COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the

COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

PRESENT: Cllr M. Barnes (Chairman)

       Cllrs: M. Brar, M. Coker, S. Fairlie, J. Fisher, D. Fry, G. Harris, R. Piercey,

 A. Prichard, D. Ricardo, J. Stretton and H. J. Woodbridge.

1.      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Apologies were received from Cllrs Brockwell and Wellman. Cllr Brar announced that Cllr Cubley sends her apologies. Cllr Ricardo declared a personal interest in item 9. as a member of the National Trust.

2.                  APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 5^th September 2006 were circulated and duly signed with three amendments on Page 332. The procedure for Declaration and Filling of Casual Vacancies had the following changes: item 2, line 1, should be changed to “The Chairman shall conduct the interview …”; item 4, line 2, should read, “candidate to fill the vacancy from the candidates …”; and item 5, line 1, “Standing Order 68 will cease to apply and …”  The Minutes of the Extra-Ordinary Council Meeting held on 19^th September 2006 were also circulated and signed with no amendments.

3.                  COMMITTEE REPORTS: The Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on 12^th September 2006 were circulated and approved with no amendments. The Minutes of the Footpaths and Open Spaces Committee held on 19^th September 2006 were circulated and approved with no amendments.

4.                  TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES:

1. Cllr Coker reported that the Parish Plan was making excellent progress.

2. Cllr Innes went to a meeting at Pinder Hall and represented the Parish Council at a recent Borough Planning Meeting. Harvest Moon was refused but the Sawfords garage application to relax a condition of their planning was passed contrary to the wishes of Cookham Parish Council.

3. Cllr Brar attended the Parish Conference and passed over papers to the Clerk.

5.         TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDERS 24/26:  Cllr Prichard asked Cllr Ricardo why he had not declared that he was a member of the Maidenhead and Cookham Commons Preservation Society. Cllr Ricardo replied that he attended their meetings as a representative of RBWM. He had been tasked to do this at a Cabinet Meeting of 23^rd June 2005 for two years. Cllr Prichard then asked why he had not declared this appointment to the Parish Council.

The Chairman then intervened to advise that in future it does no harm to overstate membership of various groups and committees rather than understate.

6.            FINANCE:: The list of cheques raised in the months of September as listed on Page 345 were approved on the proposition of Cllr Prichard and seconded by Cllr Brar.

7.         BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORT: Cllr Ricardo and Cllr Brar reported that they had been summoned to meeting David Lunn to discuss the ongoing problem of crime in Cookham. Cllr Brar said that there had been very little reporting of the crime from PC de Haan. Cllr Brar also reported that the pot holes in Station Parade car park were at last filled in and there had been no reply from the Social Club regarding the pedestrian footway. Cllr Woodbridge queried this.

8.         TO FORMALLY ADOPT AN AMENDED PROCEDURE FOR A POLICY ON DONATIONS:  The amendments recommended by the Finance and General Purposes Committee now allowed for appeals to be considered twice a year instead of once. The Committee would now consider appeals at the October and April meetings.

9.         TO RESPOND TO THE NATIONAL TRUST’S DECISION TO REFUSE PERMISSION FOR LIGHTING THE WAR MEMORIAL: Cllr Woodbridge said that the National Trust’s decision was based on recommendations from Maidenhead and Cookham Commons Preservation Committee. Cllr Stretton said that the body was unelected and queried their right to advise the National Trust. Cllr Barnes said that they were an advisory group and that the Parish Council should enter in to dialogue direct with the National Trust. Cllr Coker proposed that the Chairman enter into discussions on behalf of the Parish Council. This was seconded by Cllr Fisher. Cllr Ricardo said that we needed to take professional advice before progressing and again queried why we needed the lighting at all. Cllr Coker’s proposition was voted on: IN FAVOUR = 11 and ABSTENTION = 1.

10.       TO CONSIDER TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE BROKEN BENCH IN STATION PARADE AND REPLACING THE FADED MAP:  The bench is owned by the Station Parade Management Company but it has been heavily damaged and is no longer safe. There followed a debate on whether the Council should supply another bench. Cllr Coker proposed that the Parish Council should ask for the bench to be removed on health and safety grounds, then enter into discussions to replace the bench. This was seconded by Cllr Fairlie. VOTE: IN FAVOUR = 10, ABSTENTION = 2. Cllr Fisher said that the Chartered Institute of Marketing would replace the faded maps. Cookham Parish Council thanked Cllr Fisher and the Institute for this gesture.

11.            CHAIRMAN’S SUBMISSIONS: Various notices were read out including the Mayor’s Golf Day, Training for Volunteers and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau’s invitation to their AGM.

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

The Meeting closed at 9.20pm.