Minutes of the meeting of UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 12 March 2001 at 7.30pm in All Saints Church Hall, Upper Poppleton, York.

Cllr. Mrs L R Acomb, Cllr. G B Davies, Cllr. Mrs K Richardson and Cllr. Mrs J Hopton (City of York Council)

Several alterations were made to the minutes in the Minute Book which were then accepted by the Councillors and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

2. Turn engines off signs (Min. 00.09)

Prior to the meeting Councillor Macdonald had provided the Clerk with a list of three local companies that make aluminium highway signs. The Clerk was directed to ask for quotations for two signs together with appropriate fastenings.

3. Swimming pool progress (Min. 00.51.4a)

Councillor Watters reported that plans for the proposed swimming pool had been sent to a local builder to be checked.

3. Village signs - planning permission (Min. 00.65)

Discussion on this subject was deferred until Councillor Macdonald was able to report to the Councillors.

4. Provision of 'pin kerbs' round the pump on the Green (Min. 00.79bi)

As the pin kerbs have still not been installed the Clerk was directed to write to Ken Falkingham to ask when the work would be done.

5. Relocation of street light (Min. 00121bii)

The Clerk read an email received from Steve Catt who said that modern lights shine downwards and that no light would shine towards the houses on the opposite side of the road. Residents would be able to see the light but it would not be intrusive. The Councillors agreed that the lamppost should be moved from the entrance of the driveway to the Community Centre to a new site at the side of the new brick bridge over the ditch by the new entrance to the tennis courts.

6. Telephone posts in Black Dike Lane (Min. 00.121c)

The Clerk reported that Councillor Macdonald has this matter in hand.

7. Blocked gulleys in the car parks on the Green (Min. 01.006cii)

As the blocked gulleys have not been unblocked the Clerk was directed to write to the City Council about the matter.

8. Bus service, change of route (Min. 99.111c)

The Clerk reported having written to Mr Laking and was waiting for a reply.

9. Loose covers on the Green (Min. 01.010cii)

The Clerk reported having experienced great difficulty in contacting the appropriate department of ntl but was asked to keep trying.

10. Mud in Westfield Lane (Min. 01.010ciii)

The Clerk reported having received no reply from the City Council and was directed to pursue the matter further.

11. Willow tree in the Main Street allotment (Min. 01.021aii)

The Clerk reported having asked three concerns for a quotation for either making the willow tree safe or felling it. Two quotations had been received for felling the tree. Rylands Horticulture had quoted £800 and Four Seasons Tree Services had quoted £495.32. The Councillors accepted the lower quote and directed the Clerk to ensure that the tree be felled.

12. Repairs to the Anderson seat (Min. 01.024)

The Clerk reported having received a quotation of £228.50 from Ken Falkingham. The Councillors agreed that this was too much to pay for repairs to the seat and decided to buy a plaque, suitably inscribed, for the new seat outside the late Mr Anderson's house.

13. Car parking by the dentists' surgery (Min. 01.025)

It was agreed that this item should be discussed along with the Halcrow Fox Traffic Studies proposals.

14. Scrutiny Committee (Min. 01.027)

Councillor Richardson had attended the meeting at Huntington School on 3 March. It was hoped that she would be able to give a report to the next Parish Council meeting.

15. Boundary changes (Min. 01.028)

The Clerk reported having been notified that the City Council had come back to the idea that a two member York Rural West Ward should contain some 874 residents from the Poppleton Road end of Beckfield Lane. After consultation with the chairman, the Clerk had sent a letter to the Senior Review Leader of the Local Government Commission for England saying that this Parish Council was concerned about this development and preferred a three member ward that would include Copmanthorpe. A subsequent letter had been received from the Senior Review Leader to say that the Parish Council's letter had been received after the closing date and the contents couldn't be taken into account.

Environmental recycling (Min. 01.035)

The Clerk reported that Mr Donnelly, the City Council's Waste Management Officer, had agreed to address the May Parish Council meeting on this subject.

16. White lines on the road by the drop kerbs near the Post Office (Min.01.037.4)

The Clerk was directed to write to the City Council to ask that the white lines be painted in the near future.

1. Financial Report;

The Clerk presented the Councillors with a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year for the period to 12 March 2001. The report showed that, after adjusting for the items of expenditure listed below, the bank balances at 12 March were: -

Current Account £50.37

High Interest Account £8,284.97

2. Accounts to pay (net of VAT);

Yorkshire Water Allotment water charge £4.75

Ken Falkingham Concrete base for the Dikelands

Lane seat £28.50

Chairman 2 night's B&B £43.00

Chairman Chair's travelling expenses to

Conference £29.04

3. Accounts paid

YRCC Chair's attendance at the

Scarborough Conference £100.00

Wallis Business Services Paper Shredder £49.99

The Clerk presented the list of plans and comments made by the members of the Planning Committee on each planning application received. The list is attached as Appendix 1 at the end of these minutes.

There were no comments.

The Clerk reported that he had sent notices of the meeting at Rufforth Village Hall on 21 March to representatives of 13 organisations in the village.

The Clerk reported having received another letter from residents of West View Close.

1. Vandalism;

It was reported that the light in the bus shelter on the Green had been smashed. It was agreed that it should be replaced with a light with a protective metal mesh cover.

2. Lampposts;

The Clerk reported having received no reply to his letter to the City Council about the possibility of moving the lamppost in Westfield Lane so that the light shines along the footpath in Hodgson Lane.

1. Trees

It was reported that the three trees, two birches and a flowering cherry, had now been planted on Chantry Green

2. Maintenance

Some Councillors expressed concern that cars were still being driven along the footpath in front of the Methodist Chapel. Councillor Thompson expressed concern that elderly and infirm members of the Poppleton Luncheon Club would be disadvantaged if the volunteers were not able to drive them to the end of the passage at the Methodist Chapel. Councillors Parker and Watters agreed to visit the site with the intention of looking to see where bollards could be placed that would prevent cars being driven along the path. The Councillors would also look for a way of preventing cars being driven on the footpath between the Lord Collingwood and the Chapel.

No report

No report.

At the Clerk's suggestion the Councillors agreed that the Newsletter would be better based on the Chairman's report for the year 2000-2001 which would be presented to the Annual Assembly on 9 April.

1. The Chairman submitted a brief report on the proceedings at Conference. Items mentioned were training for Parish Councillors via the Internet, training for Parish Clerks, reporting to the community on what precepts are spent on and Parish Plans.
2. The Councillors agreed that the Chairman should receive travel expenses to Scarborough based on the distance and the engine size of his car in line with the national recommendation. The sum of £29.04 was agreed.

It was agreed that no representative of the Parish Council would attend this meeting.

The Councillors discussed a letter of reply received from Reverend Michael Bowman and Reverend Paul Thomas. The letter stated that Sunday is not a Sabbath. In the Old Testament Saturday was designated as the Sabbath and the Church chose Sunday to be its special day because it is the Day of the Resurrection. Sunday is the supreme day of Christian celebration. The fact that over the centuries it took on connotations of Sabbath or day of rest was welcomed by the church because it made the opportunity for worship much more convenient. However, the concept of a Day of Rest does not belong to the essence of Sunday; what constitutes that essence is the worship of the Risen Christ. By a majority the Councillors accepted the terms of the letter and rescinded their instruction not to allow the erection and dismantling of equipment for events on the Green to be carried out on a Sunday. Councillor Peck drafted a letter of reply for the Clerk to send to the reverend gentlemen on behalf of the Parish Councillors.

The Clerk reported having received no reply to his letter to the Chief Constable complaining about the slow police response time to recent incidents at the chemist's shop.

At this point Councillor Peck retired from the meeting.

Councillor Parker declared that she had an interest in this subject and retired from the meeting. The Clerk was asked to read a letter from Mike Walker regarding the state of Westfield Lane. Mr Walker's letter made the point that the lane is a mud bath and straw bales at the side of the road make walking dangerous. He referred to a petition 'going around' about the reclaiming of Westfield Lane and restoring it to its former state. The Clerk read a letter from Trevor Parker who, with his brother, farms the land at each side of Westfield Lane. Mr Parker pointed out that some years ago he met with a NYCC highways man to discuss the condition of the adoptive highway markers. Markers were placed in the recommended positions and still stand today. The reasons for having the markers were ones of safety on the highway and safety to the landowner. Councillor Scott-Coveney produced a petition headed "We, the undersigned residents of Poppleton, would like to see the council owned land in Westfield Lane reclaimed and restored to its former state by planting trees and or shrubs". The petition had been signed by more than 150 residents of the village. The Councillors, in the absence of Councillor Parker, were uncertain about the ownership of the land in Westfield Lane. An opinion was expressed that the land had been owned by the NYCC. The Clerk was directed to find out the owners of the land for the April meeting when more time would be given to a discussion on the subject of the condition of Westfield Lane.

No Councillor present wished to put their name forward to be a member of this Committee. It was agreed to refer the matter until the April meeting.

Councillor Scott-Coveney agreed to be one of the Parish Council's representatives on this committee. It was agreed that the decision of who took the second post on the committee would be deferred until the Parish Council meeting in April.

The Councillors agreed that the Parish Council should subscribe to the Yorkshire Rural Community Council for the year commencing 1 April 2001.

A letter from Peter Shaw from the Poppleton Junior Football Club asking if the agreed donation of £1,000 could be carried forward to the next financial year. The Councillors agreed that the donation would be available when the Junior Football Club required it.

1. YLCA -

1. Joint Executive Committee minutes of 20 January 2001
2. NALC Constitution and covering note
3. Letter: Rural White Paper - Quality Councils
4. Branch Minutes : 31 January 2001

2. City of York Neighbourhood Watch Association - Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting of 18 January 2001
3. Martin House Newsletter No.35
4. YNET - minutes of a meeting held on 30 January 2001
5. City of York Council A5 handout advertising York Ghana Week, 3-10 March 2001
6. Poppleton Ward Residents Association

1. Minutes of AGM on 21 February
2. Minutes of Committee meeting on 21 February
3. Notice of meeting on 14 March

7. North Yorkshire Police Authority - P.A. News - Issue 39, February 2001

1. Nether Poppleton Parish Council minutes of their meeting on 19 February.
2. Minutes of the Joint meeting of Upper and Nether Poppleton Parish Councils held on 19 February 2001.
3. York Sport Update, Issue 7, March 2001
4. Making a Difference - Consultation Document re Sport & Active Leisure Strategy
5. Yorkshire Footpath Trust Newsletter - January 2001
6. Country Air - January 2001 with White Rose update
7. The Countryside Agency's booklet 'New Rights, new responsibilities'
8. A letter from the York Archaeological Forum whose members have been encouraged by the keen voluntary efforts of the Poppleton History Society's section working on the Poppleton Parishes Archaeology Project and the Friends of Hob Moor and wish to investigate the possibility of widening and furthering such work elsewhere in the area covered by the City of York Council. A meeting has been organised by English Heritage and the YAF to inform local groups and parishes about existing work and the ways in which new projects can be created so that their areas can be explored, recorded and interpreted. The meeting will take place on 24 March. Members are invited to attend.

At this point Councillor Watters retired from the meeting leaving just three Councillors.

The time being 10.31pm and there being only three Councillors remaining the Chairman closed the meeting. Therefore Agenda item, 01.057 - Councillors' Comments, was not heard.

9 April 2001 at 7.30pm preceded by the Annual Assembly to be held at 7.00pm.

………………………….CHAIRMAN

………………………….DATE

uppc mins 03/01