Present: Mr L Smith (Gore Rd), Mrs J Platt (Gore Rd), Mr R Howard (Gore Rd), Mr M Still (Tredegar), Mr D Risby (Tredegar), Mr J Rowden (Bean), Mr T Humphries (Dartford Rd), Dr R Wiltshire (Research Officer), Mr R Johnson (Secretary).
1. Apologies for Absence: Mrs J Bourne, Mr R Stone.
2. Minutes of the Twenty-Seventh Meeting of the Committee: Accepted.
3. Matters Arising from Minutes of the Twenty-Seventh Meeting:
4/3.8a) Memorial Plaque to Lawrence D Hills: Plaque has been manufactured but not yet invoiced to DBC, siting will be discussed with DBC and KCC.
4/4b) LGA Good Practice Guide: Launch conference for the Guide* was held at LGA House on 13th June with Mr Stone attending on behalf of QED. Items on the Guide have appeared in Amateur Gardening, Garden News, Kitchen Garden, Interactive, eg Magazine, Allotment and Leisure Gardener, The Guardian and Gardening Which?, in the e-mail newsletters Local Food Today and Cambridge Allotments Newsletter, and on BBC TV's Newsroom Southeast. Dartford's MP Dr Howard Stoate has assisted in setting up a meeting of the all-party Parliamentary Gardening Group to discuss the Guide later this year.
10c) FCF & CG AGM held 9th July : Mrs E Poulton (Dartford Rd), R Johnson and Dr R Wiltshire attended and visited Windmill Hill and St Werburg's City Farms and Horfield Allotments and Community Orchard.
4. Research Officer's Report:
a) Since the last meeting, talks based on the Guide* given to East London Food Futures in Newham on 16th June and South Derbyshire allotment gardeners in Chesterfield on 11th July. Further talks to be given to Urban Agriculture Conference (University of North London) 11th July, allotment garden seminars in Burnley (25th September), Horsham (20th November), AGM of Yorkshire Allotments and Gardens Federation (10th November) and at the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Managers (ILAM) Allotments Seminar in Swindon (11th December).
b) Keynote address on "Allotments in Local Agenda 21" given to seminar of the International Office for Allotment Gardeners in Munich 23-26th August. Also chaired one of the workshops at this seminar (on ecological projects), and delivered the workshop summary in plenary session.
c) Booklet entitled "Sustaining The Plot - Communities, Gardens And Land Use" written with David Crouch and featuring photographs of allotment gardens in Dartford was published in August by the Town and Country Planning Association. This publication introduces the Guide* to the planning community. An associated article will appear in the September issue of the Town and Country Planner.
d) Attended Launch of the Aston Mansfield report The Right to a Healthy Diet: Sustaining the Fight against Food Poverty in Newham on 20th June.
e) Invited to submit a report on the publication of the Guide* to the Dartford Borough News (the offer declined on the basis that the Guide had not been endorsed by DASC).
f) To attend the Bromley Allotments Competition Awards Ceremony on 28th September.
g) There was mention of the work of the QED Allotments Group on the BBC Radio 4's programme "Home Planet" on 31st July.
h) Since the last meeting, advice on allotments in Local Agenda 21 and related issues has been given to plotholders in Bexley, Blyth Valley, Camden, Okehampton, Runnymede and Sevenoaks, to Bury Council for Voluntary Services, Plymouth City Council, Staffordshire Community Council and Wiltshire County Council, to a student at the University of York, to Gardening Which? and Positive News, and to Zambian food growers in Newham.
5. Report on QED Steering Group Meeting (22/8/01): Dr Wiltshire represented DASC as Mr Stone was on holiday. Arrangements were agreed for the purchase of a camera to record the regeneration of Tredegar Allotments for the QED Website. Dr Wiltshire had reported his resignation from the Dartford Festival Committee to take responsibility for failure of Festival organisers to address last year's complaint about noise properly.
6. Joint activities with other QED Groups:
a) QED Pollution and Waste Management Group: It was reported that pallets were available, information can be obtained from Mr Still.
b) QED Health Group: No report available.
c) QED Biodiversity Group: Mr Still reported the pond that forms part of the wildlife garden at Tredegar Allotments has been excavated with assistance from the NWK Country Project Group and that the regeneration project which is a joint collaboration between the QED Biodiversity Group and QED Allotments is continuing with discussions on landscaping and wildlife habitat advice from the RSPB and other specialist groups.
7. Dartford Festival Allotments Competition 2002: Dr Wiltshire explained the evolution of the present competition to the committee and he will be replaced as organiser after this year's presentation ceremony by Mr Humphries. The rules for the 2002 competition were tabled and approved by the committee. Mr Mike Williams from Bexley has kindly agreed to judge again.
8. Participation in the Dartford Festival (7/01 and 7/02): The committee discussed our participation in this year's festival and the position on involvement in the 2002 Festival, it was agreed to defer any decision and review the situation closer to the time.
9. QED Allotments Newsletter (Autumn 2001 Edition): Dr Wiltshire agreed to prepare and arrange distribution of the newsletter by the end of September, this issue will include an annual report and items for inclusion were requested from participating sites.
10. Visits and Conferences: There is a conference to be held in Bristol on 31st October entitled "Joined up Eating"; places are available if anyone wishes to attend.
11. Any Other Business:
a) Allotment Leaflets: an updated leaflet was discussed for distribution to local residents in areas where llotment plots are available.
b) Harvest Festival at Holy Trinity Church: It was agreed that Dr Wiltshire will supply materials on allotments and sustainability.
12. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be 12th November 2001 from 8.00 pm at the Princes Sports and Leisure Centre.
* Secretaries Note: Guide :- "Growing in the Community - A Good Practice Guide for the Management of Allotments" by Professor David Crouch, Dr Joe Sempik and Dr Richard Wiltshire published by LGA Publications ISBN 184049 204 X
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