Council meetings are held on the third Monday of the month. There is no meeting in December. Meetings usually start at 7.30pm. Members of the public are very welcome to attend. Agendas are published on village notice boards.

To enable residents to have a say on local issues the Council has introduce Public Participation. For fifteen minutes before a meeting starts members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda can do so. Each resident is allowed a maximum of three minutes. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Clerk. The deadline for registering is 6.00pm on the Friday before the meeting.

The Parish Council website can be found on the Internet at www.poppleton.net The website contains a variety of information including the latest planning applications, Parish Council minutes and agendas and details of your Parish Councillors.

A precept is raised from each household in the village to fund the cost of carrying out works in the village and administering the Parish Council. This ‘precept’ is included with the Council Tax that each household pays to the City Council.

For the year 2004/05 the Parish Council has raised a precept of £13,000 which should cover the budgeted amount of £13,680. The money will be spent on: Administration, new Village Sign, works to the Common Land and trees.

The Audited Accounts are available for inspection by appointment with the Clerk.

This always takes up time at every meeting and also between times when individual applications are assessed.

Generally, we do not raise many objections but we do try and seek safeguards to maintain a village view without over development, terracing or the like.

We, like many other Parish Councils, do not always enjoy the support of the City of York Council Planning Officers or the Planning Committee. We do not believe that they have the feel of being on the ground and understanding some of the village issues.

As part of the Village Traffic Study undertaken some years ago, this parking problem was highlighted but unfortunately at that time it was impossible to have anything done. Having spent some 6 months at the end of last year consulting on various schemes, at long last the work has been completed and, as a result, fewer obstructions in Allerton Drive are experienced. It has also made crossing the road safer as you can see vehicle movements much more easily.

We hope that work to the entrance in Montague Walk will also be carried out this year.

The Village Traffic Study also recommended other measures, which included a Gateway Treatment on Millfield Lane and various speed cushions around the village, especially on Long Ridge Lane. Discussions on the slowing down of village traffic continue. Even the introduction of a speed gun operated by PC Fickling and others has not yet had the desired effect. We are also looking at improvements to be undertaken at the roundabout end of Millfield Lane, the junction with the Outer Ring Road.

Arrangements were made last year to have the verge cleared and cut back to the hedge line along Main Street. As a first attempt it was successful and will be cleared again this year.

It has also been agreed that the woodland should become a managed area rather than allowed to run to nature.

A tree survey has been carried out to part of the land, and work is in hand with felling, cutting back and crown lifting.

Some of this is as a result of police action towards young persons riding scooters along the river bank and causing disturbance. It will take some time to control the wild and untamed weeds and overgrowth, but subsequently it is hoped to under-plant the trees with spring bulbs and the like.

Following a very bad pruning operation last year, it was agreed that no future work would be carried out without prior notification to the Parish Council.

Discussions followed on Council responsibilities and whether the Parish Council or the City of York Council should be responsible for maintenance.

The Parish Council was advised that all trees planted in highway verges became the property of the City Council unless a licence was granted. It was agreed that all highway trees responsibility would pass to the City of York Council but we would still be consulted.

Following a site inspection, it was agreed that the village name signs should be renewed and at the same time a new name sign and stone be erected near the entrance to Poppleton Park.

One sign has been replaced, not by us, and we are continuing to endeavour to have a new stone erected near Honda UK Garage.

The Parish Council last year successfully organised several litter picks from the verges, hedgerows and ditches. Many bags of rubbish were collected and removed. Our grateful thanks to all those who helped. Please keep up the good work. Green waste collections also started last year and continue on a regular basis. In May, over 10 tonnes were collected in one day. Many thanks to the small team who are responsible for this success.

Problems with street lights, graffiti, dumped rubbish and abandoned vehicles can be reported to York Pride Action Helpline on Tel: 551551.

The Parish Council continues to liaise with the Police Ward Manager, PC Lee Fickling, whose efforts on behalf of the village are much appreciated.

Over the last few years many of the Parish Council seats have been destroyed by vandals and have not been replaced. Remember that the cost of repairing Parish Council property has to be paid by village residents. A reduction in vandalism means a reduction in your taxes.

Please don't hesitate to call the Police (Tel. 631321) or Mayfair Group Guarding (Tel. 0800 7837537) if you are aware of any vandalism.

Be very careful if you employ casual labour to trim your trees or relay your drive. Very often the 'workmen' are not insured. Ask yourself "Where will they take the rubbish?"