The meeting was preceded by an address from Mr. B. Park, Chairperson of the Poppleton Community Trust, supporting his letter dated 3 October, 2002, appealing for financial assistance towards the running cost of the Community Centre and from Mrs. S. Tomlinson of Upper Poppleton seeking Council support for her opposition to certain sites of the proposed Park and Ride site on the A59. Mr. Park left the meeting at 8.10pm and Mrs. Tomlinson at 9.30pm.

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs. L.A. Jackson who was having problems with child minding.

Mr. Woodall was leaving the village and as a result, had -resigned from the Council. Members unanimously supported a vote of thanks for Mr Woodall’s long service to Nether Poppleton, both on the Council and undertaking voluntary work and the Clerk was asked to convey the Councillors’ thanks to him.

Advice on the need for a by-election was to be obtained from the City of York Electoral Manager.

The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 15 September 2002 were approved and signed.

The first Annual General Meeting of the Forum was to take place on 22 October 2002 and Mr. Acomb said he would be attending.

Consideration was given to a letter dated 13 September, 2002 from the Charity Commission for England and Wales, setting out the historical background to the establishment of the Dodsworth Hall Trust whose duties were to provide Church of England religious education. The hall was to be used as a Sunday School only and any other use was a breach of trust. The hall had not been used as a Sunday School for some time and was proving costly to maintain.

Should the trustees decide to dispose of the hail, they must comply with s.36 of the Charities Act, 1993, which includes a requirement to give public notice of their intentions and take into account the views of any persons affected by the disposal.

Members agreed the Trustees be asked to keep the Council informed of any future decision they might make on the hall.

Mr. Chisholm reported on a meeting with residents held earlier this month about the £10,000.00 Section 106 Agreement and how it should be spent. The following had been proposed:

(a) Would like some landscaping.

(b) They were keen on a 3½ to 4 feet fence on the grassed area and something like astroturf where the children could have a kick-a-bout. The existing site on the Great North Way was not suitable.

(c) There- was concern about crossing the dual carriageway caused by vehicle parking on the Great North Way.

(d) There was a need for a post box and it was suggested it be positioned by the notice board.

(e) The bollards should remain.

Residents had been asked to cost the proposals and then convene another meeting to make decisions.

Mr. Chisholm reported the Youth Club still closed and he was not yet aware of the reopening date. Negotiations were continuing on the provision of a skate board area.

It was noted that bus drivers had been instructed to stop at the Lord Nelson and those stopping at The Green in Upper Poppleton were to be reported to the bus depot, quoting date and time.

It was noted that a dropped kerb had been installed on Montague Walk.

Mrs. Hopton reported the cycle track in Millfield Lane was to be extended to the village.

The Chairman had examined the document and was consulting with the Yorkshire LCA about adapting it to the Parish Council’s needs and then having it reproduced.

Mr. Acomb raised the question of siting of these additional litterbins and ‘doggy’ bins and Members agreed where they should be positioned.

The Chairman said the Jubilee Fund Committee had decided to spend the surplus funds on replacing the seat on the triangle at the junction of Main Street with Ouse Moor Lane, plant daffodil bulbs and possibly plant two trees, one in Nether and the other in Upper Poppleton.

The Chairman had sought advice from the Yorkshire LCA and had been referred to Advice Note 22. The declaration form was to be completed by the Parish Council and it was agreed that the Chairman and the Clerk undertake the task. A copy of the completed document was to be circulated to Members. Closing ‘date was 31 December 2002.

The Chairman had received two applications for the post early in October and after consulting with Mr Acomb, had agreed the position be advertised in the local newspaper. He had this evening, received a telephone call from another lady, expressing interest. Members decided a Group be formed comprising of Mrs Jackson, Mr Major and the Clerk to consider the applications and then make a recommendation to the full Council.

Mr Woodall, before resigning, had obtained an application form for the trees from the City of York Council Arboricultural Officer and was concerned at the bureaucracy attached to the application. He suggested that as Yorventure was currently canvassing requests for grants, an approach be made to ‘that organisation and Members agreed.

The Chairman declared an interest in this matter but as he was the Parish Council’s representative on the Trust, he was permitted to take part in the discussion.

When Mr Parks addressed the Council, Members had taken the opportunity to question him on the need to ask for public funds to meet the Community Centre running costs, saying there were other sources. The Trust had suggested it would not seem unreasonable to ask the two Parishes to match the service grant of £7,000.00 per year which the city of York Council currently provided. This kind of figure would help to cover wages of staff, routine maintenance and the ground rent. Some Members had concerns about setting a precedent and further discussion was deferred to the next meeting when the 2003/04 Budget would be prepared.

Having listened to Mrs Tomlinson express her views on this matter, Members were of the view that detailed information was necessary before any decision could be taken on the site. As the Chairman had received a copy of the City of York Council memorandum setting out the pros and cons of each suggested site it was agreed a copy be supplied to each Member and the matter be placed on the agenda of the next meeting.

The City Council Organisational Development Unit had written on. 17 September saying the Best Value programming included a review of its approach to promoting and providing an integrated Transport system. The aim of this review was to identify what was good about current practices and what could work better.

As a first stage, they were seeking what views the Parish Council had on the purpose of the review and what it should cover. As reply was required by 4 October and because of the short time scale, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman had made comments of a general nature suggesting the formation of a full partnership between the City Council and just one transport company, preferably a non national one and the subsidies it gave to various other providers could then be used to give York a truly efficient integrated system.

The City of York Council was expanding this scheme to include Nether Poppleton and it was noted that residents had been advised individually. It was planned to introduce the collection on 30 September.

The Local Councils Association was seeking the views of member Councils on such matters as venues, costs and content and had asked Councils to complete a pro-forma and return it. The Clerk offered to do the necessary work.

This Society was appealing for donations towards a fighting fund to save common land from unlawful encroachments. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in its recent Common Land Policy Statement, rejected calls for a new law giving local authorities a legal duty and public power to take those who unlawfully encroached on common land to court.

The appeal was left on the table.

The North Yorkshire Branch had developed a new slide presentation describing the work of CPRE both nationally and in North Yorkshire. The talk highlighted its past campaigns and successes and how it was responding to new challenges, including the Government’s proposed new arrangements for planning and post FMD countryside regeneration.

Members expressed interest and Mrs Hopton offered to sound out other Parish Councils in the Upper Poppleton Ward, with the aim of having a single joint meeting at a venue to be decided.

Members agreed a British Legion wreath be purchased to place on the village war memorial.

Chairman reminded Members that both this Council and that of Upper Poppleton were invited to attend the service which was being held in the Methodist Church at 10.00am on Sunday, 10 November.

Mrs Jackson, the Parish Council Governor, had written to the Clerk inviting Members to attend this service that was to be held in the Community Centre at 10.30am on Thursday, 24 October under the direction of Mr. Wilkinson, the new Headmaster.

The second annual progress report on this plan was to be circulated to Members whose comments were to be raised at the next meeting.

Mr Acomb said he had been informed that work on the bridge was to be carried out during the Christmas period and although the majority of the equipment needed would avoid the village there could be some interference on Millfield Lane and Church Lane. A meeting was to be held outside the Church on Wednesday morning which he would attend.

Consideration was given to the following new applications:

Location. Mr. M. Christie and Mr. M Norman, 3 Hallgarth.

Development. Installation of entrance gates to Nos. 3 and 4, Hallgarth Close.

Observations. Members had no objections. (Ref. 322).

Location. White Rose Development Enterprises, Ltd., Plot 6B, Great North Way, York

Business Park.

Development. Erection of a three storey pitched roof block of 12 flats.

Location. Orange PCS, Ltd., Unit 1 Hudson Court, Great North Way, York Business

Park.

Development. 20m. lattice telecommunications tower with 3 antennae, 10 dishes and ancillary development.

Location. Mr. & Mrs. Nogan, 9 Calder Avenue.

Development. First floor pitched roof side extension.

Location. Mr. & Mrs. R. Hinchcliffe, 1 Hallgarth Close.

Development. Conservatory to rear. -

Observations. Members had no objections. (Ref. 286).

Location. Wetherby Whaler, Ings Lane, York Business Park.

Development. Single storey, pitched roof front extension.

Location. Mr. & Mrs. Hoather, 8 Fox Garth.

Development. Remove Sycamore (T1); crown reduce Cherry (T2- 4), protected by Tree

Preservation Order 14/ 1996).

Location. Mr. & Mrs. Russell, 59 Nether Way.

Development. Two storey pitched roof rear extension.

Observations. Members had no objections. (Ref. 325).

It was noted the Local Planning Authority had granted consent for the following:

Mr. & Mrs. Wray, The Granary, Church Lane: erection of brick boundary wall. (Ref. 319).

Mr. N. Reynolds, 99 Long Ridge Lane; erection of a pitched roof first floor. (Ref. 174).

Payment of the following accounts was authorised:

The following cheques had been received since the last meeting:

Members had been presented with a copy of the Receipts and Payments Statement to 30 September 2002 and no comments were made.

The meeting closed at 10.10pm.

_______________Chairman.

_______________2002.