COOKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the

  FOOTPATHS & OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE

PRESENT:       Cllr G. Harris (Chairman)

Cllrs M. Barnes; D. Fry, M. Innes, R. Piercey: D. Ricardo,

M. Wellman and H. J. Woodbridge.

1.                  APOLOGIES AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Apologies were received from Cllrs M. Brar.  Cllrs M. Wellman and R. Piercey declared a personal interest in item 2a) on the agenda. Cllr D. Fry declared a personal interest in item 4a) on the agenda.

2.            ALFRED MAJOR GROUND:

a):        Up-date on CDFC’s use of junior football pitch: Following the site meeting to look at the suitability of the junior pitch, it was noted that the Football Club had already moved the goal posts. The Councillors who attended the site meeting were under the impression that the Football Club would contact the Parish Office before carrying out any alterations on the junior pitch. At the site meeting, the size of the goal posts and the length of the pitch had been discussed but no information had been passed to the Parish Office on the results of this meeting.  It was AGREED that the Parish Clerk would write a letter to the Club to find out what was agreed.

b)            Review of the Rospa report on the play area: The recent Rospa report carried out in April had noted several medium risk measures that should be either monitored or acted on to ensure the continued safety of the play equipment. Some of the measures were defined by the EU and could not be met unless the play equipment was totally replaced. The Clerk had asked Peter Taylor to replace the rest of the rotten timber on the main play station.

3.            FOOTPATHS:

a)         Extra parish footpath cut: It was AGREED to ask Phil Holdford to carry out an interim cut of all the parish footpaths due to the wet weather and growing conditions this year.

b)            Milestones Statement and Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan 2007-2008:  This report from RBWM summarised the rights of way activity in the Borough over the year. There was little of concern to Cookham. The category 2 link from Widbrook Common to the river bank was noted and that RBWM had given up on enhancing the status of Kennel Lane from a footpath to a bridleway due to the objections of one of the landowners.

4.            ALLOTMENTS:

a)         Skip at Cookham Dean Allotments: Cllr Fry was keen to encourage the allotment holders to clear out their rubbish. It was AGREED that a skip would be ordered over a weekend in September for the tenants to use to tidy up their plots. A lockable skip was discussed and the Clerk would make enquiries.

b)            Location of electric cable at Sutton Allotments: It was noted that an accurate plan must be drawn up for the parish records as to the exact location of the cable. It was to have gone down the centre of the path but this was changed at the last minute. The Clerk would make the necessary enquiries in order to ensure the safety of all at Sutton Allotments.

c)            Entrance improvements at Sutton Allotments: The Chairman outlined his plans for improving the entrance to these allotments. This would involve taking out some of the hedge and putting in the fencing at an angle to make the entrance easier and more open. It was AGREED that the Chairman should draw up the plans in more detail and get some costings before going ahead.

Cllr Barnes left the meeting at this point.

d)            Request for vermin controller at Cookham Dean allotments: Various options were discussed including the use of smoking the burrows, use of ferrets or shooting the rabbits. Cllr Harris favoured the continued use of ferrets but would continue to follow-up any other humane ways of controlling the visitors. Cllr Fry said that if the wire is high enough, the rabbits would not be able to enter allotment plots.

5.            GARDENS IN BLOOM AWARDS: It was AGREED to divide the money that would have been spent on producing and printing Certificates to award gardening gift vouchers as prizes.

The Meeting closed at 9.55pm.