To fund the cost of running the Parish Council it is necessary to raise a levy from each household in the village. The levy is called 'Precept' and is added to the Council Tax that each household pays to the City Council.

For the year 2004/05 the Parish Council has raised a precept of £11,000 which will be offset against expenditure of £11,340. The money will be spent on:

Double taxation is when you pay for a service through your council tax and also through your precept e.g. £1,200 for dog bin emptying. A new Charter being drawn up by the City Council and the Parish Councils' representatives should resolve this problem.

The Parish Council website can be found on the Internet at www.poppleton.net The website contains a variety of information including the latest planning applications, Parish Council minutes and agendas, information on allotments and details of your Parish Councillors.

Incidences of vandalism in general have dropped during the last year. In the last few weeks there have been several incidences of vandalism in Nether Poppleton. The Parish Council continues to liaise with the Police Ward Manager, PC Lee Fickling, whose efforts on behalf of the village are much appreciated.

The Parish Council has recently paid £275 to have graffiti removed from the bus shelter on the Green.

Remember that the cost of repairing Parish Council property has to be paid by village residents. A reduction in vandalism means a reduction in your taxes. Please don't hesitate to call the Police (Tel. 631321) or Mayfair Group Guarding (Tel. 0800 7837537) if you are aware of any vandalism.

The Greens belong to the Parish Council and are for the use of all residents. There is a byelaw prohibiting cars from being parked or driven on the Greens. A copy of the bylaws is displayed on the notice board at All Saints Church Hall. A copy can also be found on the Parish Council's website.

The Parish Council has recently installed a new seat on the Green partly paid for from the balance of the Jubilee Fund. The seat is known as the "Jubilee Seat".

The area of the Green dug up by Transco when they were looking for the gas pipes still hasn't been reseeded. It is planned to do this immediately after the Children's Sports Day.

The Parish Councillors had planned to use the tree trunk of the lime tree that was felled on the Green to make an engine for children to play on. Problems with insurance meant that the plan had to be abandoned.

The Parish Councillors are grateful to Gordon Benton for continuing to look after the flowerbed around the base of the War Memorial.

The City of York Council is obliged to refer to the Parish Council all planning matters that are appropriate to its area.

Each planning application is considered by the five members of the Planning Committee and their decisions discussed at the next Parish Council meeting.

The main policy that guides our Planning Committee is to ensure that the environment and character of the village is maintained within the constraints laid upon us and the Local Authority by Central Government.

Parish Councillors endeavour to consult the neighbours for every planning application.

Every weekend the Clerk posts a list of current planning applications on the notice board outside All Saints Church Hall. This list also appears on the Parish Council's website.

In the last financial year the Planning Committee dealt with 52 applications.

The two "Turn Engines Off Signs" were erected on posts each side of the railway crossing.

During the last year the Councillors have spent much time discussing the problems of speeding traffic and "the rat run". It would appear that the A59 Park & Ride will have to be built before any measures will be taken to solve the problem of speeding vehicles. Meanwhile, the Parish Council is actively pursuing the idea of radar controlled speed indications signs to be strategically placed on village roads.

The Councillors have agreed to buy 400 signs which say "SLOW DOWN" and "SPEED KILLS". It is planned to give these to residents who live along the "rat run". The signs will be stuck on the sides of wheelie bins so that, at least once a week, drivers will be reminded that they should drive slower.

The removal of graffiti and of rubbish abandoned in the lanes round the village has been the result of the creation of York Pride Action by the City Council. The parish Council works closely with York Pride Action to ensure that the village environment is maintained to a high standard. If you have need to report a problem in your area such as unwanted graffiti, piles of rubbish or broken street lights you can phone the York Pride Action helpline on 551551.

In 1999 the City Council published a map showing an enlarged Conservation Area in the village. The plan has been on hold for the past five years but looks as though it may be implemented in the near future. The Clerk has details should you wish to see a copy of the planned revision.

Council meetings are held on the second Monday of the month. There are no meetings in August or December. All the meetings are held in All Saints Church Hall and usually start at 7.30pm. Members of the public are very welcome to attend.

To enable residents to have a say on local issues the Council has introduce Public Participation. For fifteen minutes before the meeting starts members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda can do so. Each resident will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Clerk at the address below. The deadline for registering is 6.00pm on the Friday before the meeting.