Minutes of the meeting of UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 12 May 2003 at 7.30pm in All Saints Church Hall, Upper Poppleton, York.

The retiring chairman, Councillor Thompson, who had not sought re-election to the new Parish Council, introduced the first item of business. The Councillors unanimously elected Councillor John Pannell to be the new Chairman. Councillor Pannell took the chair and conducted the rest of the meeting.

Councillor Pannell signed the Declaration of Office as Chairman. He then thanked the retiring Chairman for the work that he had done for the Parish Council since 1999, especially his work as Chairman for the last year.

Mr W S Bunyan, being the only resident who had put his name forward for co-option, was unanimously co-opted to be a Councillor. Councillor Bunyan signed the Declaration of Office.

The Clerk confirmed that all the Councillors present had signed their respective Declarations of Office. All the Councillors present from the previous Parish Council declared that there were no amendments to their entries in the Register of Members Interests.

The Chairman declared that he had an interest in the planning application for alterations to his bungalow. There were no other declarations.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Charles Swann, Councillor Glen Bradley (City of York Council) and Councillor Janet Hopton (City of York Council).

The following offices were filled as shown:

Having been circulated and read, the minutes were accepted and signed as a true record. The minutes of the Annual Assembly held on 14 April 2003 were also signed by the Chairman.

1. Turn Engines Off Signs (Min. 03.054a)

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

2. Manse Land (Min. 03.054b)

The report below was written by the retiring Chairman, David Thompson.

The Councillors agreed that David Thompson should continue his research into the ownership of the Manse land.

3. Greenthwaites fence report (Min. 03.054d)

Councillor Pannell agreed to have a look at the fence/wall in front of Greenthwaites and report back at the June meeting.

4. Reinstatement of the Green where it has been damaged by McAlpines (Min. 03.054g)

The Clerk reported that McAlpines have found the problem gas pipe and carried out remedial action. Mr Phil Taylor from McAlpines has agreed to a meeting on site to discuss the reinstatement of the Green. Councillors Pannell, Watters, Bunyan, Gillies and Hook expressed a wish to attend the site meeting. The Clerk was directed to arrange the meeting for Thursday 15 May. It was agreed that residents of houses on the Green should also be invited.

5. Clerk's Contract of Employment (Min. 03.54l)

Consideration is still being given to the Contract of Employment drawn up by the Clerk. Legal advice has been sought and several amendments will be required before a recommendation can be made to the Parish Council. It was agreed that the General Purposes Committee continues its deliberations and that David Thompson be co-opted so that he can to continue to give advice.

6. Mayfair Guarding terms of reference (Min. 03.057a vi)

The Clerk had been unable to find out the terms of reference for the Mayfair Guarding contract. He had been advised by the City Council that there are many contracts between Mayfair Guarding and areas of the City. The subject of security is currently being reviewed by the City Council. Security could soon be consolidated and a contract awarded to just one security firm for the whole of York.

7. Problems with Trespassers at Blairgowrie (Min. 03.061)

The Clerk reported having had replies from the police and the City Council. Chief Inspector Harding had been in contact with the owner's agents. Richard Clerk, the Head of the City Council's Legal Services Department, had put into motion action which could see the area being fenced off. The Councillors were not satisfied that this was the correct cause of action and thought a fence would merely encourage people to breach the fence and use the building for their own purposes. The Clerk was directed to write to Richard Clark and ask that the building be demolished so that the danger of people being crushed is eliminated.

1. Financial Report

The Clerk presented a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year for the period to 12 May 2003. The report reflected the receipts and payments below. The bank balances at 12 May were:

Current Account £100.60

Business Money Manager Account £11,626.96

Ken Falkingham Repairs to the allotment gate £175.00

Ken Falkingham Painting the base of the maypole £69.00

Ken Falkingham Repairs to the top of Lime Garth pump £25.00

Ken Falkingham Repairs to the Hessie Dudgeon seat £22.50

Poppleton Methodist Church Hire of Hall for the Open Day £16.00

Ryland Horticulture Providing the new tree on the Green £98.00

3. Accounts paid (net of VAT)

None

HSBC Bank Interest £0.10

City of York Council First half-year's precept £5,500.00

5. Purchase of inserts for "A Practitioners' Guide" - £11.99

It was agreed that the Parish Council purchases the inserts for the Guide which was published last year. The inserts reflect the changes that have been made to the audit regulations.

6. Purchase of Rural Planning Aid Packs

It was agreed that the Parish Council purchases two copies of this publication at a cost of £5.00.

7. Purchase of "Powers & Constitutions of Local Councils"

It was agreed that the Parish Council purchases two copies of this publication.

8. Subscription to York Natural Environment Trust - £30.00

It was agreed that the Parish Council subscribes to YNET for the current year.

9. Internal Auditor

It was agreed that the Clerk approach Linda Cariss to see if she would be willing to carry out the internal audit as she did last year. If Mrs Cariss is not available the Clerk will contact three people whose names appear on the YLCA list of would-be internal auditors.

10. New bank mandate

It was agreed that all the Councillors would be signatories to a new bank mandate and those present signed the blank mandate. It was also agreed that the Clerk should be included on the mandate so that he could continue to enjoy the benefits of telephone banking for obtaining balances and transferring money between the Parish Council's two bank accounts.

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.

The draft Village Design Statement and had been circulated to the Councillors. At the time of the meeting it hadn't completed its journey so it was agreed that it should continue to be circulated and discussion on the subject be deferred until the meeting in June.

1. Vandalism

The incidence of vandalism continues to be high. It was reported that, in the last month

1. The new Beech Grove sign had disappeared
2. The School Lane sign has disappeared
3. Hundreds of pounds worth of damage was caused to roofing materials which would have been used for the roof of the new extension at the School
4. Two cars were damaged in the school grounds
5. Several incidences of vandalism had occurred at the Community Centre.

It was also reported that a house in Long Ridge Lane had been burgled and that the Spar shop had been ram-raided.

The Clerk informed the Councillors that the letter about vandalism that he had sent to the Chief Constable had been passed to Chief Inspector Harding who is responsible for Community Policy in York. It was agreed that the Clerk should contact Chief Inspector Harding by phone as soon as possible and tell him that the Parish Councillors are very dissatisfied with the service that the police are giving the residents of Poppleton at the moment. The Councillors would like the police to provide the Parish Council with a monthly report of incidents in the village.

2. Other reports

Councillor Tomlinson said that the upright supports on the new Station Road sign were not straight and asked that this be reported to the City Council.

1. Trees -

2. Events

3. Car parking

After discussion it was agreed that a plan of the design of the proposed wooden engine should be obtained from Dave Gregory. The Clerk would endeavour to find out which insurance company insured the wooden engine at Beningbrough Hall and the one that had been spotted in the village of Fangfoss

2. Painting the bottom of the maypole

Ken Falkingham had completed the painting and sent his invoice for £69.00.

An email from the Headmaster of Poppleton Ousebank School to confirm that litter is an issue that is tackled on a regular basis within the school through lessons in Geography such as 'how can we improve the local environment', assemblies and Citizenship discussions within individual classes. The Headmaster said that whilst most of the problems associated with littering may well be caused by teenagers, he fully agreed that younger children ought to be a particular target group.

1. Mayfair Security reports for April 2003
2. Poppleton Ward Residents Association - minutes of a meeting held on 25 March 2003
3. YLCA White Rose Update - April 2003
4. YLCA White Rose Update - May 2003
5. City of York Council's Leisure Scrutiny Board's interim report on 'Making use of York's rivers and river banks'
6. North Yorkshire Police - details of the Police Officer of the Year Competition
7. Nether Poppleton Parish Council minutes of 17 March 2003
8. YNET - minutes of a meeting held on 29 April 2003

1. David Thompson in a written statement reported

1. At the Ainsty Group of Parishes meeting held on Thursday 24 April, the York Local Plan and Green Belt issues were discussed. Every Parish Council represented at the meeting had submitted evidence concerning local issues such as footpaths and the Green Belt around York.

Many villages in the Ainsty Group were currently in the process of compiling Village Design Statements and several had reached the final stages.

Of the 31 Parish and Town Councils within the City of York, only three or four would be holding elections this year. Askham Bryan was one such council but in most parishes fewer applications had been received than there were places.

2. At the Ward Committee meeting held on Thursday 17 April the City of York’s Waste Strategy Development Manager spoke about the steps that are being taken to keep waste to a minimum. It is hoped that a strategy for composting ‘green’ waste can be developed soon and this would enable green waste to be paid in and organic compost taken out. Volunteers to run the scheme are currently being sought, and Parish Councils were asked to seek out local people who would be prepared to give some time to help run such a project.

1. Councillor Tomlinson

Reported on a meeting of the Community Centre Trust. One of the main agenda items had been funding. The Trust is to deliver a questionnaire to all houses in Poppleton regarding the funding of the Community Centre and specifically highlighting the capital cost of re-surfacing of the car park. Questions include whether funds should be raised through an increase in the Parish Councils' precepts, separate fund raising initiatives or a combination of both. It is intended that all questionnaires will be collected so that as many responses as possible can be obtained. The Parish Council will be informed of the results of the survey in due course.

The Clerk reported that he had two pamphlets from English Nature that could be useful in developing the ideas for a nature reserve. It was agreed that these should be circulated round the Councillors.

It was agreed that Councillors Bunyan and Hook attend the YLCA run course "An Introduction to Being a Parish Councillor" at a cost of £30.98. It was agreed that Councillor Gillies would attend the next available training course on planning issues.

A letter from Harvey Lowson, the City Council's Arboricultural Officer, had asked if the Parish Council wished to replace the dead tree at the above site. The Councillors agreed that they would like to see the tree replaced but not at the Parish Council's expense.

The website is working well and will be updated by the Clerk to reflect the changes in the Parish Council as minuted above. It was agreed that the Councillors would have their photograph taken at the June meeting with the intention of having it put on to the website.

It was agreed that the Parish Council should produce a Newsletter. The Clerk was asked to write it and give it to the Councillors for comments. A decision on the question of how the Newsletter would be distributed was deferred until another meeting.

It was agreed that a Joint Meeting should be held. The date of 23 June 2003 was suggested and the Clerk asked to confirm this with the Nether Poppleton Parish Councillors. Several ideas for agenda items were put forwards including the possibility of having one Parish Council for the whole of Poppleton, holding another joint Open Day and vandalism.

The BLISS display is an electronic board that announces the time of arrival of the next bus. It was agreed that the City Council should install a display inside the bus shelter on the Green. On no account should the display be on the exterior of the bus shelter given that it is in a Conservation Area.

1. Councillor Richardson

Said that she had seen a street sweeper in Copmanthorpe who is employed by the City Council. Councillor Macdonald explained that it is highly likely that a street sweeper will be employed in Poppleton in the near future.

2. Councillor Walker

Said that the gutters in the streets needed to be swept before the weeds take hold.

Monday 9 June 2003 at 7.30pm.

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.35pm.

………………………….CHAIRMAN

………………………….DATE

UPPC mins May 03