This is the last annual report before the millennium and of the present elected Council before the elections in May.

In this year we were pleased to co-opt Mr Neville Fellows and thank him for his conscientious work on the Council over the last year despite the ill health of his wife. After the resignation of Cllr Chris Kirk we were also able to co-opt Mrs Rachel Watters.

Poppleton and especially the areas round the Greens always look at their best at this time of year and the work we have had done on pruning and crown cleaning the Green's trees has been satisfactorily completed. The City of York Council have advised us about a Tree Warden Scheme and invite anyone interested in being involved in this to put their names forward. Our grass-cutting contract continues to be with York. We are happy with their services and we continue to receive a grant from the York Council towards this.

The bus shelter on the Green has been tidied up with its guttering and light repaired. The brickwork inside the shelter has been cleaned and painted with a protective film to hopefully alleviate the problem of any future graffiti.

The Coronation Seat on Chantry Green has been repaired and a similar seat formerly by the Library bus shelter has been removed and is to be repaired.

Unfortunately the Parish Council has a recurring problem of illegal parking on the Greens both by visitors to the village and residents. Leaflets advising of the bylaw on no parking on the Greens have been delivered to all houses bordering the same in an effort to inform new residents and remind any other offenders.

In the Conservation area we also 'wage a war' on signs pinned on trees or lampposts.

The Council are also concerned about traffic speeding through the village from the Red Lion using a route through the Poppletons to 'cut the corner' to the Millfield Lane roundabout. The City of York Council have written advising us of a forthcoming traffic and speed count survey in the village and the Parish Councillors are suggesting a suitable site for this recording.

We are aware that many roads and footways are in poor condition -some with dangerous potholes. These are constantly reported to City of York's Highways Department and we are assured that work will begin on these in April '99. We will be following progress carefully.

The new Bus Shelter opposite the Library financed on a 50/50 basis with York has been erected since June and is being well used.

Also the six dog waste bins provided from our 97/98 Capital Allowance have been up and in use since summer. They are emptied twice a week in summer months and once per week in winter and we trust they are keeping our footways in the acceptable condition we would wish for.

This year's Capital Grant from York is donated to the re-siting of the Upper Poppleton Infant and Junior Schools entrance which has long been discussed as a desirable measure for the children's safety.

The Parish Council has also donated £417 towards a swimming pool cover for the school pool, that sum being our part of a three-part split with Nether Poppleton and the schools own funding.

Your Council contributed the sum of £750 to the Moat Fields Group. This committee is to manage the land behind St Everilda's Church as amenity land for use by the two Poppletons.

At this point I would like to thank our Treasurer, Mr James Mackman, for his considerable work in managing our accounts - and in this his first year with the Council we are confident in his expertise. The 1999-2000 budget has been set and the Parish Council is to raise a precept of £3,000.

Representatives from the Council regularly attend Community and Police Meetings where problems and comments are welcomed for our area, West Side. We are encouraged to run 'Neighbourhood Watch' schemes and to notify Fulford Road of any immediate concerns.

Councillor Smith is our representative on the Community Centre Village Trust and attends meetings on our behalf.

Public meetings have been held to discuss plans for celebrating the Millennium in the villages. The outcome of these for the Parish Councils were that they should consider planting trees and providing new village name boards.

All of the Councillors I know will wish to join me in thanking Mr Mackman in his 'other hat' as our Clerk. I know that he is enjoying the work and we are grateful for his time and enthusiasm.

Also I wish to thank my fellow Councillors for their continued support and hard work. The involvement of being a Parish Councillor extends beyond a monthly meeting and some Councillors have special interests involving further meetings and are happy to make themselves available to Parishioners.

Thank you.

N E Fowler

12 April 1999