COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the

COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

PRESENT:            Cllr H. J. Woodbridge (Chairman); M. Wellman (Vice Chairman).

Cllrs. M. Barnes, P. Brockwell, M. Coker, G. Harris, A. Hay, M. Innes, A. Prichard,

D. Ricardo and J. Stretton.

1.      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs S. Fairlie, R. Piercey and S. Saintclair-Abbott. Cllr Brar was attending the Parish Conference on behalf of the Parish Council. There were no declarations of interest.

2.      MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING:

The Minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 1^st June 2004 were agreed and signed as a correct record with no amendments. There were no matters arising. The minutes of the Extraordinary Full Council meeting held on 8^th June were also agreed and signed as a correct record.

3.      COMMITTEE REPORTS:

The Minutes of the Adoptive Acts Committee held on 8^th June 2004 were circulated and duly received with no amendments. The Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on the 22^nd June 2004 was agreed with one amendment. Cllr Wellman, Chairman of the Finance Committee, requested that the draft contract for the Clerical Assistant should be deleted from the minutes. The Council agreed unanimously in order to protect the contractual details of anyone occupying this position.

4.  REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES:

1.      Cllr M. Coker attended a meeting at the Town Hall to look at the need for a Parish Plan in Cookham. He handed out notes of the meeting to all Councillors which showed that Cookham had been selected by SEEDA as one of fifteen market villages. The paper summarised some of the opportunities and funding available to the Parish Council to help them promote the idea of having a Parish Plan to all villagers. It was agreed to put this topic on the agenda of the next meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

2.      Cllr A. Prichard attended a Governor’s meeting at Holy Trinity Primary School and the local school children’s art exhibition at Oveys Farm.

3.      Cllr M. Coker went to the Governor’s meeting for Cookham Rise Primary School and mentioned that plans for starting the extension of the front of the school were due to start in the summer holidays.

4.      Cllrs Barnes and Brockwell attended the LAANC meeting and reported that the Maastricht decision was due later this year.

5.      Cllr A. Hay went to his first meeting of the Cookham Youth Project. He was disappointed that only seven members turned up but was told that this was normal in the summer.

6.      Cllrs Harris, Innes and Woodbridge attended the BALC Training Day at Knowl Hill and found the morning information and interesting. The urged all Councillors to attend the next session if they can.

5.            QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDERS 24/26:

1.                  Cllr D. Ricardo asked if we could find out how long Peter Taylor has been working for Cookham Parish Council and suggestions on how to mark his long service.

2.                  Cllr P. Brockwell asked the Clerk to contact RBWM to get the lighting columns painted in Lower Road before the Britain in Bloom judging on Friday 16^th July.

3.                  Cllr M. Coker asked the Clerk to ask the Maidenhead Advertiser why Cookham Parish Council was not mentioned in the Guide. This had already been taken up by Cllr Stretton.

6.            FINANCE:

On the proposition of Cllr. H.J. Woodbridge, seconded by Cllr M. Wellman, the cheques as listed on Page 910 were passed for payment in the month of June.

7.            BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORT:

Cllr Ricardo said that the Cannondown Railway Bridge was due to be inspected on the 14^th July and the road would be closed for part of the day. Cllr Ricardo mentioned the Little Marlow Sewage tunnel and said that the tree planting scheme was not quite complete. Letters from Longridge Scout Camp were discussed and the FRAG statement that Odney Weir had nothing to do with the flooding of the Camp.

8.  TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF THE INTERVIEW PANEL FOR THE CLERICAL ASSISTANT POST:

Cllr J. Stretton proposed keeping the same team who interviewed the present Clerk. It was agreed unanimously that Cllrs Prichard, Wellman and Woodbridge would make up the interview panel along with the Clerk.

9.                  TO COMMENT ON RBWM’S PARKING PLANS FOR LYNDHURST AVENUE:

Cookham Parish Council was not consulted on this parking scheme until 16^th June, less than two weeks before the scheme was due to start. It was commented that had the Parish Council been consulted they could have informed RBWM that a similar scheme from Parish Councillors met with some resistance by residents a few years ago. Cllr Wellman queried why the residents’ consultation in May did not contain details of the bye-law that bans verge parking and mentions a £500 enforcement fine. The residents only had two parking options to consider but were not told that if the scheme does not go ahead the verges will be posted off with bollards. Cllr Prichard said it was vital that we looked after the residents’ interests in this even though the Parish Council were not consulted. Cllr Stretton proposed that the Clerk write to the residents to inform them of the bye-law and the potential of enforcement fines and bollards. This urgent action was agreed unanimously.

10.              TO REVIEW ALLOWANCES FOR COUNCILLORS: 

The topic had already been discussed at a previous meeting. Cllr Woodbridge proposed that the Parish Council agree in principle to allowances being made for Councillors and refer the item to the Finance and General Purposes Committee. A named vote was called: IN FAVOUR = JS, GH, AH, DR, MI, MB, MC, HJW. AGAINST = AP, PB, MW.

11.              TO REQUEST THAT COUNCILLORS PUT AGENDA ITEMS IN WRITING: 

It was agreed that any Councillor who wishes to raise an item on the agenda must use the appropriate form to state what that item is and why they wish to put it on the agenda. These forms must be given to the Clerk approx. three days before the agenda is due to be circulated.

12.              CHAIRMAN’S SUBMISSIONS:

There were no chairman’s submissions for this meeting.

13.              CORRESPONDENCE:  A list of correspondence and periodicals received during the month of June was circulated with the agenda. These were available in the Parish Office for Councillors’ perusal.

The Meeting closed at 9.50pm.