NETHER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE COMMUNITY CENTRE,
UPPER POPPLETON, AT 7.00PM ON MONDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2007
PRESENT:
|
Cllr. P H F Powell (Chairman) Cllr. G A Bradley Cllr. F A Brown Cllr. P Knowles
(from 8.15pm) Cllr. C Robinson. |
City Cllr. Ian Gillies Mr B J W Mackman
(Clerk) |
DAVID HOLDSWORTH, THE CITY OF
David Holdsworth addressed the
Councillors and answered questions raised:-
·
The
City Council has rejected the proposal of a return route through the fields in
favour of a route adjacent and parallel to the railway line.
·
The
current ownership of three areas of land on the proposed route is not known.
·
The
Councillors expressed their concern with the City Council’s route alongside the
railway line and stressed that they would prefer the route through the fields.
·
Councillor
Bradley said that he would contact Philip Callow, the Head of the City
Council’s Property and Asset Management, to convey the Parish Council’s
reservations about the City Council’s preferred route.
·
The
Councillors thanked David for the hard work that he has put into the project to
date.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr Lennox of
07/173 - DECLARATION OF INTEREST ON ANY MATTERS OF BUSINESS
None.
07/174 - TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence
were received from Cllrs. J L Craven and D M Tomlinson
07/175 - TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 20
AUGUST 2007
The minutes of the Parish Council
meeting held on 20 August 2007, having been circulated, were approved and
signed.
07/176 TO RECEIVE THE CITY OF
Councillor Gillies
reported that:-
·
The
City Council is producing a report on financial support for the Community
Centre. It is possible that the Trust be
offered a 99-year lease for the property and that no rent would be payable. It was noted that a similar agreement exists
for the Oaken Grove Community Centre at Haxby.
A decision on the way forward may be taken The City Council may make within
the next month.
·
There
is evidence of increased police patrols in the villages.
·
The
City Council is looking at creating up a policy for lighting standards in rural
areas.
·
The
remedial work on the footpath in
Councillor Knowles arrived at this point in the meeting.
07/177- CLERK'S REPORT:
(a)
CYC response to NPPC letter re PCT
(Min. 07/158a)
See Councillor
Gillies’ remarks above.
(b)
Progress on the installation of
hand rails at the
Following on from Lionel Lennox’s
comments about the newly installed hand rail it was observed that the handrail
had made the path very narrow. This
would also make weed clearance difficult.
The end of the hand rail could be the cause of an accident especially on
dark evenings as the footpath is not lit.
The Councillors agreed that the design of the handrail is industrial and
that the Parish Council should have been consulted before the handrail was
installed. Councillor Gillies said that
he would speak to the City Council’s Conservation Assistant.
(c)
Progress on replacing the broken
concrete rails above the beck in
No progress.
(d)
Progress on new internal audit
procedure (Min. 07/158d)
No
progress. The Clerk reported that Mazars
have qualified the Annual Return and said that a procedure must be adopted. The Chairman/Vice Chairman and Clerk will
arrange a meeting.
(e) Progress on improving
access through the kissing gate adjacent to the Wildlife pond (Min. 07/158e)
The Clerk is to contact David Holdsworth to ascertain progress on this subject.
(f) Progress on clearing the foliage
at
A working party consisting of Councillors and the Clerk cleared the foliage on 29 August.
(g)
Progress on the replacement of the
litter bin by the
City Council
Officer Stewart Grieve has said that he will deal with this matter.
07/178 - TO CONSIDER CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
BY THE CLERK
07/178/1 - The Clerk read or referred to the following items of
correspondence
(a) An invitation from York and
District CAB for Councillors to attend its AGM – no volunteers
(b) A letter from the City Council
informing that Suzan Hemingway, the Head of Legal Services, is leaving the
Council to take up a new appointment. It
was agreed that a letter of appreciation be sent to Ms Hemingway.
(c) An invoice from the City Council
for £200 for the provision of the mobile skateboard park at the Community
Centre on 1 May.
The Clerk had queried this as it had been expected that the charge would
be £155. The City Council has agreed to
provide another two sessions and ensure that the charge for all three sessions
be the £465 in the Parish Council’s budget.
(d) Notice from the City Council of two
training sessions entitled “Understanding the Revised Code of Conduct” on 31
October. Councillors Bradley and
Robinson said that they would attend the session at 5.00pm.
(e) A letter from Ian Woods outlining
progress being made or planned for the Millennium Green and asking for the
Parish Council to consider financial support for future maintenance of the
Green.
(f) Details of the NALC Conference in
07/178/2 - It was agreed that the correspondence
received since the August meeting, as listed below, be circulated to the
Councillors
(a) Clerk & Councils Direct -
September 2007, Issue 53
(b) CPRE - Fieldwork, Sep 2007
(c) CPRE - Michaelmas Newsletter 2007
(d) CYC - Future York Group -
Consultation report
(e) CYC - Local Development Framework
info
(f) NALC - LCR - Volume 59, No 3,
September 2007
(g)
(h) Upper Poppleton Parish Council -
Minutes of 9 July
(i)
YLCA
- White Rose Update - August 2007
07/179 - FINANCE
(a)
Financial Report
The Clerk presented a detailed
report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year for the period to
17 September 2007. The report reflected
the receipts and payments below. The
bank balances at 17 September were:
Current
Account £400.00
Business
Money Manager Account £17,770.82
National Savings Investment Account £13,494.03
|
(b)
Accounts for payment (net of
VAT); |
|||
|
1060 |
Poppleton Community Trust |
Balance of capital grant to date |
£2,950.00 |
|
1061 |
James Mackman |
Salary – September |
£395.48 |
|
1062 |
Post Office Ltd |
Tax & NI |
£135.39 |
|
1063 |
James Mackman |
Clerk’s expenses |
£9.74 |
It was agreed that the following
invoices be paid:-
Councillor Powell - travelling
expenses claim of £25.02
Miniature Bulbs £52.00 - bluebells
Linda Cariss £80.00 – Internal
Audit Fee
(c)
Income Received |
||
|
HSBC |
Interest |
£130.33 |
07/180 - PLANNING APPLICATIONS
(a)
To consider the following planning
applications
The Clerk had circulated a
detailed list of current outstanding planning applications prior to the
meeting.
Consideration was given to the
following new applications:
|
Ref: 07/01900/FUL – First floor and
single-storey side extension at 9 Hawthorne Close by Mr and Mrs Christie. |
No objections |
|
Ref: 07/02000/TPO – Crown lift to 6m and crown
thin by 20% Sycamore (T1), Reduce end weight off left and rear sides by 30%
(T2), Trees protected by Tree Preservation Order 1/1970 at Kirkham House, 4
Fox Garth by Mr J Ogden. |
We do not object but suggest
that the City Council arboriculturalist is asked to confirm the need for the
works. |
|
Ref: 07/02095/FUL – Replacement conservatory to
rear at |
No objections |
|
Ref: 07/02136/TPO – Crown clean and deadwood:
Crown thin by 15% and crown lift by 3m, Crown reduce upper crown, Oak
protected by Tree Preservation Order 1/1970 at Ryder Cottage, |
No objections |
(b)
To note Local Authority Planning
Decisions
It was noted that the Local
Planning Authority had approved the following three applications:
Ref: 07/01545/FUL – Two-storey pitched roof side
extension at
Ref:
07/01664/FUL - Two-storey pitched roof side extension and single storey
extension and new first floor dormer to rear at
Ref: 07/01752/FUL – Single storey pitched roof
extension to side at 31
07/181 -
(a)
Grass cutting
The grass on
the Common Land is looking good but the area along the river bank needs to be
cut and the Himalayan Balsam needs to be removed. The Clerk is to ask PACY if they will be able
to clear this vegetation. (Action Clerk)
(b) Purchasing and planting
spring bulbs
i.
Councillor
Brown reported having received the bluebells and it was agreed that a working
party meet on Friday 21 September to plant the bulbs underneath the trees
alongside the path between
ii.
It
was agreed that a mixture of daffodils and narcissi be bought from J Parker
Dutch Bulbs (Wholesale) Ltd for the sum of £79.95. These will be planted along
(c)
The Moat Fields
A report from Gerry Jackson, the
treasurer of the Moat Fields Management Group, was given to each
Councillor. Discussion on the subject
was deferred until the next meeting.
(d)
Authorising a survey of trees on the remaining area of Common Land
It was agreed that Dave Gregory be
asked to survey the trees between
07/182 - TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON VILLAGE POLICING
There was no report from the
police but Councillor Powell referred to a short article from the Evening Press
regarding three burglaries in the village on 14 September.
07/183 – TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON PROGRESS ON THE PROVISION OF A YOUTH
SHELTER
The Clerk reported
that Upper Poppleton Parish Council had appointed Councillor John Pannell to
liaise with Nether Poppleton Parish Council on the subject of the youth
shelter. Councillor Bradley reported
having spoken to Councillor Pannell.
Contact is to be made with both the Youth Action Group and the Community
Trust. It is essential that youths play
a major part in choosing the design and location of a youth shelter guided by
advice from manufacturers and other experts.
07/184 – TO CONSIDER THE CITY OF
The City Council is
conducting a review of the above and the Councillors discussed the suitability
of using the Tithe Barn as a polling station.
It was agreed that, although the Tithe Barn is quite a distance from the
potential voters in
07/185 – TO RECEIVE A REPORT OF THE RURAL
HOUSING OFFICER’S PRESENTATION TO THE UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL’S
SEPTEMBER MEETING
Councillor Powell reported on the address given to the previous week’s Upper Poppleton Parish Council meeting by Carolyn Vaughn-Downes, the York Rural Housing Enabler from the YRCC who was accompanied by Jane Davies, the Housing Policy Officer at the YRCC. Points made included:-
· The provision of affordable housing is not aimed at providing new houses for new people to the village but to allow young village people to stay in the village or allow people to move back to the village
· Affordable housing covers rented accommodation as well as house ownership.
· A housing needs survey could be carried out to ascertain the housing needs of the village.
· If a need were established Carolyn would endeavour to find land.
· Green Belt rules can be over-ruled for the building of affordable housing.
· Housing Associations would be invited to take part.
· Housing Associations retain the freehold and a share of the property.
07/186 – TO DISCUSS THE PARKING PROBLEMS
ARISING FROM
The Councillors discussed
the contents of a letter from Christopher Hearn, the architect employed by
Honeypots Nursery to refurbish Dodsworth Hall.
One of the conditions of approval of the planning application for the
redevelopment of Dodsworth Hall was that no car parking be allowed behind the
Hall. Now that the Nursery has been
operating for a while the problem of staff parking their vehicles on the
streets in Poppleton has caused some distress to local residents. Honeypots is seeking to obtain planning
permission to have a car park behind the Hall and is seeking Parish Council
support prior to making the application.
The Councillors agreed that they would support an application for
vehicle parking behind the Hall. (Action
Clerk)
07/187 - TO RECEIVE REPRESENTATIVES' REPORTS
(a) Councillor Powell reported on:-
i.
The
Police Liaison meeting held at the
White Horse Inn on 20 August. All crime
is below the average although there has been an increase in assaults and damage
to property. Poppleton is still a low
crime area. Regular foot patrols are
having an effect.
ii.
The
Rural West York Ward Team meeting on
21 August when most of the meeting was spent discussing resident suggestions
and grant applications with a view of producing a ballot paper. There were 26 schemes listed for Poppleton. Those given approval to enter the ballot
include funding for the PCT, the provision of a youth shelter, the management
of the Common Land and a grant towards a new footpath and seating on the Moat
Fields.
iii.
The Leader event held on 22 August. A report is being circulated.
iv. The Poppleton Community Trust meeting on 23 August. A fireworks party is to be held on 4
November. New hire charges become
operable from 1 September. A September
Newsletter and a marketing leaflet are being prepared.
v.
The
AGM of NALC in
(b) Councillor Robinson reported that “On Sunday 17 September the Wildlife Trust members under
the leadership of Pauline Craven carried out a number of tasks in the Wildlife
area. The hedge which runs along the boundary of the area was cut.
Paths were cleared and strimmed and the area generally tidied. A new
member arrived a little later in the morning and was introduced to the working
party. The Wildlife area is looking quite lovely with the pond continuing
to maintain a very healthy population of Moorhens who are onto their fourth
brood of the year. Some 20 Mallards, mature adults and young, have been
observed on the pond throughout the last two months or so, encouraged no doubt
by the food put out for them by Mrs Stutton. The pond could not support
that many water birds otherwise.
It was noted
that the fence in front of the pond which acts as a safety barrier was in need
of attention. Some of the supports are loose and need
replacing/repairing.”
It was agreed
that Ken Falkingham be asked to give a quotation for mending the fence. (Action
Clerk)
07/188 - TO NOTE THE DATES OF FORTHCOMING
MEETINGS
|
Date of Meeting |
Meeting |
Venue/ Time |
Councillors Attending |
|
26
September |
Poppleton
Community Trust Executive |
Community Centre/ 7.00pm |
Powell, Bradley |
|
27
September |
Ainsty
Group |
Askham Richard Parish Council
Hall/ 7.30pm |
Powell, Clerk |
|
28-30
September |
YLCA
Conference |
|
Powell |
|
4 October |
YLCA |
William House/ 7.30pm |
Powell |
|
17
October |
Ward
Committee |
Askham Bryan Village Hall/
7.00pm |
All |
|
30
October |
Poppleton
Community Trust AGM |
Community Centre/ |
All |
|
19
November |
Police
Liaison |
2.00pm at a venue to be
arranged |
Powell, Robinson |
07/189 - TO AGREE THE DATE OF NEXT MEETING AS MONDAY 15 OCTOBER
It was agreed the next meeting
would be held at 7.30pm at the Community Centre on Monday 15 October 2007.
The meeting closed at 9.52pm.
Chairman………………….…… …………………….……..2007
James Mackman, Clerk 22a
Telephone 01904 781752 -
Fax 0871 4331325 -
email jmackman@tesco.net