Present: Ms Eri Nakajima (Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan), Ms Diana Battaglia (Eastern Regional Worker, FCF&CG), Mrs P Still (QED Steering Group), Mrs J Bourne (QED Health Group), Mr M Still (Tredegar), Mr D Risby (Tredegar), Mr J Rowden (Bean), Mr R Stone (Swanscombe: Chair), Mr G Laidlaw (Dartford Rd), Dr R Wiltshire (Research Officer), Mr R Johnson (Secretary).

1. Introduction and Welcome to Guests: The Chairman introduced our guests who had spent the day with members of the committee at various sites to see at first hand the progress of the allotment movement in Dartford in relation to the local community and Agenda 21.

2. Apologies for Absence: Mr & Mrs W Hamilton, Mr P Fry, Mr R Howard, Mr A Hewitt.

3. Minutes of the Twenty-Sixth Meeting of the Committee: Accepted.

3. Matters Arising from Minutes of the Twenty-Fifth Meeting:

3.8a) Memorial Plaque to Lawrence D Hills: Mr Stone reported that a firm in Gravesend has been asked to quote for the manufacture of a brass plaque, and he is to investigate its siting.

4b) Visit: The scheduled visit by a group of Japanese students was cancelled due to the wet conditions.

10a) FCF&CG Open Gardens Day 10th June: Dr Wiltshire provided more information on the event for the committee.

10b) FCF&CG: Dr Wiltshire has been contacted by Diana Battaglia the FCF&CG eastern regional worker who would like to visit Dartford sites and attend a QED Allotments meeting. The meeting on 11th June was discussed as a possible date, Mr Stone to coordinate arrangements.

3.8a) Memorial Plaque to Lawrence D Hills: Mr Stone reported that funding has been approved and an order will be placed for manufacture.

4b) LGA Good Practice Guide: Published on 13th June at a launch conference at LGA House, London. Mr R Stone will attend on behalf of QED. It is expected that items on this will appear in Amateur Gardening, Garden News and Kitchen Gardener.

4c) PPG17 Consultation: Dr Wiltshire prepared a response which was discussed by the committee and approved for submission to the DETR.

5) QED Allotments Newsletter: Copies were distributed throughout the Borough in May and to some 100+ correspondents outside the Borough, also published on the website.

5. Research Officer's Report:

a) Since the last meeting, it was reported that our website address has been cited in the Daily Mirror.

b) Lead speaker in a Questline telephone conference on allotment promotion sponsored by Shell Better Britain Campaign on 18th April.

c) Report published by Japanese Rural Development Planning Commission on talk given in Tokyo in September 2000.

d) Talk to be given to East London Food Futures in Newham on 16th June.

e) Talk to be given to allotment gardeners in Chesterfield on 11th July on the good practice guide.

f) Invited to give the keynote address on "Allotments in Local Agenda 21" to this year's Seminar of the International Office for Allotment Gardeners in Munich 23-26th August.

g) Booklet entitled "Communities, Gardens and Land Use" is in preparation in collaboration with Dr David Crouch, for the Town & Country Planning Association "Tomorrow" series.

h) Since the last meeting advice on allotments in Local Agenda 21 and related issues has been given to plotholders in Gosport and Greater Manchester.

6. Joint activities with the QED Pollution and Waste Management Group: Nothing to report.

7. Joint activities withthe QED Health Group: Nothing to report.

8. Joint Activities with the QED Biodiversity Group: Mr Still tabled a site map of Tredegar Allotments showing Bee-Keeping areas and the proposed pond and wildlife garden.

9. Dartford Festival 2001: Dr Wiltshire has obtained a set of posters from the "International Society for Ecology and Culture" (ISEC) on the global and local food economies for display. Mr Still is to construct a "model Allotment" with help and contributions form various sites. Mrs Bourne is to make available display material from the Dartford Road site. It was noted with concern that entries for the best kept allotment competition are low and more competitors required especially in the novice and ex-DBC site categories.

10. Visits and Conferences:

a) The visit to HDRA Yalding has been postponed and will be re-scheduled for later in the year.

b) Mr Stone attended the HDRA "Seed Search" conference on 27th April and tabled a visit report and a copy of Sue Strickland's book on seed saving.

c) Mr Stone and Dr Wiltshire to attend the FCF&CG AGM in Bristol on 9th July.

11. Any Other Business:

a) Ms Diana Battaglia thanked the committee for her visit and discussed the publications and information available from the Federation and explained that a new category of membership has been introduced that of "friend" especially for individuals who would care to support the work of the Federation (details www.farmgarden.org.uk).

b) Ms Eri Nakajima also thanked the committee for the visit.

12. Date of Next Meeting: Owing to overlapping commitments by many of the committee the next scheduled meeting (9th July) has been cancelled. The next meeting will be 3rd September 2001 from 8.00 pm at the Princes Sports and Leisure Centre.

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