Minutes of the meeting of UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 14 February 2005 at 7.30pm in All Saints' Church Hall, Upper Poppleton, York.

In the absence of the Chairman the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Tomlinson, chaired the meeting.

The Councillors agreed that only Upper Poppleton residents should address the Parish Council. Three residents spoke. Mrs Edith Dixon expressed her concerns over the numbers on the back of the referendum papers and asked if papers where the numbers had been rendered illegible would be considered to be spoilt. David Fraser spoke about the difficulties the Community Trust would face if they were unable to employ a manager. David Thompson spoke about the way in which the referendum had been carried out and said that Councillors with a prejudicial interest should not take part in the discussion on agenda item 05.026.

The Clerk reported that the prospective Councillor had decided not to offer herself for co-option so there was still a vacancy to be filled.

No declaration was signed.

There were no declarations of interest.

An apology for absence had been received from Councillor John Pannell who was in South Africa.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2005, having been circulated and read were accepted and signed as a true record.

1. Brackenhills/The Green snicket (Min. 05.004b)

The Clerk reported that he had not yet received a reply from the brewery over the ownership of the snicket.

2. Neighbourhood Watch Awareness Day (Min. 05.013)

No report on this subject

Councillor Hook gave a resume of how the referendum was conducted. She announced that five duplicated forgeries had been received. It was agreed that these should be ignored. The result of the referendum was as follows.

The papers listed as spoilt were those where the number on the back had been rendered illegible. The Clerk said that, in his opinion, the spoilt papers were unlikely to be duplicates or forgeries. After discussion it was agreed that any referendum paper where the number on the back had been rendered illegible would not be counted. It was resolved by a majority vote of the Councillors that the result as shown above should stand.

The question of the level of financial support was discussed. To help the discussion Councillor Watson introduced a paper showing the following points.

1. Funding approved by the Parish Council can only be used as a contribution towards the employment costs of a Community Centre Manager.
2. Any Parish Council funding is only agreed for the fiscal year 2005/2006 (1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006) and there will be no commitment by the Parish Council to extend funding beyond 2005/2006.
3. Guaranteed matching funding, from sources outside the Community Trust’s normal finances, must be verified before any monies are released by the Parish Council to the Community Trust.
4. Any payments by the Parish Council to the Community Trust are to be payable, within the fiscal year, monthly in retrospect, commencing at the end of the first month during which the Community Centre Manager commences employment. Payments by the Parish Council will terminate (other than for any final adjusted payment) as soon as and if the postholder leaves the Trust’s employment. The Community Trust will be required to give formal notification to the Parish Council of commencement/leaving dates of the Community Centre Manager.
5. The Community Centre Manager shall be an employee of The Community Trust and the Parish Council will not be liable for any costs, oncosts or liabilities arising from the postholder’s employment by the Trust.

6. Any part of the funding agreed by the Parish Council for The Community Trust which is unused during the fiscal year 2005/2006 will be moved to the Parish Council financial reserves and will be used to offset the Parish Council precept for 2006/2007.

These points were agreed after which it was resolved that the sum of £9,000 be earmarked for the Community Trust. This amount would be added to the precept for 2005-06.

1. Financial Report

The Clerk presented a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year for the period to 14 February 2005. The report reflected the receipts and payments below. The bank balances at 14 February were:

Current Account £100.00

Business Money Manager Account £18,829.25

2. To agree the budget for 2005-06 and set the precept

The Councillors discussed the suggested budget for 2005-06 which had been distributed prior to the meeting. It was agreed that the budget be accepted and that the precept be set at £20,000 which includes the £9,000 agreed for Poppleton Community Trust as per the above minute.

1. A questionnaire from I&DeA regarding chairmanship had been given to Councillor Pannell
2. A plan of the revised Conservation Area had been given to all Councillors

1. CYC - Shared Foundation for Children
2. Defra - details of the Clean Neighbourhoods Bill
3. Face to Face - CYC Mediation Services recruitment
4. Highways North Yorkshire - Annual Report 2003/4
5. Mayfair Group Response - January report
6. A letter from the National Probation Service requesting to address a future Parish Council meeting
7. A letter from NEDL about recent power disruptions
8. Nether Poppleton Parish Council - Minutes of 15 November
9. Nether Poppleton Parish Council - Minutes of 13 December
10. ODPM - Freedom of Information Act 2000 information
11. ODPM - Citizen Engagement, Vibrant Local Leadership
12. Poppleton Ward Residents Association - Minutes of 26 January
13. YCVS - Voluntary Voice - Feb 2005
14. YLCA - White Rose Update - February 2005
15. YLCA - Parish View of CYC
16. YNET - Minutes of 25 January (these had been emailed separately)

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.

Councillor Tomlinson asked if the cause of the cracked garage wall at 79 Station Road was known. He was advised by Councillor Richardson that the City Council considered that the cracking had been caused by the adjacent oak tree.

1. Vandalism

1. There were no reports of vandalism.

2. Other reports

1. The "No footpath" sign in Hodgson Lane has been knocked over.
2. Dropped kerbs are to be installed at the entrance to the Community Centre
3. It was agreed that the City Council should be asked again to replace the dead flowering cherry tree that had been removed from the corner of Springfield Road and Allerton Drive.

1. Trees

It was agreed that Dave Gregory be asked to quote for removing the suckers from the trees on the Green.

2. Events

The Councillors confirmed that the bare cross could be erected on the Green in Holy Week.

3. Car parking

Councillor Watson reported that vehicles delivering to the Co-op have caused damage to the grassed areas around the car park. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to all the premises trading by the car park and ask them to make delivery drivers aware of their responsibility to keep the Green free from vehicular damage.

It was agreed that Councillor Watson should contact Alistair Briggs of the City Council to ask his advice on the problems with parked vehicles.

1. To agree action to be taken about the blocked culvert on the green

This agenda item had been included on the assumption that the culvert would have been unblocked and the cause of the problem identified. In fact the work had started last week but the equipment had failed and it would be a couple of weeks before the work could be completed.

2. To agree to refurbish the broken "No Parking" sign in Chantry Green

This sign had been knocked off its brackets. It was resolved that the sign be refurbished before it is put back. The Clerk was directed to make the appropriate arrangement with Mr Lunan who would be asked to do the work.

3. It was reported that the ponding in the car park by the White Horse had not yet been sorted. The City Council is to be asked to remedy the fault.

1. Councillor Hook reported on

1. the Freedom of Information Act seminar held at Tadcaster on 27 January which she had attended with the Clerk. An email copy of her report had been sent to all the Councillors prior to the meeting.
2. the Wheatlands Woodland Community AGM held on 27 January. An email copy of her report had been sent to all the Councillors prior to the meeting.

2. Councillor Richardson together with Councillors Hopton and Bradley reported on the meeting of the Poppleton Youth Centre on 19 January. The Youth Club building which is owned by the City Council would need to have a considerable amount of money spent on it to make it accessible to the disabled. It needs ramps, a toilet for the disabled and the doors are too narrow for wheelchair users. The Youth Service officers had been told that local groups would not be willing to take on a building that needed so much spending on it.
3. Councillor Hopton said that a Parish Council representative is needed to replace Councillor Kirby-Brown on the Footpaths Committee. Councillors Watson and Richardson expressed interest.
4. Councillor Watson agreed to attend the next Poppleton Community Trust meeting as a replacement for Councillor Tomlinson who had resigned as the Parish Council representative.

Councillor Hook explained that she would be unable to attend YNET meetings for the foreseeable future and asked that another Councillor take her place. There was no volunteer.

1. Councillor Watson said that the "NO" campaign in the recent referendum was immature.

2. Thanks were expressed to Councillor Hook and the Clerk for conducting the referendum in an exemplary manner.

3. Councillor Tomlinson then announced his resignation from the Parish Council with effect from the end of the current meeting. His new job and his commitments to his family leave him no time to be a Parish Councillor. Councillor Hopton thanked Councillor Tomlinson for his common sense and the great contribution he had made to the Parish Council. The Parish Councillors agreed unanimously with Councillor Hopton's comments.

Monday 14 March 2005 at 7.30pm. Owing to a prior booking at All Saints Church Hall the next meeting will take place in the Methodist Church Hall.

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.10pm.

………………………….CHAIRMAN

………………………….DATE