COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

 Minutes of a Meeting of the

 COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

PRESENT: Cllr M. Barnes (Chairman), M. Wellman (Vice Chairman)

       Cllrs: M. Brar, P. Brockwell, M. Coker, S. Fairlie, D. Fry, G. Harris,

 M. Innes, R. Piercey, D. Ricardo, J. Stretton and H. J. Woodbridge.

1.      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Apologies were received from Cllrs Fisher and Prichard. Cllr Brar announced that Cllr Cubley sends her apologies. Cllr Ricardo declared a personal interest in item 9 and Cllr Harris declared a personal interest in item 8.

2.                  APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 3^rd October 2006 were circulated and duly signed with no amendments. Cllr Ricardo wished to state that Cookham Parish Council was informed of his appointment on the Maidenhead and Cookham Commons Preservation Society. He requested that the Minutes be changed on Page 342 to reflect this. Cllr Woodbridge disagreed and said that he had not seen any correspondence to support this claim. A short discussion followed on the difficulty of declaring all interests and membership of groups on the Code of Conduct forms. Cllr Woodbridge proposed to accept the Minutes unaltered, this was seconded by Cllr Stretton and AGREED.

3.                  COMMITTEE REPORTS: The Minutes of the Adoptive Acts Committee held on 10^th October 2006 were circulated and approved with no amendments. The Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on 24^th October 2006 were circulated and approved with no amendments.

4.                  TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES:

1. Cllrs Harris and Woodbridge visited the Cubs to speak about Cookham during the war.

2. Cllr Wellman attended a Stakeholders Meeting at Windsor Guild Hall.

3. Cllr Innes went to the AGM of the Pinder Hall Management Committee.

4. Cllr Fairlie attended the Patients Participation Group’s AGM.

5.         TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS UNDER STANDING ORDERS 24/26:  No questions were received.

6.            FINANCE:: The list of cheques raised in the months of October as listed on Page 362 were circulated to Councillors. Cllr Brockwell queried the final sum for the planting of the circular bed at the Cemetary. It was agreed to include it as an agenda item on the next meeting of the Adoptive Acts Committee. Cllr Stretton proposed to approve these figures. This was seconded by Cllr Woodbridge and AGREED unanimously.

7.         BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORT: Cllr Ricardo reminded everyone that the minutes and agenda for the next meeting of Little Marlow Sewage Works was in the Parish Office. He spoke of the advertisement from the Environment Agency informing us that they had taken over responsibility for Strand Water. Also the Badnells Pit decision would affect Cookham as spheres of mutual interest. Cllr Ricardo was concerned about the impact of extra traffic using Cookham Bridge. Cllr Brar said that she attended a Police Seminar.

8.         TO APPROVE DONATIONS RECOMMENDED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE:  The last meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee recommended dividing the donations fund by £350 to support the Parish Plan; £350 to the Cookham Festival and £250 to the Air Ambulance. Cllr Stretton said that he was concerned that the Parish Plan was well under way and yet the Parish Council’s offer was derisory compared to the £10,000 promised by the Cookham Society. Cllr Wellman said that he had spoken to Cllr Fisher who suggested that the Parish Council should ask for more details about the sums they are expected to need. Cllr Woodbridge agreed that the Parish Council should try to find out the costs involved in the Parish Plan and the time scale. Cllr Coker said that Roger Davis on the Steering Group has detailed costings. It was AGREED to withdraw the offer of £350 and invite members of the Parish Plan to present more details to the Parish Council. On the proposition of Cllr Stretton, seconded by Cllr Wellman, it was AGREED to forward £350 to support the Cookham Festival and £250 to the Air Ambulance. VOTE: In Favour = 11, Against = 1, Abstention = 1.

9.         TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES RAISED BY MR AND MRS BURTON RE: TRAFFIC, SPEEDING AND PARKING IN HIGH ROAD: Cllr Coker declared an interest in this item. Due to the lateness of the hour, it was AGREED to form a sub-committee to consider the important issues in Mr and Mrs Burton’s letter. This was proposed by Cllr Woodbridge and seconded by Cllr Stretton. The sub-committee will include Cllrs Woodbridge, Barnes and Harris. Cllr Woodbridge agreed to chair this sub-committee.

10.       CHAIRMAN’S SUBMISSIONS: The Clerk informed Councillors that the next round of Local Development Framework documents were in the Parish Office for comment by 15^th December 2006. There were two copies of the main document and a CD-Rom for Councillors to use. The Clerk was also asked to email the online version for those Councillors with computers and internet access. The Chairman also mentioned his idea for the naming of the site formerly occupied by Sandpipers and Laburnham Cottage. He suggested calling it “Sandpipers Close” – it was AGREED to send this suggestion to RBWM.

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

The Meeting closed at 9.50pm.