Attendance: Richard Wiltshire, David Crowe, Richard Stone, Malcolm Still, Pat Still, David Meade, Phil Kessel, Sandra Woodfall - Guest Fiona White (Groundwork Kent Thameside).

Apologies: None.

Fiona White (Groundwork Kent Thameside Environmental Education Officer):

Fiona gave a brief background to Groundwork's work with local schools and young people. Fiona explained the Environment for Everyone Project which has been running for 9 years. The project has recently been extended to enable people to obtain a qualification. The project is running with Helen Allinson School (Meopham) and Adult Tracks (Longfield). The project has expanded to include a stakeholder group to get more people involved.

The Adult Tracks group includes people with wheelchairs and a number of women. One of the areas they are interested in developing is around disabled access and facilities on allotments.

Richard Wiltshire explained that the biggest problem with toilets on allotment is the maintenance of them. He explained about the advisory leaflet of the Allotments Regeneration Initiative, that a source of useful information was Thrive, and offered to provide contact details for the Meopham Allotments Association.

Fiona explained about the proposal to extend Groundwork's project to more groups of people i.e. the unemployed and excluded school children. Richard suggested that similar projects around the Country had had some success when the allotment was attached to a school - i.e. toilet facilities available and people regularly on site and suggested contact with the DFES Growing Schools project.

There was a discussion about the long term effects of funding for projects developed especially when using a statutory allotment. There was a need to consider the effect on other allotment users and what happens after funding has run out - it was suggested that maintenance contracts would be with the Green Team to maintain the allotments over a period of time.

The issue of the involvement of the Dartford Road Allotment Association was discussed. It was explained that the group is currently undergoing a restructuring with possible changes to the Officers of the group. Phil and Sandra to be informed who the contact will be. However the group would need to be informed of proposal for projects on the allotments for discussion and agreement.

Fiona also explained about a funding bid for a recycling and economic development programme to encourage more schools to do composting. In Primary School on site bins/gardening clubs are priorities and secondary schools horticultural NVQ and getting them linked to allotments close to schools. The project will be linked to Groundwork Medway/Swale.

Richard explained that the Allotments Regeneration Initiative had funded a similar project in Sheffield and suggested waiting till the outcome of the project was available.

The discussion then returned to the issue of schools and young people at allotments - the need for supervision when on site, long term child protection and health and safety issues.

Fiona thanked the group members for their information which had been very useful. Richard confirmed that he would provide both the Meopham and Dartford Road allotment contact details. Action: Richard Wiltshire

Issues from Previous Meeting

David Meade said he had not been able to attend the Waste conference.

Pat said that the Pat dog lady had not been contacted - Sandra explained that she had phoned and left several messages on the phone number supplied, but had not been able to speak directly to the person.

Poop Scoop Bag Project: 3000 bags have been prepared. Areas that the scheme will be piloted in are Newtown and Joydens Wood and sites for the bins agreed. Phil mentioned that it was proposed to contact St Albans school to ask if they could help monitor dogs mess locally. Action: Sandra Woodfall

Pat asked the procedure for obtaining more dry recycling bags. Phil agreed to inform John Prance that there appeared to be a problem with the replacement of them (replacements should be supplied once a month) in Willow Road. Also the Council needed to promote how to get more dry recycling sacks. David agreed to raise the issue at the next Waste/Pollution group meeting. Action: Sandra Woodfall/Phil Kessel Action: David Meade

Go Wild in the Garden/Gardening for Wildlife Scheme: Phil explained that the QED logo was to be used for several documents and it had been suggested by the Councilís graphic team that the QED logo could be updated ñ a draft logo was shown. The current QED logo did not appear to reproduce or enlarge particularly clearly. Richard Wiltshire agreed to e.mail the original logo which he had. The group confirmed that they wanted to continue using the original logo. Action: Richard Wiltshire

Copies of the draft fold and leaflet prepared for the Go Wild in the Garden pack were circulated for comments - it was explained that there would be a change to one of the pictures to include a bird and the QED logo would be included. Richard Wiltshire confirmed that a notice board at Dartford Road Allotment site showed the QED logo in colour.

Dartford Borough Council Expenditure Agreement

Phil explained that the Audit Department had requested written details around the procedures for QED expenditure. The group were happy with the written procedures supplied and Pat signed/dated the form and Phil countersigned.

Finances

Richard Stone handed over a receipt

David Crowe had under spent on his allotment project - £500 had been allocated and £100 used.

David Meade had not attended the Waste conference mentioned at the previous meeting

It was agreed to have another meeting of the QED Steering Group meeting to discuss finances - date set of 11 February.

Richard Stone agreed to put together a quote for obtaining QED plaques to include the wording "Sponsored by QED". David to supply the size for the plaque needed for the tractor ñ variety of sizes and quantities to be ordered. Action: Richard Stone and David Meade

Issues from Groups

Waste/Pollution Group - no real issues raised

Allotment Group - Potato Day trip arrange for 1 February - hire of coach £280 - deposit cheque raised - balance cheque to be handed over on the day. Richard Wiltshire confirmed that a meeting would be taking place on 18 January with 5 different ministers to talk about taking allotments forward. The Green Space Strategy for Thames Gateway has a specific quote about allotments (4.21). Richard Wiltshire confirmed that £300,000 would be available from the Allotments Regeneration Initiative for allotment projects.

David requested £43.00 for Resource

Health Group - David Crowe confirmed that a HAT meeting should be happening in the next couple of weeks - no date confirmed yet. David commented that if the meetings continue in the same vein that he may possibly withdraw from the group and put his energies into another area of work such as community safety.

Biodiversity Group - nothing to report.

Any other Business

Dates of future Allotment Group meetings - 2 February, 5 April, 7 June, 6 September and 1 November - usual venue

Dartford Festival will take place on 17/18 July. Pat dogs require a donation of £50.00 per day. Pat agreed to liaise with the Pat dog contact over arrangements. It was suggested that the Waste/Pollution group be asked to source the cloth bags for the event. It was agreed QED would continue with their original idea of walking around the event distributing leaflets. It is planned to change the Dartford Festival format slightly this year to include an environment zone. QED asked that somewhere be available for them to leave leaflets overnight. Action: Pat Still/David Meade/Sandra/Phil

Phil confirmed that the Local Agenda 21 Strategy was being revised and was likely to be under consideration for re-adoption within the Council later this year. Phil confirmed that from April the Environmental Promotions Officer post would move team. Phil would confirm who will be attending the QED steering group meetings in the future. Action: Phil Kessel

Date of next meeting: 11 February 2004 7.00 at the Civic Centre

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