MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE POPPLETON CENTRE, UPPER POPPLETON, AT 7.15PM ON MONDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2025
PRESENT
Cllr. S P Barry (Chairman), Cllrs. G R M Bates, R A Harper, J A Hook, E M Jones and A G Walker. Also present were two members of the public and the Clerk, Mr B J W Mackman.
AGENDA
25/038 – TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST (NOT PREVIOUSLY DECLARED) ON ANY MATTERS OF BUSINESS
None.
25/039 – PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A representative from the Moat Fields Management Group gave an update on the problem sycamores in the border between the Moat Field and the Millennium Green.
25/040 – TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE GIVEN IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. C J Lamb.
25/041 – TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF REASONS GIVEN FOR ABSENCE
Cllr. Lamb’s apologies were accepted.
25/042 – TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 20 JANUARY 2025
The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 20 January 2025, having been circulated prior to the meeting, were approved and signed.
25/043 – TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM A CITY OF YORK COUNCILLOR
City Councillor Hook reported that: –
• A Ward Committee meeting is to be held at the Poppleton Centre on Monday 24 March 2025 at 6.00pm
• The adoption of the Local Plan is imminent.
25/044 – TO RECEIVE THE CLERK’S REPORT ON PROGRESS ON THE FOLLOWING:
The placing of a seat in front of the pond (Min. 24/300d) – (September 2024)
The Clerk reported on a conversation with the resident who wishes to donate the seat. The resident had not been aware that there was already a bench on the site. Cllrs. expressed concern that the difficulty with finding a location for a seat could mean that there were already sufficient seats to meet the need. It was agreed that the resident be advised that the Parish Council would not agree to another seat being installed on Parish Council property. It was suggested that the resident contact the Millennium Green trustees to see if they would agree to another seat on the Green. (Action Clerk)
25/045– FINANCE
(a) Financial Report
The Clerk had circulated a detailed report showing the actual income and expenditure for the year for the period to 17 February 2025. The report reflected the receipts and payments below. The bank balances on 17 February were: –
Current Account £100.00
Business Money Manager Account £6,043.18
National Savings Investment Account £15,667.03
(b) To note accounts for payment (net of VAT);
90 BP Poppleton Youth Action Group Balance of 2024-25 grant £200.00
91 BP Upper Poppleton PC Remembrance Day contribution £475.00
92 BP Upper Poppleton PC Annual website maintenance fee £175.00
93 CHG HSBC Bank charges – Dec/Jan £8.00
94 DD IONOS Website hosting – Jan/Feb £17.03
95 DD Information Commissioner Annual fee £35.00
96 BP James Mackman Salary – February £653.21
97 BP HMRC Tax and Employer’s NI – February £171.26
(c) To receive a report on income received
HMRC VAT refund £468.76
Main Street households Common Land rent £7.50
(d) To re-appoint the internal auditor.
It was agreed to re-appoint Mrs Cariss as the internal auditor.
25/046 – PARISH COUNCIL LAND – TO RECEIVE PROGRESS REPORTS AND MAKE APPROPRIATE DECISIONS ON
(a) Grass cutting.
No news on this subject.
(b) The management of Warren Lea
No report on this subject.
(c) The management of the Common Land including the rectification of the damage to the riverbank next to Saxe Dane Lodge. Cllr. Bates and the Clerk will meet the contractors on site when the weather improves. (Action Cllr. Bates & Clerk)
(d) Allerton Drive garden
No news on this subject.
(e) The Moat Fields
The subject of felling sycamore trees in the border between the Moat Field and the Millennium Green was discussed in the Planning Meeting. It was noted that extra work is proposed for some of the trees and will be the subject of a new planning application to the City Council.
(f) The Cartsheds
No report.
(g) The Wildlife Area
No report.
25/047 – TO CONSIDER COUNCILLOR AND CLERK TRAINING
Details of YLCA courses are circulated to Councillors on a regular basis. It was agreed that Cllr. Walker could attend the YLCA Zoom training course entitled “An Introduction to Neighbourhood Planning and Design Codes” on 12 March. (Action Cllr. Walker)
25/048- TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATING TO HIGHWAYS, FOOTPATHS & LAMPPOSTS
Ian Woods mentioned that the road surface in Common Croft Lane and Newlands Lane is breaking up. The damage is being done by heavy vehicles employed in the construction of pylons by Yorkshire Green. Cllr. Hook reported that she had been communicating with the City Council about the problem.
25/049- TO DISCUSS THE PROGRESS IN CREATING ONE PARISH COUNCIL FOR POPPLETON
It was reported that an email was sent to CYC officials and three councillors on 28th January which set out the two possibilities to organise grouping the two parish councils. A reply is awaited.
A meeting was held with Luke Charters MP on 8th February which was attended by Cllr. Lawrence and Cllr. Jones from Nether Poppleton.
Mr Charters was positive in his support of grouping and committed to write to CYC within two weeks for an explanation regarding the delay.
24/050 – TO DISCUSS THE ‘PROPOSAL’ BY A THINK TANK FOR A NEW TOWN NEAR POPPLETON
In the meeting with Mr Charters the question of the ‘10,000 home new town near Poppleton’ was also discussed.
On the subject of the ‘new town’ possibility Mr. Charters was quite negative. He has not been involved in any of the discussions and believes that existing and smaller developments, which have already been prepared, should be considered first.
25/051– TO RECEIVE REPORTS ON/FROM
(a) Joint Biodiversity Working Group
It was noted that another article on biodiversity has been written for inclusion in the next edition of Centrepiece. The total cost of the publication of four quarterly articles will be £340. It was agreed that the Parish Council would pay half of this and would review the situation in a year’s time.
(b) Poppleton Community Trust
No report.
(c) Trees Working Group
No report.
(d) VE Day celebration Group
Cllr. Bates reported on the arrangements being made for the VE-Day celebrations.
(e) Village policing
The Clerk said that he had not received a schedule of incidents reported to the police in January.
(f) YLCA York Branch
No report.
(g) Youth Club
Cllr. Hook reported that the Youth Club AGM was held on 13 February. The chairman had said that this would be his last year so a new chairman is needed. The average attendance at the Youth Club on a Friday hovers around the 25 mark.
(h) Any other meeting
None.
25/052– TO NOTE CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED BY THE CLERK
25/052/1 – It was noted that the correspondence received since the January meeting, as listed below, had already been circulated to the Councillors.
(a) CYC – Local Plan Inspectors report
(b) Open Spaces Society – eZine, January 2025
(c) YLCA – Councillors discussion forum 19 February
(d) YLCA – February training events
(e) YLCA – Training and Discussion Forum Programme February 2025
(f) YLCA – Training programmes April to September
(g) YLCA – White Rose Bulletins
(h) Yorkshire Green – e-newsletter – issue 4
25/052/2 – The Clerk referred to the following items of correspondence received since the January Parish Council meeting
(a) The Information Commissioner – Confirmation of payment
(b) The Pensions Regulator – Re-enrolment update
25/053 – TO NOTE FORTHCOMING MEETINGS
Date of Meeting – Meeting – Venue/ Time – Councillors Attending
6 Mar Haxby Group Patients Forum Gale Farm Surgery, Front Street, Acomb/ 6.30pm Jones
13 Mar YLCA York Branch Acaster Malbis Memorial Hall – 7.00pm Jones & Harper
20 Mar Poppleton Community Trust Executive Poppleton Centre/ 7.00pm Bates
24 Mar Ward Committee Poppleton Centre/ 6.00pm All
TBA VE Day working group Poppleton Centre/ 7.00pm Barry & Bates
25/054 – TO CONSIDER MINOR MATTERS
None.
25/055 – TO CONSIDER NEW ITEMS FOR THE NEXT AGENDA
None.
25/056 – TO AGREE THE DATE OF NEXT MEETING
It was agreed that the next meeting would be held at 7.30pm in the Poppleton Centre on Monday 17 March 2025.
There being no other business the meeting was formally closed at 9.16pm.
Chairman………………….…… Date…………………………..
James Mackman, Clerk 39 Calder Avenue, Nether Poppleton, York, YO26 6RG
Tel: 01904 399277 – email: netherpoppletonclerk@poppleton-pc.org.uk
The Parish Council’s website can be found at https://poppleton-pc.org.uk/