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, S. Fairlie, G. Harris, A. Hay, M. Innes,

R. Piercey, A. Prichard, D. Ricardo and J. Stretton.

1.      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Apologies were received from Cllrs Brar and Saintclair-Abbott. Cllr Ricardo declared a personal interest in item 8 because his home is in the flood plain but has never flooded.

2.                  APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 4^th October 2005 were circulated and duly signed as a correct record with one amendment. On page 147, Reports from Outside Bodies, item 1 – should read Patient’s Participation Group’s Meeting and not AGM.

3.                  COMMITTEE REPORTS: The Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on 11^th October and the Adoptive Acts Committee Meeting held on 18^th October 2005 were approved with one amendment. On Page 156, Item 2a, 4^th line down should say 4 x A4 sheets.

Cllr Coker then requested that item 10 on tonight’s agenda could be brought forward for discussion this evening.

4.  REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES:

1.         Cllr Stretton attended a meeting of Elizabeth Day Centre and said that the computer courses were over-subscribed. He also spoke of the exacting conditions that need to be met before the grant can be paid from RBWM.

2.                  Cllr Fairlie went to a meeting of the Patients Participation Group. She spoke of a verbal request to sponsor an edition of the newsletter that would cost approx. £200. The Chairman asked for this request to be included on the agenda of the next Finance Committee meeting.

3.         Cllrs Prichard and Ricardo went to a meeting of the Marsh Meadow Management Committee. There should be more news on FP 60 at the end of the month and the Geoffrey Copas was looking for alternative sites for the scouts to hold their jamboree.

4.         Cllr Innes attended a meeting of the Pinder Hall Management Committee.

5.             QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDERS 24/26:

There were no questions received.

10.       TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED VODAFONE BASE STATION, SUTTON ROAD, COOKHAM: Cllr Coker handed out photographs of the proposed site and said that he was pleased with the consultative document. The company seemed to be meeting every guideline set down by the Government and RBWM. Cllr Prichard said that there had been no response from the residents of Sutton Close. Cllr Ricardo felt that the mast could be better sited. Alternative sites had been looked at and were listed on the documents. It was AGREED to ask Daly International for a site meeting with Cllrs Prichard and Stretton and to invite the residents of Sutton Close.

6.            FINANCE:

The list of cheques raised in the month of October as listed on Page 166 were approved on the proposition of Cllr Stretton and seconded by Cllr Brockwell.

7.            BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORT:

Cllr Ricardo said that there were continuing problems with the smelly sewage works in Marlow. Cllr Ricardo also said that he was against the widening of the Fleet Stream Ditch because it would increase the flooding in Cookham.

8.         TO DISCUSS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN REGARDING FLOODING: Cllr Ricardo said that he had personally delivered Floodline cards to residents. There was then some confusion over some sandbags that had been dumped by the shopkeepers in the car park at Sutton Road. The Chairman said that this car park belonged to RBWM and it was their responsibility. The Chairman also reiterated that the only responsibility that Cookham Parish Council had in times of flooding was to open the Causeway and ask RBWM for temporary traffic lights. It was AGREED that we could put the Floodline information on the Cookham pages on the website and noticeboards. Cllr Ricardo was also asked on behalf of the residents of Cookham High Street to take up the availability of sandbags on their behalf. Cllr Ricardo enquired as to whether the Causeway was insured for traffic. The Clerk agreed to find out before the next meeting.

9.         TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE CONCLUSIONS TO THE BRITISH GAS TAKE-OVER OF THE ENERGY SUPPLY FOR PARISH STREETLIGHTS: The Clerk said that she had been confident of a break-through on this long standing problem. Mr Andrew Ogley of Southern Energy had offered several solutions involving new contracts and tariffs. However the Councillors said that they were not looking for a new contract but wanted their original contract re-instated. It was AGREED to ask the Clerk to write to the regulatory body OFGEM and ask them to investigate this situation.

11.            CHAIRMAN’S SUBMISSIONS: The only item was to mention that the Rural Parishes Forum had been abolished and there would now be three Parish Conferences in stead.

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

The Meeting closed at 9.30pm.