Minutes of the meeting of UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 12 September 2005 at 7.30pm in All Saints Church Hall, Upper Poppleton, York.

None

No person was co-opted.

None

There were no declarations of interest.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Richard Bramall.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2005, having been circulated and read, were accepted and signed as a true record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2005, having been circulated and read, were accepted and signed as a true record.

Councillor Kendall was appointed to the General Purposes Committee.

1. Progress on the "Working With Your Council" course (Min. 05.129c)

The Clerk reported on his fifth mentoring course on 8 August at Tadcaster which had covered "Finance" and the course held today on "Planning".

2. Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) in Long Ridge Lane (Min. 05.129d

No progress on this subject.

3. Broken allotment fence (Min. 05.129f)

The Clerk reported that he and Councillor Pannell had removed the broken fence, cut down some of the vegetation and filled a skip.

4. Putting the Parish Council's website on the Local Channel (Min. 05.129g)

No progress on this subject.

5. Overhanging branches in Dikelands Lane (Min. 05.129h)

The Clerk reported that he and Councillor Pannell had cut back the overhanging branches to a height of 2.5 metres.

6. Updating the Parish Council's Financial Regulations (Min. 05.130d)

It was agreed to defer this subject until the October meeting.

The bus shelter brackets/guttering have been replaced.

1. Financial Report

The Clerk presented a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year for the period to 12 September 2005. The report reflected the receipts and payments below. The bank balances at 12 September were:

Current Account £100.00

Business Money Manager Account £ 21,928.23

2. To agree to acquire a copy of Local Council Finance - £14.95

It was agreed that the Clerk be authorised to acquire this publication.

1. A letter from Ali Middleton asking for a donation towards her forthcoming VSO. The Clerk advised the Councillors that the Parish Council had no power to authorise a donation to an individual. The Councillors agreed that no donation would be made and asked the Clerk to write to Ms Middleton and wish her well on her travels.
2. A letter from the City Council advising the Parish Council of repairs to the footpath alongside the A59 from Station Road to Black Dike Lane. This work had now been completed.
3. Information from Local Works giving details of a "Campaign to End Ghost Town Britain". It was agreed that this should be circulated round the Councillors and could be an agenda item at a future meeting.
4. A questionnaire from the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority on its annual plan. It was agreed that the Clerk should provide photocopies of the questionnaire which each Councillor could complete.

1. Clerk & Council Direct-September 2005, Issue 41
2. CPRE - Fieldwork - Sept 2005
3. CYC - Affordable housing advice note
4. CYC - Draft 2nd Local Transport Plan
5. CYC - Meeting places concern
6. CYC - re Hungate development
7. Mayfair Group Response - August 2005 report
8. Mayfair Group Response - July report
9. Nether Poppleton Parish Council - Minutes of 20 June
10. Nether Poppleton Parish Council - Minutes of 18 July
11. NYCC - Minerals & Waste Development Framework Draft
12. Poppleton Ward Residents Association - Minutes of 29 June 2005
13. Selby & York Rural Transport Partnership - Wiggly Bus
14. SLCC - The Clerk - September 2005
15. TENYAS - Access into the Ambulance Service
16. YCVS - Voluntary Voice July/Aug & other documents
17. YCVS - Voluntary Voice - September 2005
18. YLCA - White Rose update - Issue 4/05

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.

No comments.

1. Vandalism

None reported in Upper Poppleton but there has been vandalism to one of the seats in the Millennium Green.

2. Other reports

1. The Clerk reported that he had arranged with the City Council for the nettles in Footpath No. 1 to be cut back.
2. The footpaths and driveways in Hodgson Lane have been repaired and resurfaced by the City Council.

1. Trees - To consider the possible removal and replacement of the sycamore

It was resolved that the sycamore should remain.

2. Events - To consider issues regarding fencing around the Christmas Tree

It was agreed that enquiries should be made to see if there is a reason why the Christmas tree has to be fenced.

3. Maintenance

It was agreed that a meeting should be held at 6.30pm on 10 October, immediately before the next Parish Council meeting.

2. To consider possible remedial work to the Maypole

It was agreed that the Maypole should be painted. The Clerk was deputed to arrange for three quotations to be submitted.

1. Councillor Watson gave a brief report on the meeting of the Community Trust held on 23 August.
2. Councillor Richardson reported on the mobile skateboard ramp which was a feature of the Open Day at the Community Centre on 3 September. About 60 youths used the facility with a maximum of 35 using it at any one time. There were supervisors in attendance. Councillor Hopton said that it costs £155 to hire the skateboard ramp and supervisors for two hours. The Ward Committee is hoping to fund three further mobile skateboarding sessions before Christmas. A suggestion was made that the Parish Council could be involved in funding future sessions.

Councillor Watson reported that his computer was not working at the moment and that he considered there was insufficient news to put into a Newsletter. There is nothing to report on the siting of the vehicle activated speeding sign in Long Ridge Lane and no response to the development of the car park opposite the White Horse Inn.

Councillor Watson reported that he had received a letter and a plan of the White Horse from the owners in which it was stated that they had no interest in the snicket and didn’t want one. The Parish Council has now received responses from the owners of all four properties bordering the snicket. The Clerk was deputed to contact the City Council and arrange for the snicket to be adopted as a public right of way.

Draft Standing Orders had been circulated prior to the meeting. After a brief discussion it was resolved that the draft Standing Orders be accepted. The Clerk explained that the draft had been prepared by Councillor Peter Powell for Nether Poppleton Parish Council and that the Clerk had needed to make virtually no amendments for Upper Poppleton Parish Council. Thanks were expressed to Councillor Powell for the work that he had done and to Mrs Powell for typing out the Standing Orders and the numerous revisions.

Councillor Watson said that there may be a tug-of-war match arranged between three of the public houses in the village.

It was agreed in principle that the Parish Council supports the production of a Parish Plan to cover both the Poppletons. The Clerk was deputed to notify Nether Poppleton Parish Council of this.

Prior to the meeting the Clerk had circulated a letter from the City Council in which it stated that the Executive resolved that City of York Council should offer to adopt the bins and thereafter take responsibility for future maintenance, repair and replacement costs. It was resolved, unanimously, to accept the City Council's offer and the Clerk was directed to write to the City Council to confirm this resolution. (Also to get CYC to take financial responsibility from 1 April 2005).

The Parish Council resolved at the meeting held on 14 February 2005 (Minute 05.026 refers) to pay Poppleton Community Trust the sum of £750 for each month that a manager was employed. A manager, Paul Stamp, has now been recruited and he will start on 19 September 2005. It was agreed that the sum of £295.89 be paid to the Community Trust at the end of September and £750 per month thereafter until the end of March 2006 providing that the manager was employed for the whole of the time.

It was agreed that the Parish Council should take out insurance on these two policies. The cost would be £17.25 for each policy for a full year.

Much work had been done on the allotments since the July Parish Council meeting. The Clerk had cut the hedge using Councillor Pannell's petrol driven hedge cutter. He had been helped by friends Ken and Jean Gifford from Chelmsford who had been visiting at the time. The Councillors expressed their thanks to the Giffords for the work they had done. Allotment 4b is still in a sorry state having been neglected for two years and it has been used as a dumping ground. Councillor Pannell and the Clerk with help from Ken Thorpe and Jim Ferguson had cleared much of the rubbish and cut back the hedge but there was more work to be done. The allotment as it stands at the moment is unlettable. It was agreed that another skip be hired and a JCB be used to skim the surface off the allotment so that it can be offered to a resident. The Clerk reported that there were two people on the allotment waiting list and that Charles Swann had indicated that he would be giving up allotment 4a at the end of the season. It was resolved that the Parish Council spends up to £400 to complete the work on allotment 4b and to build a fence. Allotments 4a and 4b should be offered as one allotment to the first person on the waiting list.

The Clerk explained that there were three large hedges in Poppleton where ownership lay with the Parish Councils. The hedge round the allotments in Main Street in Upper Poppleton, the hedge round the garden in Ebor Way in Nether Poppleton and the hedge running down the side of the lane adjoining the Wildlife Area opposite the Tithe Barn in Church Lane. If the cost of a petrol driven hedge trimmer was shared between the two Parish Councils there could be a saving of time and expense as all three hedges needed to be cut twice a year to keep them neat and tidy. After a short discussion it was resolved that the Parish Council would not acquire a trimmer.

Councillor Hopton reported that

1. A briefing on the Castle/Piccadilly development is due.
2. An appeal has been made to the Secretary of State against the City Council's decision not to allow the application for Certificate of Lawful Development for continued occupation of former storage building as a dwelling at Nairobi Stables on the Boroughbridge Road.

1. Councillor Richardson said that building work was being carried out on two properties in Chantry Green and that a watch should be kept to make sure that any damage to the Green should be repaired.
2. Councillor Watson read a letter informing the Councillors of his resignation as both Chairman of the Parish Council and a Parish Councillor with effect from the end of the meeting. The Councillors were stunned into silence except for Councillor Pannell who expressed the Parish Council's thanks for the work that Councillor Watson had done for the Parish Council and for being in the Chair.

The date of the next meeting was agreed as Monday 10 October 2005 at 7.30pm.

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.05pm.

CHAIRMAN …………………….. ………………………….DATE