Apologies for absence were received from Councillor C Partington.

None.

The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 15 March 2004, having been circulated, were approved and signed.

1. Access over common land - easement (Min. 04/037a)

The Parish Council's solicitors, Burn & Co, say that the process of registering the Common Land is progressing. The Councillors agreed that the Clerk, as Proper Officer, should sign the registration document. As and when the Deed of Easement is produced it should be circulated to all Councillors for comment.

2. Mill Bank House easement (Min. 04/037b)

See the minute above.

3. Parking Bay, Allerton Drive (Min. 04/044)

All the work for the parking bay has been completed. There have been many favourable comments. Councillor Bradley is to enquire as to when the works to the access from Montague Walk to the back of the shops will be done.

1. Poppleton Ward Residents Association - minutes of the meeting held on 25 February
2. CPRE - Rural Matters, Issue 30, TCG news issue 29
3. CPRE - Planning update Issue 2/04 - March 2004
4. Defra - information on Broadband
5. Poppleton Wildlife Trust - Minutes of the meeting held on 10 March

2. The Clerk read or referred to the following item of correspondence

1. A letter of resignation from Councillor L J Walker with effect from the end of the meeting. Councillor Walker will be leaving the village. The Chairman thanked her for the work she had done in the short time she had been on the Parish Council. The Clerk was asked to proceed with the relevant procedures to enable a new Councillor to be appointed as soon as possible.
2. The audit papers for the year ended 31 March 2004 had been received from the external auditors, Mazars.
3. The City Council had sent a copy of the map of the village showing the Conservation Area and the location of trees with a Tree Preservation Order on them.
4. Burn & Co had sent copies of the documents relating to the Moatfields.

1. Upper Poppleton Parish Council - Minutes of 8 March
2. City of York Council - Ward Committee papers
3. Mayfair Group Response - March report

1. Financial Report

The Clerk presented a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year for the year ended 31 March 2004. The report reflected the receipts and payments below. The bank balances at 31 March were:

Current Account £100.35

Business Money Manager Account £8,119.47

National Savings Investment Account £12,251.11

2. Accounts for payment (net of VAT);

The Clerk	Salary - March	£251.20
The Clerk	Postage & stationery	£11.45
Peter Powell	Chairman's expenses	£6.79
Ryland Horticulture	Riverside Walk tree works	£290.00
Poppleton Community Trust	Hire of room for Joint Meeting	£21.00
York Open Planning Forum	Subscription	£20.00

3. Income Received

Since 31 March the Parish Council has received a VAT refund of £343.89 for the last financial year.

4. To consider continuing the subscription to the YLCA - £338

It was agreed that the Parish Council pays the £338 subscription to the YLCA.

5. To consider continuing the subscription to the YRCC - £25

It was agreed that the Parish Council pays the £25 subscription to the YRCC.

6. To re-appoint the Internal Auditor

It was agreed that Linda Caress be asked to be the Internal Auditor.

The Clerk had circulated a detailed list of current outstanding planning applications prior to the meeting.

Consideration was given to the following new applications:

There were no further comments from the Councillors on any of the planning applications.

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

Ref: 03/03896/FUL - Erection of 20 metre high telecommunications lattice mast with three antenna and ten dishes and associated palisade fence compound at Unit 1 Hudson Court, Great North Way by Orange PCS Ltd.

Ref: 04/00089/FUL - Erection of single storey pitched roof extension to rear at 11 Long Ridge Lane by Mr D Dallin.

Ref: 04/00491/FUL - Conservatory to rear at 8 Ebor Way by Steve Walton.

1. To agree action to be taken on grass cutting

It was agreed that the grassed area by the riverbank should be cut during May and again at the end of July and in October. The Clerk was directed to advise Baron Landscaping of this.

Councillor Powell was asked to arrange for the grass between Ousemoor Lane and the pumping station to be cut by Sam Dickson.

2. To note action taken regarding fallen trees

The Chairman reported that a large part of an ash tree on the Common Land outside Mr Pearson's house in Main Street had been blown down in one of the recent gales. The City Council had agreed that the tree, which was the subject of a Tree Preservation Order, should be made safe and this had been done by Sam Dickson. The Councillors agreed that the correct action had been taken.

• At this point in the meeting Councillor Chisholm left and Councillor Hopton arrived.

It was agreed that blank comments sheets should be left in the Library for residents to complete.

Councillor Powell will be the Parish Council's representative at a future debriefing meeting to be held with a representative of Upper Poppleton Parish Council and the Clerk.

The Councillors discussed the report on crime in Poppleton which had been supplied by PC Fickling. The report covers the period from April 2003 to March 2004. The Clerk had been advised by PC Fickling that it was not possible for him to supply any figures on the crime clear-up rate. The Councillors agreed that it should be possible to have the clear-up figures and Councillor Bradley said he would make the appropriate enquiries.

This subject relates to the junction of Long Ridge Lane with Millfield Lane. No information about the proposals to alter the junction to benefit cyclists has been heard for many months. Councillor Bradley agreed to chase the matter up. The consensus of the meeting is that there is no apparent problem with the junction and that it should be left unaltered.

The Clerk read a letter giving details of a meeting to be held at the Methodist Church Hall on 11 May when John Oxley, the City Council's archaeologist, and Keith Emerick, the North Yorkshire inspector for English Heritage, would give details of the forthcoming visit, from 22-24 June, by Channel Four's Time Team.

The City Council is providing grants of between £100 and £300 for groups including Parish Councils who are willing to do something to improve the look and feel of the city and its neighbourhoods. In most cases the grant would match the funding made by the Parish Council.

It was agreed that funds be requested for work on the Common Land such as a litter pick and the hire of a skip and equipment and refreshment for the volunteers.

1. Councillor Powell reported

That no further reports from YOPF were available.

2. The Clerk reported on

The Quality Parish Council Seminar held on 30 March. He said that he had gone to the seminar feeling sceptical about Quality Parish Councils. Whilst he had not learned anything new about Quality Parish Council Status he had come away from the meeting convinced that they were a good thing and he was now a strong supporter of Parish Councils seeking Quality Status.

4. Councillor Hopton

Told the meeting that there has been a "Just for Us" meeting at the Youth Club every Wednesday evening since January. Only village youths are able to attend.

There has been another meeting to discuss the provision of a skate-boarding park in Poppleton. Insufficient parents attended the meeting so no progress can be made on this subject.

4. Councillor Tomlinson

Advised the meeting that the trees to screen Poppleton Park from the area behind Millfield Lane and Church Lane have been planted. Unfortunately, the trees have not been planted where they would make a good screen but alongside the A1237 opposite the Wetherby Whaler. He considered it doubtful if the trees would provide any kind of screen until they had been growing for fifty years

1. Explained that all grant aided schemes would require status reports submitted and approved project management procedures.
2. Advised there will be a Ward Committee meeting on 27 April in Poppleton Community Centre.
3. Reported the bus tokens will be available at All Saints Church Hall on 23 April. Councillor Bradley will be present and will offer advice on benefits which are available.

04/067 - TO AGREE THE DATE OF NEXT MEETING AS MONDAY 17 MAY 2004

It was agreed the next meeting would be held at 7.30pm at the Community Centre on Monday 17 May 2004.

The meeting closed at 10.30pm

James Mackman, Clerk 22a Long Ridge Lane, Nether Poppleton, York YO26 6LX

Telephone 01904 781752 - Fax 0871 4331325 - email jmackman@tesco.net