Present: Mrs J Bourne (Dartford Rd), Mr M Still (Tredgar), Mr R Stone (Swanscombe: Chair), Dr R Wiltshire (Research Officer), Mr R Johnson (Secretary).

1. Apologies for Absence: Mr R Howard, Mr T Humphries, Mr P Fry.

2. Minutes of the 31st Meeting of the Committee: Accepted.

3. Matters Arising from Minutes of the 31st Meeting:

4c) Letter of acknowledgement has been received from Dartford Borough Council for our response to the Eastern Quarry Planning Brief.

4. Research Officer's Report:

a) Attended the Bankside Open Spaces Trust conference A Space For Life on 17th April at KCL Waterloo Campus.

b) Attended launch of Urban GreenSpaces Taskforce Final Report Green Spaces, Better Places on 7th May at Mile End and prepared a summary of the implications of this report for allotments for the next issue of NSALG's Allotment and Leisure Gardener.

c) Since the last meeting, advice on allotments in Local Agenda 21 and related issues has been given to plotholders in Devizes, Ellesmere Port, LB Hammersmith, Okehampton, Thurrock, Winchester and Worksop. Also to a horticultural therapy group (Ecoability) in Ross on Wye, Kennet District Council, Waste Watch (London) and the Asian Community Development Corporation (Boston Mass.).

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. Dartford Show 2002: The QED steering group welcomed the idea of using a photographic map in the QED tent, Mr Johnson has met with Mr Betty DBC to discuss the outline requirements.

7. Visits and Conferences:

a) Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens AGM, 7/8th July - Dr Wiltshire will be attending as a member of the management committee and Mr Stone will also attend. There are opportunities for other DASC members to attend, details from Dr Wiltshire.

b) Mr Stone to finalise details on the trip to the HDRA gardens at Audley End in early July and distribute details.

c) It is proposed to organise a visit to Capal Manor in September.

8. QED Allotments Autumn Newsletter: Following the distribution of the spring newsletter, a request has been received for Mr H Crack asking for a mention of the Bexley Open Horticultural Show (7/8th September) at Hall Place, Bourne Road, Bexley, in our next newsletter. This will be included if the autumn newsletter if it is available for distribution before the event.

9. Any Other Business: None

11. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be Monday 2nd September from 8.00 pm at the Princes Sports and Leisure Centre.

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