UPPER POPPLETON PARISH COUNCIL

 

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE POPPLETON CENTRE, MAIN STREET, UPPER POPPLETON AT 7.00 PM ON MONDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2008

 

PRESENT

Councillor John Pannell  (Chairman)

 

Councillor Kathie Brydson

Councillor Peter Hawkins

Councillor Ted Kendall

Councillor Kate Richardson

Councillor Stuart Robson

Councillor Rae Youngman

 

 

 

City Councillor Ian Gillies.

 

Mr James Mackman (Clerk)

 

08.193 - DECLARATION OF INTEREST ON ANY MATTERS OF BUSINESS

None.

 

08.194 - TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

There were no apologies for absence.

 

08.195 - TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 13 OCTOBER 2008 

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2008, having been circulated and read, were accepted and signed as a true record.

 

08.196 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Peter Brown gave a resumé of the history of the Poppleton Youth Club.  He said that:-

·      The Youth Club started in 2001

·      The City Council stopped supporting the Youth Club in 2005

·      The Youth Club is open on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for youths who don’t like to be organised.  They just like to meet and talk with their mates.

·      The parents of the youths show no interest in helping run the Youth Club

·      The Youth Club is now open on a Wednesday evenings for 11-12 year-olds

·      The Youth Action Group is asking for a donation of £1,000 to help the Youth Club’s finances

 

The Councillors asked Mr Brown a number of questions.

Q.   How was the sum of £1,000 arrived at?

A.   There are sufficient funds for a year. It costs approximately £8,000 to run the Youth Club for a year.  £4,000 comes from the City Council’s Youth Service, £2,000 from the Ward Committee and £1,000 from Nether Poppleton Parish Council which leaves a shortfall of £1,000.

 

Q.   How many children attend a session?

A.   Tuesday evenings 15-25, Wednesday evenings 20-25, Thursday evenings 15-20.

 

Q.   What do the children do at the Youth Club?

A.   From August 2008 the Youth Club has been more structured.  This has encouraged girls to attend.  New equipment has been bought with a £1,000 grant from the City Council.  There is a table tennis table, two pool tables and an air hockey table.

 

Q.   Can staffing levels be maintained?

A.   There was a problem when the City Council stopped paying the wages.  University students have helped.  As they leave, others have replaced them.  There is sufficient staff at the moment.  Recently some people were turned down as they weren’t suitable.

 

Q.   Is there a breakdown of where they youths come from?

A.   Most of the children attend Manor School and bring their friends along.  There is no breakdown of where the youths live.  Mr Brown said that he would endeavour to find out so he could answer he question.

 

Q.   To whom is the rent paid?

A.   The City of York Council.

 

08.197 - TO RECEIVE CITY COUNCILLORS' COMMENTS - for information only

City Councillor Ian Gillies reported on the Ward Committee meeting held 15 October.

 

08.198 - TO RECEIVE THE CLERK'S REPORT

(a)     Progress on Green racks (Min. 08.180a)

The Clerk reported a conversation with the City Council’s Cycling Officer who had said that he had been told to concentrate on “Cycling York” and had not yet issued the order to have the base for the cycle racks laid.  The Clerk was deputed to ask the Cycling Officer to issue the order for the cycle racks to be installed.  (Action Clerk)

 

(b)     Progress on repainting the crossing gates in Station Road (Min 08.180b)

The top coat has not been applied to the gates.  The Clerk was deputed to contact Network Rail to ask that the job be completed.  (Action Clerk)

 

(c)      Progress on replacing the Chantry Gap sign at the corner of Dikelands Lane (Min. 08.180c)

The Clerk reported that the City Council has ordered a new sign. 

 

08.199 - 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 10 November 2008.  The report reflected the receipts and payments below.  The bank balances at 10 November were:

 

Current Account                                                                                                               £200.00

Business Money Manager Account                                                                             £18,113.51

 

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

1121

Poppleton Community Trust

Revenue grant

£5,000.00

1122

SLCC

Training course

£17.00

1123

Ryland Horticulture

Removing Chantry Green trees

£400.00

1124

Baron Landscape

Grass cutting – September

£270.00

1125

James Mackman

Clerk’s expenses

£28.66

1092

James Mackman

Salary – November

£506.18

1093

Post Office Ltd

Tax & NI – October

£182.03

 

(c)    To receive a report on income received

H M Customs & Revenue

VAT refund

£137.85

 

(d)               To consider an application for a grant of £1,000 from Poppleton Youth Action Group (PYAG) towards the running of the Youth Club

It was agreed to give a donation of £1,000 to the Poppleton Youth Action Group.

 

(e)      To consider further requests for grants and donations

i.      It was agreed that the sum of £150.00 be donated to All Saints Church for the upkeep of the cemetery under LGA 1972 214(6).

 

ii.    It was agreed that no donation would be given to Martin House as it was felt that donations should be given on an individual basis, not by the Parish Council.

 

(f)       To consider the Budget for 2009-10

The Clerk presented a suggested draft budget for 2009-10 and explained his reasoning for the various items.  The budget and the precept for 2009-10 will be set at the meeting in January.

 

(g)     To agree the Clerk’s annual pay increase as per the National Agreement

The Clerk read a letter from the YLCA which stated that this year’s pay award had gone to arbitration but that the employers’ rejected offer of a 2.45% pay rise, backdated to 1 April 2008, should be implemented with immediate effect.  Any increase agreed over 2.45% subsequently agreed would be the subject of another agenda item.  It was agreed that the pay award be implemented.

 

08.200 - TO NOTE CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

08.200.1 - The Clerk read or referred to the following item of correspondence

A letter from the Land Registry listing the various records they have of easements agreed by the Parish Council.

 

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

(a)      Clerk & Councils Direct - November 2008, Issue 60

(b)     Communities & Local Government - Communities in control - consultation

(c)      CPRE - Countryside Voice, Autumn 2008

(d)     CPRE - Stop & Drop literature

(e)      CPRE - Recruitment literature

(f)      CYC - Streets Ahead - September 2008

(g)     Nether Poppleton Parish Council - Minutes of 15 September

(h)     SLCC - The Clerk, September 2008, Vol 40. No.6

(i)       YOPF - Newsletter October 2008

(j)       YRCC - Annual Account 2007-08 and Conference details

 

08.201 - 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

None.

 

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

(a)   To consider reports on vandalism

No reports.

 

(b)   To receive other reports

None.

 

08.203 - TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATING TO THE VILLAGE GREENS

(a)     Trees

No report.

 

(b)     Events 

No report.

 

(c)      Car parking 

No report.

 

(d)     Maintenance –

i.           To discuss progress with the Blairgowrie vegetation in Chantry Green

The Clerk reported that the dead branch had been removed and the laurel had been cut back to the boundary fence.  The Clerk had written to Blairgowrie’s owner’s agents asking for a substantial contribution to the cost of clearing the vegetation.  He had received a reply to say that the owner was away at the moment

 

ii.         To discuss the state of the vegetation at the side of Chantry Green

A number of bushes have grown on Chantry Green and these prevent the grass from being cut alongside the boundary with Blairgowrie.  It was resolved that a quotation be sought for the removal of the bushes and the reinstatement of the area to grass.  (Action Clerk)

 

08.204 - TO RECEIVE COMMITTEES' REPRESENTATIVES REPORTS

No reports

 

08.205 - TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON VILLAGE POLICING

The following two schedules of incidents in Upper Poppleton had been received from PC 937 Anna Tyldesley, Dedicated Police Officer, Safer Neighbourhood Team, Fulford, Rural West, Bishopthorpe and Wheldrake Wards.

 

14 Sep

Garage burglary

Montague Walk

18 Sep

Garage burglary and motorbike stolen

Villa Court

18 Sep

Commercial burglary

Northfield Lane

24 Sep

Hay bales set on fire

Westfield Lane

25 Sep

Commercial burglary

Northfield Lane

27 Sep

3 x Garage burglaries

Villa Court

27 Sep

Garage burglary

Westfield Lane

30 Sep

Burglary dwelling

Main Street

2 Oct

2 x Shed burglaries and cycle stolen

Beech Grove

3 Oct

Burglary dwelling

Dikelands

6 Oct

2 x Commercial burglaries

Northfield Lane

7 Oct

Plants stolen from garden

Montague Walk

12 Oct

Window smashed, possibly by air rifle

Main Street.

15 Oct

Criminal damage to fence

Dikelands

16 Oct

Theft from caravan

Northfield Lane

16 Oct

Graffiti to garden fence

Villa Court

19 Oct

Criminal damage to window

The Green

20 Oct

Side of vehicle scratched

Outside Luigi's restaurant

27 Oct

Criminal damage to fence

Dikelands

28 Oct

Caravan broken into

Northfield Lane

28 Oct

Cone thrown at door

Willow Croft

30 Oct

Wire mesh fence panel cut and stolen

Northminster Business Park

30 Oct

Commercial Burglary

Northminster Business Park

 

08.206 – TO CONSIDER THE CREATION OF “NO COLD CALLING ZONES”

Councillor Hawkins gave an account of what No Cold Calling Zones are and how they can be created.  It was agreed that any enquiry to the Parish Council about the Zones should be redirected to the relevant City Council Officer.

 

08.207 – TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE PHONE BOX ON THE GREEN

The Clerk reported that the City Council has appointed a co-ordinator to deal with all the threatened K6 phone boxes within the City boundary.  The Clerk has given the co-ordinator the Parish Council minute of the resolution to look to keeping the phone box on the Green for a year.

(Action Clerk)

 

08.208 – TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED PARK & RIDE SITE ON THE A59

After discussion it was resolved that an editorial sub-committee of Councillors Kendall Robson and Youngman create an article for a Newsletter, based on the letters sent to the Chief Executive.

 

08.209 – TO NOTE FORTHCOMING MEETINGS

Date of Meeting

Meeting

Venue/ Time

Councillors Attending

25 November

Poppleton Community Trust Executive Committee

Poppleton Centre/ 7.00pm

Hawkins, Kendall

10 December

Ward Team

Guildhall/ 10.00am

Hawkins

 

08.210 - TO CONSIDER MINOR MATTERS AND ITEMS FOR THE NEXT AGENDA

The next agenda to include items for the next Newsletter and the construction of a footpath in Hodgson Lane.

 

08.211 - DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 12 JANUARY 2009 

The date of the next meeting was agreed as Monday 12 January 2009 at 7.00pm.

 

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

 

 

CHAIRMAN ……………………..                                      DATE…………………………….

 

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

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