Present: Mr J Rowden (Bean), Mr T Humphries (Dartford Rd), Mr R Howard (Gore Rd), Dr R Wiltshire (Research Officer), Mr R Johnson (Secretary).

1. Apologies for Absence: Mrs J Bourne, Mr M Still, Mr A Hewitt.

2. Minutes of the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Committee: Accepted.

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

7) Allotment Watch: It was stated that the Dartford Road site wished to participate if a new co-ordinator is found to run the project.

11c) Hive: It was stated that a new observation hive has been purchased to assist in training, for education purposes and to promote and encourage beekeeping.

4. Research Officer's Report:

a) Since the last meeting, talks based on the LGA Good Practice Guide have been given to Horsham Shelly Allotments Society (20th November) and an allotments seminar held by the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management (ILAM) in Swindon (11th December). The document "Devolved Management for Allotments" prepared by the Research Officer for the LGA in December 1998 has been adopted by ILAM as part of its training material. Copies of the Good Practice Guide have been offered by Kitchen Garden magazine as competition prizes. The Guide is also cited in the DETR's new pamphlet "Allotments: A Plot Holders Guide", as is the QED Virtual Potting Shed.

b) Attended the First AGM of the Parliamentary All Party Gardening and Horticulture Group on 29th January as co-panellist with Tim Rumball (Editor: Amateur Gardening) for a Q&A session on allotments. Arising from this, advice on allotment issues has been supplied to Lord Beamont, who is seeking to launch a debate on allotment issues in the Upper House, and who commented favourably on the Good Practice Guide.

c) To attend a conference on "The Alternative Food Economy: Myths, Realities and Potential" hosted by the Royal Geographical Society in London on 6th March.

d) To attend an ILAM Seminar on Allotment Law in Reading on 7th March, a space has also been reserved for a QED representative at an ILAM Seminar on Promoting Allotments to be held in Reading on 17th April.

e) Accepted an invitation to join the working party for Sustain's new London Food Links Project the first meeting of which is on 19th March.

f) Made arrangements for Professor Yoshinaga of Hiroshima International University's Faculty of Medical Administration to include QED's (aborted) plan for an integrated project at Darenth Country Park in his forthcoming book on Horticultural Therapy.

g) Since the last meeting, advice on allotments in Local Agenda 21 and related issues has been given to plotholders in Devizes, Horsham, Ross-shire and Winchester, to Watford Borough Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council, and a student at Hull University.

5. Joint activities with other QED Groups:

a) QED Pollution and Waste Management Group: No report.

b) QED Health Group: No report.

c) QED Biodiversity Group: No report.

6. Report on "Potato Day": A group from Dartford attended this year's "Potato Day" on the 3rd February an annual event held by the Henry Doubleday Research Association at Ryton. Mr Stone displayed the memorial plaque to Lawrence D Hills (a founder of the HDRA) which is to be sited in Dartford Library, Jackie and Alan Gear have agreed to attend the unveiling ceremony.

7. Dartford Show 2002: Dartford Allotments Competition: Mr Humphries submitted a prospectus similar to last year's which was discussed and approved. The entry form will be included in the Spring 2002 edition of the QED Allotments Newsletter. A Subsidiary project for inclusion this year was discussed regarding the purchase of a large scale A0 size photographic map of Dartford similar to the ones in the book "London the Photographic Atlas" produced by "getmapping.com", a telephone quote for a map of this size at 1:3000 was £250. The project was referred to the QED Steering Group.

8. Visits and Conferences: Bankside Open Spaces Trust are hosting a one-day Conference entitled "A Space For Life" on 17th April details from Dr Wiltshire. The Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens AGM is to be held on 8th July in Bristol and arrangements are being made for two people to attend to represent Dartford Road Allotments and QED who oth hold membership, it is expected that a talk will be given by a member of HDRA. It is hoped to arrange a visit to HDRA Audley End Organic Kitchen Garden, Saffron Walden, Essex.

9. Any Other Business:

a) Mr Howard proposed that QED should consider running, in conjunction with allotment societies in the area, talks at venues within the Borough, it was discussed and support recommended.

b) QED Allotments Newsletter: Issue 11 due out March/April. this will include the entry form for the allotments competition, plus information on the new DTLR pamphlet "Allotments: A Plotholders Guide".

10. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be 8th April 2002 (not 1st April as stated in Minutes of 29th Meeting) from 8.00 pm at the Princes Sports and Leisure Centre.

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