UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL

 

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD IN ALL SAINTS CHURCH HALL, UPPER POPPLETON

AT 7.30PM ON MONDAY 8 JANUARY 2007

 

PRESENT

Councillor Anne Hook (Chairman)

 

Councillor Richard Bramall

Councillor Vivien Crabb

Councillor Ted Kendall

Councillor John Pannell

Councillor Stuart Robson

 

 

Mr James Mackman (Clerk)

 

 

City Councillor G Bradley

Mr R J Clark

Mr D Doggett

Mr H A Pickup

Mr J D G Thompson

Mr D M Tomlinson

 

 

 

07.001 - DECLARATION OF INTEREST ON ANY MATTERS OF BUSINESS

There were no declarations.

 

07.002 - TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Kate Richardson.

 

07.003 - TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 20 NOVEMBER 2006

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2006, having been circulated and read, were accepted and signed as a true record.

 

07.004 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

None.

 

07.005 - TO RECEIVE THE CLERK'S REPORT

 

(a)   Progress on the Maypole grant claim (Min. 06.214b)

Yorventure have been advised that the maypole is to be painted in the spring.  They say that the work must be completed before the end of March or the grant claim will fail.  The Clerk agreed to confirm this with the painter. (Action Clerk).

 

(b)   Progress on clearing the vegetation in front of the "Upper Poppleton" sign in Hodgson Lane (Min. 06.214c)

Since the November meeting the beech leaves have disappeared from the hedge and all of the sign is visible from many yards away.  The situation will be reviewed when the new leaves appear in the spring.

 

(c)    Progress on the provision for parking bicycles by the shops (Min. 06.214e)

No report.

 

(d)   Progress on the mending of the seat opposite the bus shelter (Min. 06.214g)

The seat has been mended.  Ken Falkingham replaced the top rail in which W H Higginbottom’s name had been carved.  A plaque has been screwed to the new top rail.


 

(e)    Progress on the mending of the Selby seat on the Green (Min. 06.218a)

The seat has been mended and put back on the Green

 

(f)     Progress on the provision of a car parking space for the disabled in the White Horse car park (Min. 06.219c)

The City Council has been notified of the site of the proposed parking bay.

 

(g)   Progress on cleaning the bus shelter on the Green (Min. 06.222)

As a general rule the City Council does not clean bus shelters.  It is understood that the City Council is looking at the possibility of cleaning the bus shelter on the Green.

 

07.006 - FINANCE

(a)   To receive a financial statement

The Clerk presented a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the current financial year for the period to 8 January 2007.  The report reflected the receipts and payments below.  The bank balances at 8 January were:

Current Account                                                                                                            £400.00

Business Money Manager Account                                                                            £21,146.27

 

(b)   To agree accounts for payment (net of VAT);

956

James Mackman

Net salary - December

£408.00

957

Inland Revenue

Income Tax & National Insurance

£147.08

958

City of York Council

Chantry Green tree removal

£150.00

959

Yorkshire Water

Allotment water

£5.87

960

Ken Falkingham

Seat repairs and painting pumps

£627.82

961

City of York Council

Three skate boarding sessions

£465.00

962

Poppleton Community Trust

Joint meeting room hire

£16.00

963

James Mackman

Net salary - January

£407.78

964

Inland Revenue

Income Tax & National Insurance

£47.30

965

James Mackman

Clerks’ expenses

£59.23

 

(c)    To receive a report on income received

HSBC

Interest

£124.68

 

(d)   To discuss a request for funding from the trustees of All Saints Church Hall

The All Saints Hall Development Committee has made an application to Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd for a grant of £24,663 for refurbishing the Hall.  A condition of the grant is that a third party has to contribute the sum equivalent to 11% of the sum requested.  The Committee has written to ask the Parish Council to be the third party.  It was resolved that the Parish Council would fund up to £2,700 depending on the size of the grant obtained.  £1,000 would come from the Capital Reserve, the balance from revenue.

 

(e)      To discuss a request from the Poppleton Community Trust for funding in the next financial year

A joint, public meeting had been held with Nether Poppleton Parish Council, to discuss the funding of the Community Trust. The City of York Council is phasing out its grants to the Community Trust and increasing the ground rent of the site, leaving the Trust with a shortfall in funds. An overwhelming majority of the public present at that meeting was in favour of the two Parish Councils supporting the Community Trust financially. That meeting also urged that the Parish Councils should press the City of York Council to honour what was felt to be its moral obligation to continue to give financial support to the Trust. In view of the outcome of that meeting, and following a lengthy discussion, it was resolved that the Parish Council would give a grant of £7,500 to the Community Trust during the forthcoming financial year. Any future request for funding by the Trust would be considered on an annual basis.

 

(f)     To agree the budget for 2007-08 and set the precept

The Clerk had circulated a proposed budget prior to the meeting.  The Councillors considered the budget item by item and several alterations were made.  After discussion the revised budget was agreed and it was resolved that the precept be set at £16,000 for the financial year 2007-08.  The Chairman and Clerk signed the appropriate City Council request form.  The agreed budget is attached to these minutes.

 

07.007 - TO NOTE CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

07.007.1 - The Clerk read or referred to the following items of correspondence

(a)    A letter from Anthony R Forshaw asking for bollards to be placed on the pavement in the car park by the White Horse.  It was agreed that this subject be included on the agenda for the February meeting

(b)   A letter from the City Council advising that the City Council’s Executive Members for City Strategy and Advisory Panel had agreed, at the meeting held on 11 December 2006, to withdraw the proposal for waiting restrictions in Station Road. 

(c)    A letter from Jim Fitzpatrick, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Postal Services at the Department of Trade and Industry, in response to the Parish Council’s letter about the future of rural Post Offices.

 

07.007.2 - It was agreed that the correspondence received since the November Parish Council meeting, as listed below, be circulated to the Councillors

(a)    CE Electric UK - Preparing for Winter leaflets

(b)   Clerk & Councils Direct - Issue 49, January 2007

(c)    CPRE - Fieldwork, December 2006

(d)   CYC - Civil Contingencies Act 2004

(e)    Local Works - Update

(f)     North Yorkshire Police - Events notice

(g)    Nether Poppleton Parish Council - Minutes of 16 October

(h)    NYCC - Mineral Waste & Planning - CD update

(i)      Poppleton Ward Residents Association - Minutes of 19 October

(j)     The Clerk - January 2007 - Vol 37, No. 1 

(k)   YCVS - Voluntary Voice etc

(l)      YRCC - Country Air, Winter 2006

 

07.008 - TO RECEIVE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT

(a)   Plans pending and Planning Committee Comments

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.

 

(b)   Councillors' comments

No comments.


 

07.009 - TO CONSIDER ITEMS RELATING TO HIGHWAYS, FOOTPATHS, LAMPPOSTS & SIGNS

(a)   To consider reports on vandalism

i.         It was reported that more panes of glass in the Phone box on the Green have been broken. (Action Clerk).

ii.       The missing seat in the bus shelter on the Green has still not been replaced.  (Action Clerk).

 

(b)   To discuss the CYC response re the litter bin near the Post Office

A meeting between the working group of Councillors and Andy Williams, the City Council's (Street Environment Officer) has yet to be arranged. (Action Clerk).

 

(c)    To receive other reports

None.

 

07.010 - TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATING TO THE VILLAGE GREENS

(a)    Trees

i)     To confirm payment of a City Council invoice for £150 for clearing a Chantry Green tree off the road.

On 6 December a large branch had broken off the lime tree on Chantry Green.  A resident had reported this to the City Council which arranged for the tree to be removed from the footpath.  Subsequently the Parish Council, as owner of the tree, was sent a bill for £150 for removing the tree.  This had been paid and the Councillors approved payment.

 

ii)   To agree to the removal of the remaining fallen branches of the tree on Chantry Green

Many of the branches of the lime tree had been removed by residents for use in wood turning etc.  There remains once extremely thick part of the fallen branch which no resident is able to remove. It was agreed to accept a quotation of £70 from Ryland Horticulture to remove the remnants of the lime tree.

 

(b)   Events 

None.

 

(c)    Car parking

No report.

 

(d)   Maintenance - To agree repairs costing £43.68 to the Coronation seat on Chantry Green

The falling lime tree on Chantry Green had damaged the Coronation seat.  Ken Falkingham had quoted the sum of £43.68 to mend and restore the seat.  It was agreed to accept this quotation.

 

07.011 - TO RECEIVE COMMITTEES' REPRESENTATIVES REPORTS

(a)     Councillor Robson referred to an email received from Poppleton Community Nursery.

 

(b)     Councillor Pannell reported on the Rural West Ward Team meeting he attended on 5 December.

 

(c)      Councillor Kendall reported on the Community Centre Trust Executive Committee that he attended as the Parish Council’s observer on 19 December 2007.  The agenda items were almost all routine business matters concerning the running and maintenance of the Centre. The following are noteworthy:

i.           The Community Trust is still awaiting formal handover of management control of the Youth Centre from the CYC. The contract has not yet been presented for signature.

ii.          The Trust plans to launch a “200 Club” in furtherance of its fund raising efforts. This should commence at Easter time.

iii.        The Executive Committee were most encouraged with the public attendance at the recent joint Parish Council meeting held at the Community Centre to discuss the formal request for support funding from both the Parish Councils.  Although the meeting was essentially an informal one, there was almost total agreement from those present for the Parish Councils to offer financial support to enable the Community Centre to continue operation for the benefit of villagers.

 

07.012 - TO RECEIVE A PROGRESS REPORT FROM THE PARISH PLAN WORKING GROUP

Councillor Kendall reported that only three of the expected ten residents who had expressed an interest in helping with a Parish Plan attended the meeting held at the Community Centre on 27 November and that only one of these was prepared to be involved.  It was agreed that a final attempt to form a working group will be made at the Children’s Sports Day in spring. (Action Cllr Kendall)

 

07.013 - TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON VILLAGE POLICING

Special Constable Jerry Holland had produced a list of incidents in Poppleton which had been reported to the police in the 40 days to 31 December.  There had been twenty incidents in Upper Poppleton.  These were: two burglaries from sheds/garages, one theft, four criminal damage, three cycle thefts, eight nuisance youths, one nuisance vehicle and one of disorder.  The Clerk produced a schedule showing all the monthly figures from August 2006.

 

07.014 - TO REVIEW PROGRESS ON THE FORTHCOMING OPEN DAY

The Clerk reported that he had booked the Methodist Church Hall for the Open Day to be held on Saturday 24 March 2007.  He had obtained a list of local groups using the Community Centre and was in the process of speaking to each contact person with the aim of producing a preliminary list of groups wanting to take space at the Open Day.  It was agreed that the Parish Council would pay for the hire of the Hall and for teas and coffees to be provided on the Open Day.

 

07.015 - TO DISCUSS THE SUGGESTIONS RECEIVED FROM THE SUMMER NEWSLETTER

Suggestions had been received from seven residents.  These were examined and suitable replies were agreed. (Action Clerk)

 

07.016 - TO DISCUSS SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER

Councillor Hook will put the Newsletter together.  Councillor Robson said that he would write articles about the Poppleton Community Nursery and policing.


 

07.017 - TO NOTE FORTHCOMING MEETINGS

Date of Meeting

Meeting

Venue/ Time

Councillor Attending

22 January

Neighbourhood Policing

Community Centre/ 2.00pm

Bramall, Kendall, Robson

13 February

Poppleton Community Trust Exec.

Community Centre/ 2.00pm

Kendall

28 February

Ward Committee

Askham Bryan Village Hall/ 7.30pm

All

 

07.018 - TO RECEIVE COUNCILLORS' COMMENTS

Councillor Kendall asked that the subject of the City Council’s attitude to the financing of the Community Centre be included on the agenda for the February meeting.

 

07.019 - TO RECEIVE CITY COUNCILLORS' COMMENTS

None.

 

07.020 - DATE OF NEXT MEETING -

The date of the next meeting was agreed as Monday 12 February 2007 at 7.30pm. 

 

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.44pm.

 

 

CHAIRMAN ……………………..                                         ………………………….2007

 

James Mackman, Clerk   22a Long Ridge Lane, Nether Poppleton, York  YO26 6LX

Telephone  01904 781752    -    Fax  0871 4331325    -    email  jmackman@tesco.net