 1999 from 8.00 pm at the Princes Sports and Leisure Centre.
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