Minutes of the meeting of UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 14 April 2003 at 7.30pm in All Saints Church Hall, Upper Poppleton, York.

There were no declarations of interests.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P D Tomlinson, Mrs R Watters and Mrs J A Hopton (City of York Council).

Having been circulated and read, the minutes were accepted and signed as a true record.

1. Turn Engines Off Signs (Min. 03.037a)

The City Council has not yet put up the new Turn Off Engines signs in Station Road.

2. Manse Land (Min. 03.037b)

Councillor Thompson reported that he had visited the City Archives to look at records but had not yet found anything about the Manse land. It was agreed that Councillor Thompson should keep looking.

3. Height of post on Chantry Green (Min. 03.037c)

Further investigation has shown that the post supporting the "No Parking" sign on Chantry Green has never been as high as the posts on the Green. In view of the damage done to two of the signs on the Green it was agreed that there was no point in installing a higher post on Chantry Green.

4. Greenthwaites fence report (Min. 03.037d)

It was reported that work has commenced on rebuilding the fence.

5. Repairs to the pump at the junction of Main Street with Limegarth (Min. 03.037e).

The repairs to the pump have been completed.

6. Broken Station Road sign (Min. 03.037f)

The sign has now been replaced.

7. Reinstatement of the Green where it has been damaged by McAlpines (Min. 03.037h)

The Clerk reported that correspondence between himself, the Chairman and Stuart Partington of the City of York Council had resulted in agreement that McAlpines should put turf on the Green to cover the bare patch left after the various excavations that McAlpines had made. Subsequently McAlpines had sown grass seed. As there has been no appreciable rain for the last four weeks the grass seed has not germinated. Within the last few days McAlpines have started to dig the Green up again in an endeavour to find a missing pipe. It was agreed that the Clerk should contact the City Council and insist that the damaged area of the Green should be turfed as soon as McAlpines have finished their excavations. The City Council is to be made aware of the importance of restoring the Green before the Children's Sports Day on Monday 26 May.

8. Replacement of missing gate at the Main Street allotments (Min. 03.037i)

The work to replace the gate was completed today. An insurance claim is being made to recover the cost of the gate less the £75 insurance excess.

9. The Future of the Poppleton Internet Website (Min. 03.037k)

For the last two weeks the new poppleton.net website has been working well and the Parish Council's pages are up-to-date. On Sunday it was noticed that the website was not accessible and the Clerk had tried to contact Peter Hawkins to find out if the problem was temporary or permanent.

10. Hessie Dudgeon seat repairs (Min. 03.040a)

The repairs to the fixing brackets below the seat have been completed.

11. Parish Council Open Day - 22 March 2003 (Min. 03.044)

The Open Day did not attract sufficient residents to make it necessary for an election to be held on 1 May. The Clerk reported having written to the secretaries of 24 local organisations of which 19 had booked a table in the Methodist Church Hall at the Open Day. The event was well attended with more people coming in the morning than the afternoon. The feedback from some of the organisations taking part was that they considered the event to be successful and would like another Open Day to be held next year. It was agreed that the sub-committee should meet to discuss the recent Open Day and see if there are any lessons to be learned. The Chairman thanked Helen Mackman for the work she had put in to organising the displays and the Councillors for their contribution to the event.

12. Clerk's Contract of Employment (Min. 03.047)

It was reported that the General Purposes Committee had met to discuss the Clerk's contract and was seeking external advice on the subject.

1. Financial Report

1. The Clerk presented a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year to 31 March 2003.

 

2. The Clerk also presented a report reflecting the receipts and payments below. The bank balances at 14 April were:

Current Account £100.67

Business Money Manager Account £5,864.96

James Mackman Clerk's salary - January to March £702.51

James Mackman Stationery, postage and telephone £85.66

3. Accounts paid (net of VAT)

None

HSBC Bank Interest £0.02

H M Customs & Excise VAT refund for 2002-2003 £1,718.09

Prior to the meeting the Clerk had circulated 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.

No comments.

No report.

1. Vandalism

A number of instances of vandalism were reported

1. The drainpipe outside Hudson Moody's had been broken off from the top and ended up in Grove Gardens.
2. A Brackenhills sign had been broken.
3. A Chantry Green sign had been broken.
4. A Willow Croft sign had been broken.
5. Two of the new "No Parking" signs on the Green had been knocked off their posts. The Chairman had put them both back.
6. Councillor Richardson reported a recent incident at the School when there was a sound of breaking glass near a group of youths on the School premises. Councillor Richardson had reported the incident to an employee of Mayfair Guarding who happened to appear on the scene in his van. The man wouldn't get out of his van but surveyed the scene over the hedge. (For more details see Minute 3.060bi below) The Councillors expressed their concern over this incident and in the following discussion it was noted that, within a few yards in Main Street, there are four different security companies engaged in surveillance. There is Mayfair Guarding who patrol the streets and separate companies looking after the Library, the School and the Community Centre. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Chief Constable to ask for an increase in police presence in the village. It was also agreed that the terms of reference of Mayfair Guarding should be made available for consideration at the next meeting.

2. Other reports

None

1. Trees -

2. Jubilee Tree

3. Julian Crabb's replacement ash tree

4. Low hanging branches

2. Events

3. Car parking

1. A letter had been received from Mrs Wright of Green View asking for permission to install a mesh in the soil in her driveway over the Green and sow the soil with grass seed. Mrs Wright has right of access over the Green to her property. The mesh would prevent the grass being damaged in wet weather. The Councillors agreed that Mrs Wright be given permission to have the mesh installed.
2. Painting the maypole

A letter from a local resident asking if there is a case for a Parish Councillor to address the children at the school about the adverse effects of litter; sweet wrappers, crisp packets and the like. The Councillors agreed that no Councillor would address the school children but directed the Clerk to write to the Headmaster of the School to ask if it was the school's policy to teach the children that dropping litter is antisocial.

1. Martin House Newsletter No 39 Spring 2003
2. CPRE - TCG Newsletter Issue 26 February 2003
3. Voluntary Voice - March 2003
4. Nether Poppleton Parish Council minutes for 17 February 2003

5. Joseph Rowntree Foundation - A new vision for York

1. Mayfair Security reports for March 2003
2. CPRE - Rural Matters, Issue 27, April 2003
3. CPRE - Planning Update, Issue 2/03, March 2003
4. CPRE - Annual review and details of AGM for North Yorkshire
5. Poppleton Ward Residents Association meeting minutes of meeting and AGM of 26 February
6. City of York Council's Economic Bulletin edition 29 - April 2003
7. DEFRA - Announcement of Quality Town and Parish Council Initiative
8. YLCA White Rose Update March 2003
9. York Open Planning Forum Newsletter 3
10. YCVS - Voluntary Voice - April 2003

1. Councillor Thompson's reports

1. The City of York Neighbourhood Watch Association AGM was held on Saturday 5^th April, when talks were given by Alan Hodgson of the York Youth Offending Team and Steve Twynam of Victim Support.

We heard that the York Youth Offending Team (YOT) is committed to its aim of reducing youth crime by tackling the causes of offending behaviour and seeking to assist young people with education, training or employment. It aimed to reduce the involvement of young people in crime by tackling the causes of offending behaviour and ensuring that 90% of young offenders supervised by the YOT are in either full time education or training or employment by 2004. A problem solving approach was used that involved the victim, the offender and his or her parents, and/or the community.

For Victim Support, we heard that only 80% of funds come from the Home Office and that the annual cost for North Yorkshire is £300,000. One main objective of the Victim Support brief is to assist those involved in assaults and related matters and the basic training for a Witness Service volunteer consists of an intensive course lasting for 7 days.

2. The CPRE AGM was also held on Saturday 5^th April when Sue Jeffrey, Director of Policy from the Yorkshire and Humberside Assembly gave a talk. During her talk it transpired that 20% of the population of the region live in rural areas and that they occupy 80% of the whole region. There are currently 22 Local Authorities in the Region, and the question was posed that rural needs would be swamped by city issues. Other points raised were that the constituencies would be mainly cities and towns and that cities such as Leeds and Sheffield would dominate the agenda. It was evident that those present at the meeting felt that a Regional Assembly would be detrimental for both York and North Yorkshire.

1. Councillor Richardson's report

The Poppleton Youth Action Group meeting was held on 3 April. Present were Helen Morgan, Janet Hopton, Brian Park, Kate Richardson and Louise Gee. (Note that the words in italics were read to the Parish Councillors at the April meeting). Under the headings

1. Mayfair Reports - It was noted that patrols had been extended to Rufforth and Askham Richard. Concern was expressed by Mrs Richardson at an incident on the school premises, when glass was heard to break and a group of youngsters were seen on site. A Mayfair officer attended, but refused to go onto the premises because he alleged that the head had given permission for young people to be there. (Note. BP spoke subsequently to the Head who confirmed that no such permission had been given. Indeed there are notices expressly forbidding entry to the school grounds.) BP agreed to contact the Head, Tim Wilkinson, to see if there could be any rationalisation of security cover for the site, which includes the school and the Community Trust. (Note from BP. Following a discussion with John Cook of Mayfair Security and a subsequent Meeting of the Trust, this would seem unlikely, now. Mayfair has contacted all schools in the York area to say that if they wished Mayfair to patrol their grounds regularly, they would need to pay a separate fee. The Ward Committee money was primarily aimed at known trouble spots, as identified already by Poppleton Youth Action Group and others and could only provide occasional cover for schools. John Cook also confirmed that Mayfair normally patrolled singly. Their average response time to a call was meant to be 12 minutes, though at times they could not always achieve this.)
2. York Youth Forum - LG reported on a successful initial meeting on 4 December last, followed by two further meetings which sought to identify needs and the type of activities that young people would wish to join and would help to organise. She tabled a paper headed "Countdown" which members received with interest. This was intended as a basis for re-opening the Youth Club possibly in June, after the appointment of a senior youth worker and two assistants. Numbers at the Club would be limited to 24 in the first instance and the target age group would be 13-17. It would be a separate entity and not simply a progression from the Wednesday Group, which was "ticking along nicely" at the moment.

Village youths have built a den in the grounds of Blairgowrie. They have used boards from the windows of the derelict building and various items taken from the gardens of local residents. Councillor Richardson reported that she and the local special constable had visited the site and found that children now had free access through the doors and windows. Suspended at the old loft level was a water tank held up only by a few fire-damaged spars. The building is in a very dangerous condition and needs to be demolished before someone is hurt. The Clerk was asked to write to the owner's solicitors, Lister Croft, the Chief Constable and Richard Clark, Head of the City Council's Legal Service Department and ask for remedial action to be taken immediately.

It was agreed that the following subscriptions should be paid:

1. Yorkshire Local Councils Associations - £328
2. Yorkshire Rural Community Council - £25

Councillor Swann suggested that there should be a Nature Reserve in Upper Poppleton. After discussion it was agreed that an ideal site could be created in the field located to the west of Blairgowrie and behind the Old Forge Surgery. Further discussion was deferred until the next meeting.

A letter from Terry Walker of the City Council said that there is a strong possibility that the York to Ripon bus service 142 and 146 will soon travel via Upper Poppleton Green. The buses will use Hodgson Lane. This should mean that Hodgson Lane will be included on the schedule of roads to be salted. The Clerk reported that he had already written to the City Council to ask that Hodgson Lane be so included.

It was noted that eight residents had put their names forward for nomination as a Parish Councillor for the Election to be held on 1 May. This number is two short of that needed for an election to be held. Providing none of the residents withdraw their names they will all be returned unopposed. This will leave the new Parish Council needing to co-opt a ninth Councillor.

The YRCC had sent a list of dates and locations of forthcoming training seminars for new councillors. It was agreed that the information would be circulated to the Councillors who would choose which seminar they would like to attend.

Councillor Thompson mentioned the following forthcoming meetings

The York Open Planning Forum meeting on 15 April

The Ward Committee meeting at Askham Bryan Village Hall on 16 April.

The CPRE presentation at the Community Centre on 17 April

Monday 12 May 2003 at 7.30pm.

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.40pm.

………………………….CHAIRMAN

………………………….DATE

UPPC mins Apr 03