Nether Poppleton Parish Council Chairman`s Annual Report 2024-25
It is an honour and a privilege to be a Councillor and to be your chairman.
Please find a brief summary of the events and activities in the 2024 / 2025 period.
Andrew Walker
Andrew was co-opted to our Parish Council in June 2024. Already, Andrew is a key member of our team, working hard to make a difference in our lovely village.
VE Celebration Event : 8th May 2025
Earlier this month, we celebrated VE Day which was on the 8th May 1945. A number of us played a role in organising this event and also setting up on the day itself. This was a Joint Venture with Upper Poppleton Parish Council.
This event was a big success and a large number of people turned out on the night. I do think that we need to think about utilising a larger section of the community to organise these events in the future.
Grouping of the Nether and Upper Poppleton Parish Councils
A significant amount of time and effort has been expended upon the preparatory work for the proposed Grouping.
We have engaged with the City of York Council, CYC; the Yorkshire Local Councils Association, YLCA; and, to a lesser extent, the National Association of Local Councils, NALC.
The response from the City of York Council has been both lethargic and discouraging. This is despite Luke Charters, our local MP writing to the Director of Governance and Monitoring. Perhaps this year will be the year when we get some traction in this initiative which will ultimately deliver efficiencies and savings.
Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday
12 people attended the Armistice Day on the 11th of November 2024. Colin Robinson laid a wreath and read out the names of Nether Poppleton residents who had given their lives in the First World War.
The Chair of NPPC attended the Remembrance Sunday Service at All Saints Upper Poppleton. He also delivered a reading at the service and subsequently read out the names of those residents from Nether Poppleton who had fallen in conflict.
Biodiversity Group
A Biodiversity Group, including councillors from Nether and from Upper Poppleton was formed in 2024. The purpose of this group was to agree a biodiversity policy for Poppleton, which the Council has adopted. Our challenge this year will be to bring that policy to life and ensure that it is clearly relatable to our regular business.
9 Notable Areas That We Have Worked
• Yellow lines were painted on the junction between Ebor Way and Dikelands Lane, to try and resolve a long-term parking issue.
• Willows were planted on the riverbank to prevent the erosion of the riverbank. Alas, these were uprooted within days and a fence was then erected to try and resolve this issue.
• The railing in Riverside Gardens was lengthened to mitigate a potential slipping hazard.
• Remedial work was carried out to trees that were identified as needing arboreal intervention as a result of our 2024 tree survey.
• A new seat was installed adjacent to the war memorial replacing a previous one which was in poor condition.
• We have been coordinating tree planting in the area where an underground storm tank has been installed adjacent to the Pumping Station.
• Conservation volunteers repaired the edging of the pathway through Warren Lea and also replaced the wood chippings along its length.
• We worked with the Moat Fields Group to fell several diseased sycamores, which posed a risk
• £9000 was made available to contribute to the cost of resurfacing the car park adjacent to the Lord Collingwood.
Routine Parish Council Business
We have progressed 24 planning applications, representing a near 50% decrease from the 2023/24 period.
Finance
Grants to local organisations totalled £13,225
Closing
Finally, I wanted to say a big thank you to my fellow councillors for their commitment and their time in making the village what it is.
I would especially like to thank Edie Jones who has recently retired from our Parish Council. We will miss her tireless work and her enthusiasm. Every village needs an Edie, and I know that we will miss her immensely.
Our Parish Clerk, James Mackman, has also done an excellent job; producing the papers in good time, being patient and kind with me and also ensuring that we adhere to the correct protocols and procedures … well done, James.
As a Parish Council, I think that we make a good team, and I am looking forward to the year ahead.