COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the

 FOOTPATHS & OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE

PRESENT:       Cllrs M. Barnes; M. Brar; G. Harris; R. Piercey: D. Ricardo and

 H. J. Woodbridge.

1.                  APOLOGIES AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Apologies were received from Cllrs D. Fry, M. Innes and the Clerk. Cllrs Brar and Piercey declared a personal interest in item 3a on the agenda.

2.         APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN: Cllr M. Barnes proposed Cllr G. Harris to stand as Chairman. This was seconded by Cllr H. J. Woodbridge. Cllr Harris AGREED to continue as Chairman.

3.         ALFRED MAJOR GROUND:

a):        Up-date on site meeting with CDFC to consider the Junior Football pitch: Cllrs Woodbridge, Wellman and Harris met the football club to further discuss their request to make regular use of the Junior Pitch for their under 11’s team every fortnight. The goal posts had been requested to go back in to position slightly nearer to the school. It was the Cllrs intention to look at the option of a five-a- side pitch in the future. It was decided that a verbal agreement for the Junior Pitch would be sufficient as this arrangement would probably only be for one year.

b)         Approval of quote for the Outdoor Fitness Equipment: The Clerk had left plans of how the equipment would look and the price. It was AGREED to ask Kate Dagnall for the release of S106 monies to purchase: Fitness equipment @£13,260; Surfacing @ £2,395; Circular Seating @£1,862 and a mature tree @£532. The Clerk was hoping to purchase the last three items out of the pitch improvements fund as environmental elements. If this was allowed it would leave more money in the play area fund for new equipment. It was proposed by Cllr H. J. Woodbridge and seconded by Cllr Barnes to request S 106 money to purchase the equipment as detailed.

c)         Up-date on new play equipment for the play area: This was deferred until the final sum available was determined by 3b).

4.         FOOTPATHS:

Two footpaths needed to be cleared: High Road to the Alfred Major and the bottom of the Alfred Major beside the railway line.

a)         Review of John Linegar’s lease: Cllr G. Harris declared a personal interest in this item. Mr Linegar’s lease was made in 1998 for one year only. It was never renewed and Mr Linegar rents 280 poles for £25 per year. The Clerk also found some minutes of the time stating that Mr Linegar’s rent should be put up every year to bring it in line with the amount charged to Mr McCarthy. Cllr Barnes proposed that we get a professional valuation on the value of the land and then review the situation. This was seconded by Cllr H. J. Woodbridge and AGREED.

b)         To consider the viability of putting mirrors at the entrance to Sutton Allotment on Council-owned land: The Council had previously only considered putting mirrors on the house opposite. The Clerk was not sure about the insurance aspect but the Council would not need permission to install mirrors on the allotment entrance which was all owned by the Parish Council. It was proposed by Cllr Barnes that the Council should not put mirrors up but should look to modify the entrance to Sutton Allotments. This was seconded by Cllr H. J. Woodbridge and AGREED.

6.         LAND OWNERSHIP: The Clerk had circulated various bits of land in the parish that did not seem to be owned by anyone. It was AGREED to contact RBWM’s legal department to see what the implication was of doing nothing.

The Meeting closed at 10.00pm.